D&D 5E How does 5e know what you're thinking? Psionics Mechanics..

[steeldragons]

Lots of interesting thoughts and theories here...so I'll weigh in (with what was rambling through my mind ALL NIGHT last night while I couldn't sleep. ugh. So, apologies up front if it all sounds like nonsense...but it was eloquent and thorough when I was composing in my mind. ).

Coupla things...

1) I am also of the "psionics =/= magic" camp. I think most people who like the concept of psychic powers see them this way.

2) The "segration of solely fluff" does not phase me in the slightest and strikes me as comPLETEly enough of a difference to warrant a separate class.

Mages learn/have figured out how to harness and direct the arcane magical energies that are all around (outside) them in the fantasy world through extensive training and exhaustive study and research.

Sorcerers "just know" how to harness and direct the arcane magical energies that are all around (outside) them in the fantasy world through some kind of magical background/heritage/origin that makes the working of magic an innate ability. Some internal capacity for it, yes, but not some internal power source.

Psions (heretofore referred to as "Psychics" as I think a LOT of resistance to Psionics is simply the sci-fi-ness of the name and would greatly benefit from a re-boot in a more Fantasy fashion) are able to harness and direct the energies of their own minds (internal energies) to effect the world around them.

Not the same as sorcerers...Now, that said, it wraps up into #3 ...

3) We're all getting a little crazynuts about the whole "EVERY CLASS NEEDS ITS OWN MECHANICS" shtick.

If I have a simple and functional mechanic that makes one flavored thing run smoothly and well in one class, why WOULDN'T I want to just use that to make this other class' flavor of the same thing work as well? Ease of learning/use and flow of function (does it work?!) are all that matters...the fluff to tack the mechanic on to whatever archetype can be whatever you want to make it/is not really important from this perspective.

Personally, I think that every/any mechanical element used within any class OUGHT to be usable to mechanically demonstrate abilities by more than one class.

Does the Cleric's Channel Divinity have to be mechanically distinctive to the Paladin's (or Druid's, hypothetically) Channel Divinity? Or if they go with auras, do I need an "Inspiring Presence/Aura" for the Warlord and a mechanically different "Inspiring Presence/Aura" for the Bard? I need one mechanic for a Rogue's Sneak Attacl and another for the Assassin's...and yet another for the Ranger (if they give Rangers some kind of Ambush/Sneak Attack ability)?

Just as a hypothetical theory...Fighters get Combat Superiority/Extra Damage dice all of the time against everyone...Rangers get Combat Superiority/Extra Damage dice only in Favored Terrain and/or against Favored Enemies. Should I have/be given TWO mechanically different Combat Superiority/Extra Damage dice mechanics to be applied to each class? No...I heartily think, I should not.

If Sorcerer's Spontaneous Power Point system works well and can do the same thing for the Psychic...then where's the harm in reusing that mechanic construct? I'm not saying "make Psychic's a Sorcerer type"! No. that's flavor stuff. I'm saying, use the mechanic that works and adjust the fluff/flavor as needed...as is/should be done for all class mechanics of all kinds across the board.

There's only so many ways to slice a pie. To my mind...I'm thinkin' a lil' something like this:
At-wills...well ok, everyone gets at-wills, but, gimme a sec...

At-will + Prepared Spell Slots = Mage/Wizard...and I'm gonna guess/put my money on Bards, as well. Gotta know/rehearse those spell songs..though I do not want them considered "Arcane" casters, nor would they have to be simply because of the mechanic.

At-will + Spontaneous Spell Slots = Clerics and, I suspect, Druids will go here too.

At-will + Spontaneous Spell Slots + Power Points = Sorcerers (from what I understand)

At-will + however "favors/curses/whatever they're called" work = Warlocks

So...why not...
At-will + Power Point = Psychic.

Or some kind of At-will/PP/Spontaneous Spell Slot crossbreed? [though they wouldn't be flavored as "spell" slots, obviously]

If you'll indulge/follow me just a bit more...(I did a LOOOOT of thinking 'bout this last night )

-The Psychic gets the combined bonuses of their mental abilities (Int, Wis & Cha) + Psychic Level as their Power Points.

-Each Psychic power requires some expense of these points (other than their "at-wills" naturally). The powers are broken up, according to Specialty, by their point cost. So as opposed to "Spell Levels" you have "Point Tiers".

-The Psychic's use of different powers from these different tiers is only limited by the Psychic's number of PP. They do not proceed on a "slot" kind of progression table though their powers are placed/organized in slots.

-The PP refresh at some predetermined rate (1 per hour?, All after an extended rest?, able to use a HD to replenish PP instead of HP during a short rest? something...)

-After their initial/normal allotment is "used up" the Psychic MAY elect to burn through their HD (rolled normally, the die roll indicates how many/much "extra energy" they can force out of themselves) and eventually, in grave emergencies, even their OWN HP! (for all of the "push to extra power/get a bloody nose" lovers out there, here's yer nod. It is VERY easily conceivable that overexerting one's mental powers can very easily KILL you!

-In the interest of "not re-writing the wheel", and in keeping with the above, if the Psychic power does something that a Spell does, then just call it the same thing and give me the tweaks (fluff and crunch bits) in the Power description. We do not need a spell called "Sleep" and a psychic power called "Imposed Slumber" or whatever.

Yeeees, this means that some effects will be listed twice, once as a spell called "Sleep" and again as a Psychic Power called "Sleep." But considering most of the repeats will involve something along the lines of:

"blah blah description yada yada...otherwise the power functions as the Mage spell of the same name."
​

I don't really see this as a problem for page count or space.

-Specialties (like for all classes) should start simple and archetypal...other ones can be added in somewhere. I do NOT, for example, consider a Psychic Warrior or Soulknife [*facepalm*] necessary out the gate. Get a system in place to give me a good Telepath and Telekinetic and we're good.
Throw in "Medium" and "Clairvoyant/Seer" and there's FOUR, heavily fantastical psychic archetypes to start off a "Psychic" class.

SSS'anywho...just going from a strictly starting hypothetical example of 1st level going up to, say, 5th...I'd be inclined to just jump higher cost powers to 10, but probably something more gradual will be desired.

Class: Psychic
Specialty: Telepath
Str x, Con y, Dex z, Int. (whatever score gets a +2 bonus), Wis. +3 bonus, Cha +1.
Starting PP: 2+3+1...+level 1 = 7

[Please note the numbers are/stay LOW and easy to follow and calculate. So a 1st level Psychic, even with "only" 7 PP can do a WHOLE lot throughout the day without even considering delving into their HD or HP.]

Psychic Powers: Telepathy
At will/0 PP. . . . . . . .1 PP*. . . . . . . . . 3 PP*. . . . . . . . . . .5PP*
Daze. . . . . . . . . Comp. Lang. . . . . Charm Person. . ."Mass Dispel Illusion"
Dt. Illusion. . . . . .Dt. Charm. . . . . .Dt. Invisibility. . . . "Charm Immunity"
Ghost Sound. . . Dt. Thoughts. . . . . Hold Person. . . . . ."Mental Probe"
Hypnotism. . . . . . Message. . . . . . . Invisibility. . . . . . Phantasmal Force
Resist Charm. . . . . Sleep. . . . . . ."Telepathic Link". . . .Telepathic Bond

*Where the number of Power Points is per mind effected for a duration of 10 rounds?/minutes (1 turn? Is it turns in 5e?) except where otherwise noted in a Power's description.

The Psychic is able to effect as many minds in a round as they have levels. So...

ex.1 : A 1st level Psychic wants to sneak passed the 2 gate guards by mentally putting them to sleep. She needs 2 rounds. 1 to put the first guard to sleep. The following round, she puts the second guard to sleep and struts on in. PP cost: 2 PP in 2 rounds.

ex.2: A 2nd level Psychic wants to sneak passed the 2 gate guards by mentally putting them to sleep. She is able to put them both to sleep in a single round. Still costs 2PP, there are 2 minds being effected. But she can do it at once/the same time.

So...yeah...use of Psychic Powers is "At-will" but requires the spending of "Power Points" broken up into "tiered ["spell"] slots" that they may choose "Spontaneously."

No need for NEW mechanics to get all the psychic flavor one could want...possibly?...

What say you, ENworld?
--SD

 

[Ultimatecalibur]

I am going to be blunt and ask these questions straight up.

Why do the people who think psionics=/=magic think that psionics are not a type of magic?

Why do you think that abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, etc. should be exclusive to Psions and other Psionic characters?

What does Psionics actually add to D&D that did not exist in it before they were added?

 

[slobster]

I am going to be blunt and ask these questions straight up.

Why do the people who think psionics=/=magic think that psionics are not a type of magic?

The debate of psionics are magic or psionics are different misses the point, IMO. Psionics basically is magic, but a radically different version than wizards use. Just as it is distinct from magic from the gods, or the magic warlocks get from their dark pacts.

Why do you think that abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, etc. should be exclusive to Psions and other Psionic characters?

Because it works. Wizards already have a huge bag of tricks, taking away those toys is something most people would hardly notice. Reserving them for psionic-types really helps define some design space for those classes, though, so you get a big benefit at a small cost.

What does Psionics actually add to D&D that did not exist in it before they were added?

The same thing that is accomplished by adding paladins and rangers to a game that already has fighters, or warlocks and sorcerers to a game with wizards. Variety and coolness. Also sweetness. And a little bit of awesomeness.

Some people just like psions, man. No accounting for taste.

 

[bogmad]

The debate of psionics are magic or psionics are different misses the point, IMO. Psionics basically is magic, but a radically different version than wizards use. Just as it is distinct from magic from the gods, or the magic warlocks get from their dark pacts.

I'd disagree even with this, but at the same time it is primarily a manner of fluff and trying to explain "it's just different" isn't really very productive.

Still, I'll try (and fail): If magic is "supernatural," then psionics are "natural" [I'd agree in a fantasy world this distinction is largely meaningless] Psionic ability isn't a result of magic, but the very nature of how consciousness itself works (in a given fantasy setting). The power of the mind is what affects things, not some internal or external arcane/divine/etc energy source. [edit Again, this means nothing, but somehow in my mind it just clicks and feels right. Also, I'd say detect magic doesn't work on psionics, but that's a whole other thing.

Staying true to the fluff even results in different mechanics, as I see it. Take steeldragon's example of a sleep spell above:

The Psychic is able to effect as many minds in a round as they have levels. So...

ex.1 : A 1st level Psychic wants to sneak passed the 2 gate guards by mentally putting them to sleep. She needs 2 rounds. 1 to put the first guard to sleep. The following round, she puts the second guard to sleep and struts on in. PP cost: 2 PP in 2 rounds.

ex.2: A 2nd level Psychic wants to sneak passed the 2 gate guards by mentally putting them to sleep. She is able to put them both to sleep in a single round. Still costs 2PP, there are 2 minds being effected. But she can do it at once/the same time.

Right now that works mechanically slightly differently than the sleep spell currently in the rules. You could just have entries in the spell list split for magic user/psionic characters, or you could just call them different causes with similar effects.

I wouldn't even say that all abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, etc. need to be removed from the wizards spell list and put in the psions. But just the same way a wizards invisibility spell shouldn't outclass a stealthy rogue, a read thoughts spell shouldn't outclass a psion's ability.

 

[The Shadow]

Psions (heretofore referred to as "Psychics" as I think a LOT of resistance to Psionics is simply the sci-fi-ness of the name and would greatly benefit from a re-boot in a more Fantasy fashion)

I can definitely get on board with this.

So...why not...
At-will + Power Point = Psychic.

Sounds good.

-The Psychic gets the combined bonuses of their mental abilities (Int, Wis & Cha) + Psychic Level as their Power Points.

Not thrilled about using the full ability scores. It makes psions MAD. (See what I did there?)

-The Psychic's use of different powers from these different tiers is only limited by the Psychic's number of PP. They do not proceed on a "slot" kind of progression table though their powers are placed/organized in slots.

Do they have a number of 'powers known'? I'd think they'd have to. It might be interesting for powers to have prerequisites, too, unlike spells.

-The PP refresh at some predetermined rate (1 per hour?, All after an extended rest?, able to use a HD to replenish PP instead of HP during a short rest? something...)

Both the latter two, I think - and let me just say that your third suggestion is very interesting. Actually, I could maybe go with regaining PP solely through hit dice... it gives a very distinct feel.

-After their initial/normal allotment is "used up" the Psychic MAY elect to burn through their HD (rolled normally, the die roll indicates how many/much "extra energy" they can force out of themselves) and eventually, in grave emergencies, even their OWN HP! (for all of the "push to extra power/get a bloody nose" lovers out there, here's yer nod. It is VERY easily conceivable that overexerting one's mental powers can very easily KILL you!

You're reading my mind. Me like. Though I think the number of PP needs to be kept low, probably lower than the sorcerer's, so that people will feel tempted to do this in a big fight.

The Psychic is able to effect as many minds in a round as they have levels. So...

Huh! I like this too, quite a bit, though I'm not sure about doing it by level - I might want it to go up more slowly than that.

What say you, ENworld?

Count me in! I'd give you xp if I could for this great post.

 

[slobster]

OK, here it goes. Inspired by [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION]' mammoth (and interesting) post, I've whipped up what I think my version of the psion might look like. It's a different take from his proposal, so we'll see what people like and dislike for each. It's obviously very spur-of-the-moment, and quite a read, but if anyone does take the time to look it over, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

P.S. I totally stole his idea for Overchannel.


Psion

When you create a character whose first class is psion, you gain these benefits.
Ability Adjustment: +1 to your Intelligence or Charisma score.
Starting hit points: 6+your Constitution modifier.
Armor and Shield proficiencies: light armor
Weapon proficiencies: Basic weapons and simple missile weapons

The Psion

Discipline
A psion chooses a discipline at level 1, which reflects the channel through which his mental gifts have developed.

Benefit: Choose either Telepathy or Telekinesis as your psionic Discipline.

Telekinesis
By disciplining your mind and spirit, you have honed your gifts to allow you to exert forces on distant objects without ever contacting them physically.
Benefit: Your key ability score is Intelligence. Use your Intelligence score to determine modifiers, DCs, and damage bonuses for all of your psionic talents.
When augmenting a talent within the Telekinesis discipline, you may spend 1 more power point than is normally permitted.
You gain the telekinetic talent Levitate.

Telepathy
The overwhelming power of your mind and your being allows you to project yourself into others' minds, peering at their thoughts and even interfering with them according to your whim.
Benefit: Your key ability score is Charisma. Use your Charisma score to determine modifiers, DCs, and damage bonuses for all of your psionic talents.
When augmenting a talent within the Telepathy discipline, you may spend 1 more power point than is normally permitted.
You gain the telepathic talent Cold Reading.

Power Points
A psion's power is his own mind, so you can employ any talents you know at will. In important situations, however, you can tap into a wellspring of energy deep within your psyche to enhance the effects of your talents.

Benefit: You have a number of power points equal to your key ability modifier plus your level. You may use them to augment a talent you manifest, which enhances its effects. Each talent has a list of augments that you may choose from when manifesting. Unless specified, you may use multiple power points to augment a single talent in the same way, or mix and match among augment options.
You fully regain your power points over the course of a short rest.

Augment
Benefit: At first level, you may not spend more than 1 power point at a time to augment a talent. At level 5 this limit increases to 2 power points. Your psionic Discipline allows you to spend an additional power point on talents within that discipline.

Overchannel
In a moment of dire need, you bypass the normal limits of flesh and mind to achieve feats that would be otherwise impossible, and to fight past the point when you would normally have exhasted your mental reserves.

Benefit: You may expend one or more hit dice to restore power points (one per hit dice expended), provided that you spend the power point immediately. If you do not have hit dice to spend in this way, you may instead take 1d6 backlash damage (backlash damage cannot be redirected, reduced, negated, delayed, or otherwise prevented) per power point recovered.



Psionic Talents
You begin play knowing one of the following talents due to your psionic discipline, and may choose two others from the following list. You may choose talents that aren't a part of your discipline.

[sblock=Cold Reading (Telepathy)]
Cold Reading
Telepathy
You skim the surface thoughts of the target, potentially finding important information – or disturbing revelations of a personal nature.
Range: 30 feet
Effect: The target must be a thinking creature within line of sight. If it fails a charisma save, you catch a glimpse into the target's thoughts. Treat any check you make this round to discern the target's mental state, the truth of any statements he makes, and so on, as a natural 20.
You may also gain information that simply isn't available through mundane means of observation, including images, memories, and sensations from the target's mind.
A target that succeeds on its save senses that something is watching it, and may get the feeling that you are somehow responsible.
Augment: 1 pp increases the save DC by 2
Augment: 1 pp to manifest the talent as a free action
Augment: 1 pp prevents the target from sensing a failed attempt
Augment: 1 pp the target suffers disadvantage on attacks made against you for 1 round.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Fling (Telekinesis)]
Fling
Telekinesis
Focusing your attention into a single violent outburst, you accelerate a small object to lethal velocity and fling it at your foe.
Range: 60 feet
Effect: You fling a single object that is either unattended or in your possession, and weighs less than your key ability modifier in pounds. Target an enemy that is in range. Roll a psychic attack against their AC. A hit inflicts damage equal to your Talent damage (see psion class chart) + your key modifier (the GM may adjust the damage for objects deemed to be too small or soft to be properly lethal). You must be able to see the flung object, but your secondary target can be obscured or otherwise outside your vision as long as it is in range and within line of effect from the object you fling. You suffer the normal penalties for attacking such an enemy.
Augment: 1 pp for +1d8 damage
Augment: 1 pp increases the range of the flung object by 30 feet (the object itself still must begin within 60 feet).[/sblock]

[sblock=Force Push (Telekinesis)]
Force Push
Telekinesis
You exert a strong, instantaneous force on an object or creature in range with a thought.
Range: 30 feet
Effect: This talent automatically succeeds against any unattended object, but you must roll your key stat opposed by an appropriate score (GM's judgement) to affect a creature or attended object (see below). You exert force as though pushing on the target with a strength equal to your key ability, though this force lasts only for an instant. You must have line of sight to the target.
If used on a creature, this talent can initiate a combat maneuver (such as a trip or push) at a distance, using the opposed roll as above to determine success or failure. Force push cannot, however, deal damage directly to a creature or object.
Augment: 1 pp to target an additional object or creature
Augment: 1 pp increases the range by 10 feet.
Augment: 1 pp grants a +2 bonus to Str checks if the target is an unattended object.[/sblock]

[sblock=Levitate (Telekinesis)]
Levitate
Telekinesis
With careful concentration, you apply steady force to an object, allowing you to move it through the air without physical contact.
Range: 30 feet
Effect: You can affect an object that weighs up to your key ability score plus your level in pounds. You lift it through the air at up to 20 feet per round. This talent lasts until your next turn, so it is possible to use levitate over the course of many turns to continuously hold an item aloft.
You have general control over its motion, but not enough to carry out fine tasks, and you cannot generate large amounts of force. You cannot make attacks with levitated objects, for instance. In some cases the GM may allow you to roll ability checks using Levitate to manipulate a held object in deliberate ways. All such checks use your key ability, and you generally have disadvantage when rolling them.
You must succeed at an opposed check using your key ability to affect an unwilling creature.
Augment: 1 pp to levitate an additional object
Augment: 1 pp to manifest this talent as a free action
Augment: 1 pp to double the weight limit for this power. 2 pp increases the weight limit by a factor of 3, 3pp by a factor of 4 etc.[/sblock]

[sblock=Mind Trick (Telepathy)]
Mind Trick
Telepathy
You reach into a creature's mind, not to read it, but to plant your own ideas and images in their thoughts, leaving them none the wiser.
Range: 30 feet
Effect: The target must make a Charisma save. If it fails, you insert a thought, emotion, or sensation into its subconscious, making iteasier to manipulate. Choose one emotion or disposition, such as “calm”, “distracted”, “friendly”, “gullible” and so on. Checks made to sway them to or take advantage of that state are made with advantage for the next round.
You may instead choose to distract the target, inflicting disadvantage on skill checks they make for one round.
On a failed opposed check, the target feels a hostile presence enter their thoughts and may get the feeling that you are somehow responsible.
Augment: 1pp grants increases the DC by 2
Augment: 1 pp prevents the target from sensing a failed attempt
Augment: 1 pp the target's next attack is made with disadvantage
[/sblock]

[sblock=Psychic Break (Telepathy)]
Psychic Break
Telepathy
You overwhelm the target's mind with the sheer power of your own.
Range: 30 feet
Effect: You inflict psychic damage on the target equal to your Talent Damage (charisma save for half).
Augment: 1pp grants +1d8 damage
Augment: 1 pp allows you to target another creature, though you must divide the damage dice between the targets. You may not target more creatures than you are rolling damage dice with Psychic Break.[/sblock]

 

[The Shadow]

A member of my group for frequently DMs who's not involved in the online scene told me that he does not want the PHB to have any optional material. He doesn't want to have to tell players they can't have this or that. He's in favor of optional material to make up campaign settings but basically wants to be able to tell people to make character out of X campaign setting or just simply PHB only characters and never have to give any more details than that.

I'm so extremely against that I can't even express who much I disagree with him, but that sentiment is out there.

I forgot to comment on this. My breath is taken away with the sheer irrationality of this position. Especially since we *already know* that Next is going to be modular!

It takes all kinds, I guess. But thankfully, it seems overwhelmingly likely that your friend will be disappointed.

 

[Dragoslav]

Why do you think that abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, etc. should be exclusive to Psions and other Psionic characters?

If psychics are going to be in the game, then giving all of those potential abilities to wizards steps on the psychics' toes. An especially egregious example of this is the 4e at-will power for Wizards, "Mage Hand," which lets you magically manipulate any object or pick up any small object within, I believe, 5 squares; the Psion's similar power, "Far Hand," is an encounter power, meaning it can only be used every five minutes or so.

What does Psionics actually add to D&D that did not exist in it before they were added?

Mostly fluff, but presumably interesting enough fluff for a large enough group of people. The 4e Psionic Power book gives, for example, several different possibilities for how psionics developed in the world: access to a collective unconscious; the natural world's defense against the infringing Far Realm; a result of the Far Realm's influence on the natural world; the next step in sentient evolution, etc.

 

[steeldragons]

I am going to be blunt and ask these questions straight up.

Cool. I love direct. Shoot.

Why do the people who think psionics=/=magic think that psionics are not a type of magic?

Well, it's just an understanding/acceptance of the fluff. One is internal, the other is external. One is "mental powers/energies" one is outside "occult or esoteric or arcane or divine forces brought about with spells/invocations/prayers/chants/rituals/hexes/etc/etc/etc..."

To borrow something from bogmad, (I was going to put something very similar)...Magic is "supernatural." Psychic powers are "paranormal."

To put it another way..Are Professor X or Jean Grey the same as Dr. Strange or Zatanna? I say thee, NAY!

Why do you think that abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, etc. should be exclusive to Psions and other Psionic characters?

Wooooah. woah. woah. Who said anything about that? slobster and I diverge a bit here. I don't actually think that.

Of course Mages can duplicate certain effects...they need time and preparation and SPELLS to make something like those powers happen. Psychics (or, well, my hypothetical version and understanding/acceptance of the archetypes) don't need any of that....and Psychics can duplicate a lot of Magey stuff...but it doesn't/might not work exactly the same.

What does Psionics actually add to D&D that did not exist in it before they were added?

Well, considering Psionics were in the game from 1e, I think they've earned their pedigree...there wasn't too too much "before they were added." But again, I find the whole concept and original presentation to be a bit too sci-fi (since back then distinctions between "fantasy as fantasy" and "sci-fi as fantasy", along with a good bit of horror, exploration/tarzan-type tales, and a few other genres all as "fantasy" were a bit blurred). For a lot of people, I think, this contributes to their resistance to accept telepaths and telekinetics side-by-side with spell-casting magicians and god-invoking priests.

But, again, what they add, primarily, is fluff. A different archetype that some people enjoy...and I'll put it out there again, "what's wrong with that?"

 

[slobster]

Wooooah. woah. woah. Who said anything about that? slobster and I diverge a bit here. I don't actually think that.

Of course Mages can duplicate certain effects...they need time and preparation and SPELLS to make something like those powers happen. Psychics (or, well, my hypothetical version and understanding/acceptance of the archetypes) don't need any of that....and Psychics can duplicate a lot of Magey stuff...but it doesn't/might not work exactly the same.

Yeah, good point. I don't really have a problem with mages getting some mind-readie, levitationy stuff in moderation. I'd like them to keep it to a minimum, because mages already get so much stuff that I think they step on other classes' toes as it is.

Making them spend slots and prepare ahead of time to do stuff that psions can do on a whim is probably enough. I certainly wouldn't get all up in arms if read thoughts ends up on the mage spell list.

It would bother me, though, if it were possible to make a mage that is better at reading minds and throwing stuff with his BRAIN than an equal level psion.