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

[Maxperson]

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.

2e was a weaker sorcerer. A sorcerer didn't have upwards of 30-40% failure/minimum power rates for their abilities. 2e did. It could reach 50-60% if you didn't cheat your way to multiple 17s and 18s for all the different stats required. Sorcerers have a 0% failure rate.

 

[Fenris-77]

I'd probably bake low-end Clairsentience and Telepathy into the base class, in some form, and them make subclasses for the rest. Probably a combat subclass with psycho metabolism and psychokinetics, a stealth subclass with psychoportation, and a mentalist subclass that adds to the telepathy and clairsentience and maybe works in some meta creativity. The silos there wouldn't necessarily have to be 100% impermeable, and you could spread some love around via feats as well.

 

[Ovinomancer]

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

Add, "but with a completely different mechanical system" and this is true. The psion's actual niche was the completely different magic system, that it also did pretty much the same things as the other magic system (spells) wasn't the key thing.

This debate really seems to be more about whether psionics is a separate and different system from spells than anything to do with a specific, dedicated class. The class is appearing to stand in for the different system in most arguments for, and isn't being associated with the different system for most arguments against. I think it's very safe to say that WotC is not going to be recreating the separate system from 1e, 2e, and 3e eras. 4e everything was powers, so everything was, in a way, separate. Adding a completely different magic system at this point in the cycle is very unlikely, no matter how much an individual wants it. As such, discussion about a psion class, full caster or no, should center on how to introduce novel ways to use the current magic systems -- like how WotC has introduced the psi-die. This is apparently the tack WotC took with the Mystic in previous UAs, though, and that was clearly insufficiently loved to warrant continued active development.

 

[Minigiant]

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

Of course. 5e has different foci from 4e. Just saying 2e and 3e are bad examples to take from for concept of power and feature.

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

Sure but not too many. Maybe pyrokinnesis and shaping. No need to go close to mystic tier again.

 

[grimslade]

I like the 4E breakdown of a telepath, telekinetic and shaper. It gives each subclass an identity and focus. You can see both individual spell lists or psionic abilities powered by the PTD size and rolling for control.
The question I have for the group is, "Does the psion need to have access to healing to be a psion?"

 

[Chaosmancer]

I like the 4E breakdown of a telepath, telekinetic and shaper. It gives each subclass an identity and focus. You can see both individual spell lists or psionic abilities powered by the PTD size and rolling for control.
The question I have for the group is, "Does the psion need to have access to healing to be a psion?"

I don't think so, psychic healing is not something typically portrayed. It exists sure, but if it never showed up I doubt we would truly miss it like we would telekinesis or telepathy

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I like the 4E breakdown of a telepath, telekinetic and shaper. It gives each subclass an identity and focus. You can see both individual spell lists or psionic abilities powered by the PTD size and rolling for control.
The question I have for the group is, "Does the psion need to have access to healing to be a psion?"

I'd probably say no, it is not required. When people think of phychic powers, telepathy and telekiness and related effects are what come to mind most I think.
Psionic healing appears in a few examples, but much less.

 

[Jd Smith1]

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

That is exactly what 5e does not need: another over-powered specialist class with little or no roots in fantasy.

 

[Maxperson]

That is exactly what 5e does not need: another over-powered specialist class with little or no roots in fantasy.

Er, everything at once is generalist, not specialist.

 

[Aldarc]

I don't think so, psychic healing is not something typically portrayed. It exists sure, but if it never showed up I doubt we would truly miss it like we would telekinesis or telepathy

Maybe as part of either a cleric subclass (e.g., Passion Domain), bard subclass (e.g., College of Soul), or a further psion/mystic subclass (e.g., Empath)?