D&D Debuts Playtest for Psion Class

Wizards of the Coast is playtesting the Psion class for Dungeons & Dragons. Today, Wizards of the Coast provided a new Unearthed Arcana for the Psion, a new class for the current revised 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The playtest includes base class rules plus four subclasses - the body-shifting Metamorph, the reality warping Psi Warper, the offensive-minded Psykinetic, and the Telepath.

The core mechanic of the Psion involves use of Psion Energy die. Players have a pool of energy dice that replenishes after a Long Rest, with the number and size of the dice determined by the Psion's level. These psion energy dice can either be rolled to increase results of various checks/saving throws or spent to fuel various Psion abilities.

While the Psion and psionics have a long tradition in D&D, they've only received a handful of subclasses in 5th Edition. If the Psion survives playtesting, it would mark the first time that Wizards of the Coast has added a new character class to D&D since the Artificer. Notably, the Psion and psionics are also heavily associated with Dark Sun, a post-apocalyptic campaign setting that many considered to be off the table for Fifth Edition due to the need to update parts of the setting to bring it current with modern sensibilities. However, the introduction of Wild talent feats (which replaces some Origin feats tied to backgrounds with psion-themed Feats) in the UA seems to suggest that Dark Sun is back on the table.

 

[Yaarel]

It's a balance issue - if the psionics has no components then using it cannot be detected, making it much more powerful. I would suggest replacing v/s/m components with a "psychic component" that the player can fluff any way they like, so long as it is a visible effect. e.g. your eyes turn black.

The "cost" Material component fails to balance anything. Most of the costs are trivial. For example the Augury spell (being psychic!), requires the caster to buy a deck of cards or something worth 25 gp. This is stupid and has zero to do mechanical gaming balance.

D&D needs to delete the Components entry from the spell descriptions.

Psionics must have nothing to do with components.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Later this year will be the first time a GM will allow me to play a Warforged in 5e, mostly because he's been exposed to the species from outside Eberron. Even after 3e provided alternative options for warforged in Forgotten Realms, it was a hard sell. I discovered many GMs have a defined comfort zone and I didn't even bother to pitch playing a psionic class.

By allowing two familiar mechanics, the subclass dice ability mechanic and spell slots, more GMs might allow a psionist in their game since it's just another spellcasting class. Though there will GMs who are going to pass on anything feeling slightly New Age or sci-fi to them.

On a side note to this, I really wish that WotC would provide some Artificer art which depicted them in more traditional settings. As far as I can tell, 100% of artificer art has been the magitech stuff which puts DM's off allowing them.

I try to constantly explain to people that artificers do work in traditional fantasy settings, but WotC seems determined to fight that. And as a result, I constantly see people saying they don't allow artificer as it doesn't fit in.

 

[aiouh]

So do we all agree that the abilities and features seem to take a lot of cues from the Psychic Powers (no spoilers) you manifest in Baldur's Gate 3?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I am very glad they're trying.

I am extremely upset that them "trying" means...making another goddamn spellcaster. For God's sake, couldn't we have ONE new non-spellcaster class? Psionics was THE place to do it!

And I'm very sad that this almost certainly will succeed this time. Hooray, we get "psionics" that is anything but. What fun. May I have another, WotC?

 

[GarrettKP]

The camera conveniently crops his hands out of the picture so we don't know if he's wiggling his fingers or not. He does, however, close his eyes in order to concentrate. That could still be counted as a somatic component.

A better example would be Rey when she's mind tricking the stormtrooper to remove her restraints. She doesn't even close her eyes then. (And mere moments before, Kylo Ren was holding his hand out while trying to get inside Rey's head.)

So I guess Jedi can get away with not using hand gestures if they're full restrained. Maybe there's a special talent that lets them sometimes ignore somatic components.

That special feature is called spells like Command and Suggestion not having Somatic components in the first place.

Psions can still cast spells that don’t have Somatic components. It’s not like Artificer where every spell they cast HAS to have Material components (their tools).

So don’t worry, Psions can still command their release through their powers without having to wave their arms.

 

[TheSword]

The "cost" Material component fails to balance anything. Most of the costs are trivial. For example the Augury spell (being psychic!), requires the caster to buy a deck of cards or something worth 25 gp. This is stupid and has zero to do mechanical gaming balance.

D&D needs to delete the Components entry from the spell descriptions.

Psionics must have nothing to do with components.

Augury isn’t a psion spell. Just for the record.

I have no problem with psion spells requiring a focus usually a crystalline gem to anchor their psychic abilities. Growing an astral construct through a gemstone feels pretty on the money flavour wise for me.

Your expectation that psionics not have anything physical feels an bit arbitrary. D&D history is littered with psions using items to focus their powers.

 

[Yaarel]

Augury isn’t a psion spell. Just for the record.

I have no problem with psion spells requiring a focus usually a crystalline gem to anchor their psychic abilities. Growing an astral construct through a gemstone feels pretty on the money flavour wise for me.

Your expectation that psionics not have anything physical feels an bit arbitrary. D&D history is littered with psions using items to focus their powers.

There can be magic items that are useful to psionic characters. No problem.

But magic items have nothing to do with how a psionic character 'manifests' spells by the power of ones own mind (soul, spirit).

If for some reason they need a 'crystalline gem', the psionic can mentally imagine it, for free, without cost.

MATERIAL COMPONENTS MUST DIE IN A FIRE! ESPECIALLY THE COSTLY ONES!

Costly components serve no balance function. Costly components are crap. It is wrong to inflict this crap on psionic fans.

 

[TheSword]

It lets me play Gideon Ravenor or Professor X. Big green tick for me.

 

[TheSword]

There can be magic items that are useful to psionic characters. No problem.

But magic items have nothing to do with how a psionic character 'manifests' spells by the power of ones own mind (soul, spirit).

If for some reason they need a 'crystalline gem', the psionic can mentally imagine it, for free, without cost.

MATERIAL COMPONENTS MUST DIE IN A FIRE! ESPECIALLY THE COSTLY ONES!

Costly components serve no balance function. Costly components are crap. It is wrong to inflict this crap on psionic fans.

Each to their own. I think they add flavour.

They do assist with balance issues - usually either permanent effects (Magic mouth) or spells that would problematic if spammed (legend lore) or spells which the DM might want to restrict access to (identify).

Only 16 psion spells have material components and most are pretty obscure. The good news is that you can happily play a psion and reasonably never need to use a component.

 

[Horwath]

There can be magic items that are useful to psionic characters. No problem.

But magic items have nothing to do with how a psionic character 'manifests' spells by the power of ones own mind (soul, spirit).

If for some reason they need a 'crystalline gem', the psionic can mentally imagine it, for free, without cost.

MATERIAL COMPONENTS MUST DIE IN A FIRE! ESPECIALLY THE COSTLY ONES!

Costly components serve no balance function. Costly components are crap. It is wrong to inflict this crap on psionic fans.

I agree for material components, except for permanent effects.
conjuring a castle out of nothing should cost as a castle, you still save on construction time and hassle of logistics.
maybe also summons if they last 24hrs, then you can have that as a fixed cost instead of hiring a sidekick.


off-topic, for resurrection spells, that spell should age you as a receiver of the spell.
20% of your "max age" as raise dead, cca +20 years for a human
10% of your "max age" as resurrection, +10 years for a human
5% of your "max age" as true resurrection or wish/miracle. +5 years for a human
this adds to my little house rule for age penalties:
middle age: human 40yo, 1 permanent exhaustion level
old age: human 60yo, 2 permanent exhaustion levels
venerable age: human 80yo, 3 permanent exhaustion levels