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.

 

[Maxperson]

Fine in the short run, but I guess you probably can't keep them more than 24 hours without C&UP (constantly drugged or unconscious) or relying on magic itself (anti magic cells and manacles).

Or you just put the iron mask on them that has no eye holes so that they are forever blindfolded while they are held. Plus, the anti magic cell/manacles is a common occurrence in D&D games in my experience.

Admittedly, it's a problem with all D&D magic, but removing the components check makes the problem go from nonsensical to farce.

That ship sailed years ago. Psionics has had no components since 2020. Any 6th level or higher Aberrant Mind Sorcerer could just spend sorcery points to cast any spell psionic spell and there was no V, S or M(unless consumed by the spell) for that spell.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The problem is that "magic" now means "spellcasting" 90% or more of the time.

And "spellcasting" is much more confining, as a system, than many people--WotC included--seems to realize.

I think WotC realizes it. They're just more ok with it than you are.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think WotC would agree with it being confining (their original attempt was with a point based system after all). But we know that their market research has shown that 5e players are very very resistant to learning new systems. Which makes sense to me - the reason 5e managed mass market penetration when other editions did not is that the rules are simple and intuitive. I can certainly say that most of my players are only here because they want to pretend to be fantasy heroes, they really aren't very interested in the rules, and would be very opposed to having to learn new ones. We saw that with the Psi Knight and it's psi dice. The final version was very simplified from the version in the original UA, because the feedback showed that the majority of players did not want to learn a new system with that level of complexity.

My personal view is D&D doesn't need new classes - it has too many already, that are only in because tradition. But I would axe the sorcerer and bard*, and keep the psion. The sorcerer was only added to the game because some players found spell memorisation too difficult. Which was then cut from the other casters, rendering sorcerers pointless.

I think its true to say that popular games are always simple**. The more complex you make a game's rules, the more niche it becomes.


*replacing bard with a version with little or no magic.

**Chess has very simple easily learned rules. The complexity is emergent in the gameplay.

Does popular mean, "a lot of people buy it"? Because if so, I want to talk to you about Monopoly...

 

[Aldarc]

I think WotC realizes it. They're just more ok with it than you are.

I would say that this also extends to the wider playerbase, especially given how WotC received some pushback on their more "radical" alternatives to spellcasting.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I would say that this also extends to the wider playerbase, especially given how WotC received some pushback on their more "radical" alternatives to spellcasting.

Sad (IMO) but true.

 

[Remathilis]

I don't mind some of the sci-fi elements of psionics. A lot of their names and powers that people find to be pseudo-science lean heavily into Greek or a sort of pseudo-Greek (e.g., psionics). It's actually something that would feel right at home in the Middle Ages, which was obsessed with Latin and Greek. A lot of alchemy, pseudo-science, and "magic" of those days involved Greek, Latin, or Arabic terms. It's almost something that should be at home with the scientific approach to magic of the Wizard. I would potentially even consider switching that around, with the psionic powers leaning into more mystical occult names.

Psionics to me was always a mix of sci-fi, new age practice, occultism, Eastern mysticism and superheroes. I'd be very happy if the tradition continues. Part of my problem with aberrant sorcerer was that it was only focused on the horror/alien aspect. This psion has room enough to grow and be all those things above.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Never really been mechanics minded enough to judge what is or isn't balanced when it comes to class design, but I'm really liking this take on the Psion.

Was a big Boruto's Dad Naruto fan for a while back in high school/early college and the Metamorph in particular is giving me major Kimimaro vibes, which I adore.

 

[Maxperson]

Does popular mean, "a lot of people buy it"? Because if so, I want to talk to you about Monopoly...

Monopoly has a comparable number of rules to Chess.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Monopoly has a comparable number of rules to Chess.

I don't know if that's true. The bidding aspect and open negotiation are a different kind of complexity. The game even asks you to figure out percentages for tax (although it's optional). Monopoly has more math in general than games I would consider to be "simple".

 

[Maxperson]

I don't know if that's true. The bidding aspect and open negotiation are a different kind of complexity. The game even asks you to figure out percentages for tax (although it's optional). Monopoly has more math in general than games I would consider to be "simple".

Compare that to Chess having multiple stalemate rules, En Passant rules, funky knight movement, castling rules that are different depending on the side your are castling on, getting pawns to the other side and becoming any piece you want even if it duplicates a unique piece(except the king!), each piece type having a different movement mode, and more.

I've taught both games and people have an easier time learning Monopoly.