D&D 5E Here's why we want a Psion class

[Paul Farquhar]

Rather than nitpicking about the details, what niche do we want to fill with the base class?
The Mystic is dead precisely because he could do too much stuff at once.

But if you look at the historical psion, "everything at once" is exactly what their niche was.

 

[Fenris-77]

But if you look at the historical psion, "everything at once" is exactly what their niche was.

And this is precisely why I don't see it happening for 5e, not exactly like it used to be. Subclasses might be a help though. If you had a psion class with X discipline baked into it, and then spread the other disciplines across three subclasses, that might provide the teleos needed to make a more targeted class overall

Obviously that won't be enough for the I want to do everything everyone else does but without components crowd, but those people are impossible to please anyway.

 

[Guest 6801328]

But if you look at the historical psion, "everything at once" is exactly what their niche was.

That seems like the antihesis of the word "niche".

 

[Var]

But if you look at the historical psion, "everything at once" is exactly what their niche was.

Sure, I get that. But that's an easy way to just not get a Psion class.

By slapping heavy restrictions on it you can add that part after the framework stands. You'll have a specialization in things you're particularly good at, there's no way around it. Anything outside the field you're specialized in costs the resource equivalent of a Spellslots 2 levels higher than the spell equivalent you want to access from outside your field of expertise. There you go. Want to be a psychic manipulator but still sling a Fireball? Sure, 5th level Spellslot for 3rd level effect please. Limited by your INT modifier/long rest. Or it's using up a Class Feature equivalent of Channel Divinity (Cleric) so no nigh infinte access to all low level spells when you need them.
A bunch of ways to make that possible by simply gimping progression and power in exchange for diversity.

That still leaves the question at what a Psion would be really good at compared to a Wizard, Cleric or Sorcerer.
I'd assume they start out with a different Spell list to access?
Options from every school, but mostly not the "best" option or lacking higher tier versions?

List of random ideas for variety with limitations:

• Healing is there but only single target, no reviving spells.
• Evocation but only "projectiles" that emit from the caster - Firebolt/Fireball/Magic Missle check, but no Toll the Dead.
• severly limited options for summoning (or their own uniquely flavoured options)
• I'd assume Illusion, Abjuration and Transmutation would be the focus. But could be a Spell level behind the other full casters, 6th-9th level Spells (not Spellslots) become available a level or two later.
• Not sure how to diversify a lvl 20 Psion and Wizard/Sorcerer, just not giving the Psion access toWish seems a little weaksauce.

As long as we can add the Psion's versatility in a gimped way so it becomes flavour/utility rather than added versatility and combat potential, this could work.

 

[Minigiant]

But if you look at the historical psion, "everything at once" is exactly what their niche was.

not exactly

1. 1e didn't have a psion class
2. 2e psion was a stronger "sorcerer". It lacked a lot of the rule skipping of magic though.
3. 3e psion was a replacement for a wizard AND cleric
4. 4e psion was a strict controller. It only had telepathic, telekinesis, and shaping with a few teleports and rituals with bad damage.

So only 2/3rd of the time was the psion everything at once.
Best not to copy 2e or 3e.

 

[Fenris-77]

I'd say best not to copy anything, especially 4e. Not because 4e is bad, but because 5e is a different game.

 

[dave2008]

I think the same. The mystic did too much.

I could go with a psion with only clairsentience, psychokinesis, and telepathy.

You could always add subclasses later that add back some of the items cut

 

[Morrus]

I take it you've never met a girl.

The thing you’re replying too might be inappropriate, but this also inappropriate. This isn’t a playground. Please don’t post in this thread again.

 

[Maxperson]

Max, I quoted it in an earlier response to you. It is in the new UA: Psionic Options Revisited page 6 of the PDF:

Psychic Sorcery. When you cast a spell, you can use your mind to form it, rather than relying on words, gestures, and materials. To do so, roll your Psionic Talent die. The spell then requires no verbal component, and if you rolled the level of the spell or higher, the spell doesn’t require somatic or material components either.

If you don't roll high enough the spell will require somatic and material components.

So you can use the psionic die in place of the component for a NON-PSIONIC spell. That's not a component for psionics. It's a bonus ability psionic PCs have that will allow them to forgo a component for that NON-PSIONIC spell, if they CHOOSE.

Edit: Or put another way, if you are optionally using the die to convert a spell into a psionic ability that then has no components, you have not used a component to use the psionic power. The die is not a component, it is a resource. The power does not say you can use the die as a component to replace the components of the spell. It says you use it to make the ability mental and it then has NO components.

 

[Maxperson]

If the spell is cast by a psion/psionicist/mystic/psionic character as part of their psionic class abilities, its psionics.

It's not a component for psionics, though. That's just an optional ability that allows them to skip a component for NON-PSIONIC spells if they want to. It's a bonus, not a component. A spell doesn't transform into a psionic power just because they use that ability.

Edit: Or put another way, if you are optionally using the die to convert a spell into a psionic ability that then has no components, you have not used a component to use the psionic power. The die is not a component, it is a resource. The power does not say you can use the die as a component to replace the components of the spell. It says you use it to make the ability mental and it then has NO components.