D&D 5E Let's Build A Better Psion

[Yaarel]

For the Psy Knight, I was also entertaining the idea of a Psionic Paladin subclass, substituting force damage for radiance, and having telekinetic spells and so on as part of the Oath spells. Such a Psionic Paladin might also be the main ‘psychic healer’.

 

[Tallifer]

I have not yet read through the thread, but I am looking for a Bene Gesserit, which is what the Mystic partly gave us. A monk with flashier mental powers and a lot of flexibility.

 

[CleverNickName]

I have not yet read through the thread, but I am looking for a Bene Gesserit, which is what the Mystic partly gave us. A monk with flashier mental powers and a lot of flexibility.

That sounds like as good a place to start as any, and it sounds pretty interesting. Would you like to spearhead the write-up for a Monk-esque build?

 

[Zardnaar]

@Shiroiken - I like the Warlock as a template...the more I think about it, the better sense it makes to me. Quick question though: why does it have proficiency in Light armor? This seems like the sort of thing that should be dependent upon the subclass chosen (similar to the Hexblade) and not the default for all psions. Is this a balance issue?

Psions had lt armor in 2E.

I would keep it simple and focus on a single archetype. If you use the warlock we know the hexblade exists so we can use that as a psychic warrior.

I wouldn't worry about soulknikes, wilders etc keep it simple. For the wilder you have the wild sorcerer as a template.

If you get the 1 Psion archetype right first you can use it with things like multiclassing to duplicate psychic warriors. Fighter 1/psion xyz can be used.

Warlocks modular as well, if anyone else complains they can just design the relevent powers and not invocations themselves.

Saves con and int IMHO. Best save, worst save. Wouldn't worry about wisdom and charisma based variants yet. We don't really need any more charisma based classes anytime soon.

I can copy and paste my warlord and make the changes so already gave that.

 

[CleverNickName]

I started migrating our writeups and ideas to Post #2 in this thread, wrapping them in spoiler tags so that we don't lose them. I will start putting together the "Current Iteration" soon.

 

[Shardstone]

So far in these two pages of 35 posts we've seen 35 different opinions and ideas of what the Psion needs to be.

And we wonder why what WotC presented didn't work for anyone. Because no one can agree on what Psionics should be, what they should do, and how they should do it. Not so surpringly... the exact same rigamarole we saw four years ago when people kept trying to create a Warlord for 5E. Every single idea got crushed into paste.

I think this is why WotC went with the "conservative" route... because anything they do will be decimated on the boards by 95% of the players anyway who don't actually know what they want. So why bother? Just like with spell components, they give us a very bland, hand-wavy, easily-understood default, under the expectation that everyone who is that fanatical about it is going to jerry-rig their own version of it regardless (like you all are trying to do now.)

Just remember as you do though... we've had several dozen attempts at creating Warlords in 5E over the years and I don't know of a single one that has actually gained any traction with even the EN World community, let alone the general gaming populace. And you're probably going to find the same thing happening here. Because no one is going to agree on how it should be done.

My issue with this take is that if there was no Ranger or Paladin or Berserker, there'd be just as many attempts at those classes too. Psion is not unique in this aspect.

 

[Yaarel]

I would strongly avoid technobabble.

These are perfectly good Greek and Latin words that are appropriate to a medievalesque setting. Nevertheless, they sound too ‘sciency’ to modern ears.

Instead of words like ‘sciences’, use words like ‘knowings’, or maybe even ‘kennings’, or ‘instincts’, ‘impulses’, ‘insights’, ‘habits’, or so on, with words that sound as if medievalesque.

Even tho the Warlock template is excellent, its flavor is unsuitable and it has mechanical problems seeming underpowered compared to other casting classes. So, Warlock is useful for mechanical inspiration, but it is better to refer to it loosely for inspiration.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Given the flavor and the history of the class in previous editions, the psion seems like a natural place to let the player choose the key ability score for casting. Perhaps with a modest benefit to add some spice to the choice. Not like full subclasses, more like fighting styles.

Spitballing ---

Esper. You take a rigorous approach to unlocking the power of your mind. Your spellcasting ability is Intelligence. Your number of psionic powers known is increased by X.

Mystic. Your path to psychic understanding is introspective and intuitive. Your spellcasting ability is Wisdom. You get a bonus spell slot of Xth level.

Wilder. You bend reality through sheer force of personality. Your spellcasting ability is Charisma. X times per rest, you can increase the level of a spell slot you are casting a spell with to the highest level of slot you have.

Basically: versatility versus endurance versus power.

 

[Tony Vargas]

The core class should use slots as normal, but have an extensive sidebar (filled with Tables and Multiclass Rules) that details the spell points optional rules...
the Psion has a higher chance of being accepted by the population at large, by making integration into existing games and adoption by new players much easier

If anything, spell points are slightly less whack and inaccessible than spontaneous slot-casting, especially neo-Vancian prep-and-cast-spontaneously. (I mean, 'slot' itself, is pretty counter-intuitive as a resource that powers spellcasting.

while purposely drawing attention to an idea that will placate the existing Fanbase. Yes, power points would be an "Optional Rule" at that point

The Psion is going to be an 'optional rule,' anyway, it's not in the PH, it's in the option ghetto.

 

[Eric V]

My issue with this take is that if there was no Ranger or Paladin or Berserker, there'd be just as many attempts at those classes too. Psion is not unique in this aspect.

Heck, the ranger is an official class and there are still more takes on it than the psionic.

The idea that Wizards didn't release something "because it would get torn apart on the boards" is preposterous.