Unearthed Arcana New Psion update, Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana

A new Unearthed Arcana is up, featuring a revised version of the Psion class. Per a D&D Beyond article, the Psion has seen considerable changes. Feedback for the class focused into three main areas - Psionic Energy Dice, Psionic Modes, and Spellcasting. Psionic Energy Dice are now more flexible and easier to obtain - a new feature called Psionic Reserves allows players to regain uses of Psionic Energy Dice and Telepathic Propel and Telepathic Connection allow players to use those abilities one time each without expending energy dice. Meanwhile, Psionic Modes has been cut from the class, with various aspects of the ability being incorporated into various subclasses as new features. Finally, the Psion now has an updated and expanded playlist. The UA also contains seven brand new spells and updated versions of existing spells as well.

Additionally, the Metamorph, Psykinetic, and Telepath have all received updates. The Metamorph's abilities now often feature a roll of the Psionic Energy Die while they're being expended. The Psykinetic gains a Stronger Telekinesis feature with an improved Mage Hand spell use. Also, players can now use Telekinetic Propel without expending a Psionic Energy Dice. Finally, the Telepath has a new Telepathic Distraction feature that lets you interfere with another creature's attack roll if it's within range of your telepathy. Scramble Minds was redesigned to reduce the number of dice rolls needed to keep combat from getting bogged down.

 

[Kurotowa]

There's nothing to shore up its AC without also spending a psionic die, and despite being the melee fighting class who can cast a cantrip with an attack at level 5, they cannot use true strike with their organic weapons so they fall behind the bladesinger and valor bard pretty heavily. Personally, I've been hoping they would get primal savagery added to their list as a melee cantrip that could also trigger biofeedback.

I don't see anything preventing you from using True Strike with Organic Weapon? If anything, this version makes that more definitive. The weapon, once activated, stays out until canceled. So you can definitely use it with True Strike and for Opportunity Attacks now.

As for the AC buffs, if anything I think those are a red herring. You want to either be at short range with the Viscera Launcher or the second rank using Reach from Mutable Form. The main defense is not being on the front line in the first place.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

I don't see anything preventing you from using True Strike with Organic Weapon? If anything, this version makes that more definitive. The weapon, once activated, stays out until canceled. So you can definitely use it with True Strike and for Opportunity Attacks now.

As for the AC buffs, if anything I think those are a red herring. You want to either be at short range with the Viscera Launcher or the second rank using Reach from Mutable Form. The main defense is not being on the front line in the first place.

True strike required a weapon with a cost. Unless you can argue "my body costs 500 gp because that's how much it takes to resurrect me", your organic weapons have no cost. Otherwise you could true strike with an unarmed strike.

 

[mellored]

they aren't going to stop it from being a spellcaster. They just aren't.

Could of gone half caster with unlimited energy dice.
Or warlock slot caster.
Or better yet, a completely new spell slot mechanic (i.e. power points).

This was THE opportunity to do something different.

There is a lot to like here

Agreed. Still reading the changes though.

 

[Kurotowa]

True strike required a weapon with a cost. Unless you can argue "my body costs 500 gp because that's how much it takes to resurrect me", your organic weapons have no cost. Otherwise you could true strike with an unarmed strike.

Oh gah, that silly clause. I always forget about it because it makes no sense and serves no purpose.

I rather expect that in practice, most DMs will not be strictly enforcing that limitation. But you are technically correct.

 

[TwoSix]

Maybe I'm just not evaluating the class properly, but the metamorph still seems bad?

There's nothing to shore up its AC without also spending a psionic die, and despite being the melee fighting class who can cast a cantrip with an attack at level 5, they cannot use true strike with their organic weapons so they fall behind the bladesinger and valor bard pretty heavily. Personally, I've been hoping they would get primal savagery added to their list as a melee cantrip that could also trigger biofeedback.

I wonder if you're supposed to be getting hit a lot and just generating lots of temp HP, but the features still feel to hungry for resources for a player to be comfortable with 15 AC and a bunch of temp HP.

EDIT: One thing I'm wondering is whether or not you can use the new version of telekinetic fling while "threatened" in melee. If there's a rock 10 feet away from you and a guy standing between you and the rock, within 5 feet of you, can you fling the rock at the back of his head without disadvantage?

I feel like my go-to here would be using Viscera Launcher combined with Telekinetic Fling (so 2d6+Int+2d10) to stay at range, and swapping to Bone Blade + True Strike with the main hand weapon if there's an ally within 5'. That's 1d6+Int+1d6radiant+(at advantage) 1d8+Int. Seems competitive with bladesinger at Tier 2.

And of course, unlike Bladesinger, a Metamorph can MC into a heavy armor class and still get the full benefit of Mutable Form.

 

[TwoSix]

Oh gah, that silly clause. I always forget about it because it makes no sense and serves no purpose.

I rather expect that in practice, most DMs will not be strictly enforcing that limitation. But you are technically correct.

You don't need to use Organic Weapon with True Strike, though. Organic Weapon changes your free hand (thus implying that you have something in your main hand), and you're free to make Attack 1 with Weapon A and Attack 2 with Weapon B without invoking the dual-wield rules.

The main benefit of Organic Weapon (swapping attack stat to Int) is also duplicated by True Strike, so just use True Strike with a regular weapon.

 

[Zaukrie]

Could of gone half caster with unlimited energy dice.
Or warlock slot caster.
Or better yet, a completely new spell slot mechanic (i.e. power points).

This was THE opportunity to do something different.

Agreed. Still reading the changes though.

They could have, but they won't. They've made that clear at this point.....

 

[Cergorach]

Compared to the 2e Psionics, this is just a pale imitation. It screams weaksauce! And when I compare the rest of the 2e classes with D&D 5e 2024, they are much more versatile...

 

[Kurotowa]

You don't need to use Organic Weapon with True Strike, though. Organic Weapon changes your free hand (thus implying that you have something in your main hand), and you're free to make Attack 1 with Weapon A and Attack 2 with Weapon B without invoking the dual-wield rules.

The main benefit of Organic Weapon (swapping attack stat to Int) is also duplicated by True Strike, so just use True Strike with a regular weapon.

Hmm. Yeah, I suppose that works. You don't get the nice extra traits the Organic Weapons come with, and you'd have to take the War Caster feat, but it'd work. Not sure it's worth it, though.

Running the numbers you gave above, accounting for Advantage they're about the same in Tier 2. But that's needing a second weapon, needing War Caster, and needing you to pay into Mutable Form for Reach. It's just so much cheaper to go for the ranged option, and you have fewer worries about catching stray melee attacks too. The only real downside is having to worry about Acid Resistance.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The one thing that they still haven't done is balance the Psion spell list to make all four of the Spell School-paired Psionic Disciplines each worth taking. After a quick count up (my numbers may be slightly off)... the number of spells from each pairing are as follows for the first three spell levels:

BIOFEEDBACK (Necromancy/Transmutation): 1st [3] / 2nd [7] / 3rd [3]
BOLSTERING PRECOGNITION (Abjuration/Divination): 1st [7] / 2nd [5] / 3rd [6]
DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS (Conjuration/Evocation): 1st [3] / 2nd [1] / 3rd [2]
ID INSINUATION (Enchantment/Illusion): 1st [7] / 2nd [14] / 3rd [4]

So that's 13 spells for Necro/Trans, 18 spells for Abj/Div, 6! spells for Conj/Evo, and 25!!!!! spells for Ench/Illus. Why would ANYONE take Destructive Thoughts as a Discipline when it applies to I think only THREE of the six spells that are on the Psion spell list for Conjuration/Evocation (with the other three not requiring saving throws)? Talk about throwing away a Discipline slot, LOL!

I guess my Survey answer that went over this imbalance did not garner that much attention or concern. Oh well! Every Psion can just take Id Insinuation, as that's the most useful of all of them.