D&D (2024) Githzerai Psion? Thri-kreen Psion? Where's My Psion?

[Corinnguard]

I was onder the assumption the ardent and the psion where different classes yes

In 4e, the Ardent had the role of psionic leader while the Psion's role was psionic controller. So back in 4e, they are different classes. Not sure what they would look like in 5e.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

In 4e, the Ardent had the role of psionic leader while the Psion's role was psionic controller. So back in 4e, they are different classes. Not sure what they would look like in 5e.

I don't think the Ardent is wide enough to be it's own class, I think there'll just be a College of Ardor Bard subclass.

Psion definitely could have 6 or more subclasses, since there were 6 disciplines: Telepathy Disciple, Psychometabolism Disciple and so on.

 

[Corinnguard]

The Psion class from the Voidrunner Codex from EN Publishing has four archetypes- the Auger, Mindshear, Voidmender and the Warstorm.

Augurs are empathic visionaries, able to see the unseen and part the swirling mists of the future. Psions that travel this path often speak of living two lives: one in the present, another in the myriad of possible futures.
The mindshear psion is a master telepath, not simply capable of communicating by mental linkage, but able to draw out private thoughts, remove and replace memories, and even manipulate a creature’s sense of the here and now.
Voidmenders are those who study the effects of psionic power on the living body, with a focus on healing and restoration.
Warstorm psions are those who master the manipulation of objects, matter, and energy. As the moniker suggests, warstorms are particularly adept at waging war. However, some dedicate their efforts to defending a cause, while others are simply in search of self perfection, seeking worthy opponents against whom they might sharpen their skills.

 

[Corinnguard]

If I were to homebrew my own Psion class, I think I would base the class after the metapsychics in The Galactic Milieu series. There are five categories of metapsychic powers in that series- creation, coercion, psychokinesis, farsensing and redaction (healing).

Galactic Milieu Series - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Let's remember Pathfinder 1 had six "psicraft" classes: kineticist, medium, mesmerist, occultist, psychic and spiritualist.

The ardents would be like the D&D version of jedis. Not only they wear armour but also use psionic powers to heal.

In the complete psionic the ardents and divine minds had got "mantles", like cleric domains.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Let's remember Pathfinder 1 had six "psicraft" classes: kineticist, medium, mesmerist, occultist, psychic and spiritualist.

The ardents would be like the D&D version of jedis. Not only they wear armour but also use psionic powers to heal.

In the complete psionic the ardents and divine minds had got "mantles", like cleric domains.

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my point is we are unlikely to get more than one psionic caster class(if we are lucky we would also get a half caster) thus I was thinking more of merging the ardent and the psion together as they should not be too difficult to do?

 

[Corinnguard]

The ardents would be like the D&D version of jedis.

If you want a D&D version of the Jedi, you are better off with the Kineticist in PF1. When you choose your element at 1st level, you pick Aether for your Elemental Focus and for your telekinetic abilities. As soon as you can get an Infusion, select the Kinetic Blade Infusion.

Kinetic Blade

You form a weapon using your kinetic abilities. You create a non-reach, light or one-handed weapon in your hand formed of pure energy or elemental matter. (If you’re a telekineticist, you instead transfer the power of your kinetic blast to any object held in one hand.) The kinetic blade’s shape is purely cosmetic and doesn’t affect the damage dice, critical threat range, or critical multiplier of the kinetic blade, nor does it grant the kinetic blade any weapon special features.

The object in your hand becomes the hilt for your 'lightsaber'. And the color of your Aether becomes the color of your blade.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Or we could say the ardet could be a cleric or paladin subclass, and the wilder a sorcerer subclass.

The cerebremancer could be a wizard subclass, the fist of Zuoken a monk order,

I don't like the name "divine mind".

Battlemind could be an interesting concept to mix psionic and martial adepts.

The flayerspawn psychic (prestige class) is too cool to be forgotten.

I wonder how would be a psionic class where there were two different power point pools, one for sciences and other for devotions. The differences would be one could reload before with short rests.

My opinion is only one psionic class would be sad.

* We don't know if psion and ki will be translated to mystic and spirit points.

* In some editions of Star Wars rpg there were different classes of jedi, someone more focused into battlefield and others about the use of the Force.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Or we could say the ardet could be a cleric or paladin subclass, and the wilder a sorcerer subclass.

The cerebremancer could be a wizard subclass, the fist of Zuoken a monk order,

I don't like the name "divine mind".

Battlemind could be an interesting concept to mix psionic and martial adepts.

The flayerspawn psychic (prestige class) is too cool to be forgotten.

I wonder how would be a psionic class where there were two different power point pools, one for sciences and other for devotions. The differences would be one could reload before with short rests.

My opinion is only one psionic class would be sad.

* We don't know if psion and ki will be translated to mystic and spirit points.

* In some editions of Star Wars rpg there were different classes of jedi, someone more focused into battlefield and others about the use of the Force.

battlemind would work as a start for a psychic half caster(like paladins or rangers)but need a better name badly

a wizard dabbling in psionics would be a viable sub-class I assume that is what is meant by cerebremancer?

sad yes but I doubt we would get more than one full psychic spell caster class, if lucky we might also get a half caster and some subclasses for different classes.

just two full casters like ardent and psion seems unlikely

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I still haven't seen anyone come up with an answer for why D&D needs a psion. What's it for? The way I see it, it was only included in AD&D because Gygax was a fan of (awful) Marion Zimmer Bradley. There is a place for Space Magic in Science Fiction RPGs, since it gives an alternative to equipment-based character abilities. But in a fantasy setting? Telepathy, Telekinesis etc - we can do all those things with regular magic, so why do we need space magic as well? The way I see it, psionics if for alien magic, magic that does not belong in this (genericfantasyland) world. And so a good psionic class should double down on alienness.

Special mention for the Pathfinder take, grounded in early 20th century parapsychology and occultism. That might be nice in a Ravenloft setting, but regular D&D has clerics for ghostbusting. And besides, D&D wouldn't want to be seen to be blatantly ripping off Pathfinder (anymore than it already does).