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 spelllist. 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.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

When do we get to be in the interesting experimental phase of 5E design rather than Malibu wizard with a new hat?

Incarnum was released 5 years into 3rd edition. Tome of Battle, Tome of Battle was released 6 years in.

We're ELEVEN YEARS into 5th, and it's the same design that are minor variations which they can have Chat GPT crap out on a lunch break.

"Sorry pal, Charisma divine full caster is the best I can do"

Just to be clear, I am not simply memeing with the "That's the neat thing, you don't" image above. I'm quite serious. There never will be that stage, because 5e, as the apology edition, cannot do that. It cannot be weird and experimental. It has to be bog-standard, every time, until the day it dies, because anything else will piss off the vocal minority who won the edition war. They know they can control what WotC does just by complaining loudly enough, and they know it still works even now, because WotC has given them what they want, repeatedly.

There will never be the creative-breakout period. 5.5e is the most you're ever going to get, and anything "new" will always be chained to that legacy.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Now I would like to suggest the return of "Dimensional Screen" from "the Will and the Way" pag 81. It is an interesting power more useful in settings where firearms could be used.

If the future psion has got only three subclasses, where will the other three appear?

We should allow space for optional rules, for example spending spell slots to be turned into power points. The power balance wouldn't be balance because you are spending higher-level spells to cast more lower-level powers.

The playtesters should face a murder-mystery game where the murderer is an infiltrated psion. Then we would notice the level of menace of a "spirit-spellcaster" who doesn't need somatic or verbal components. And the playtesters also should face an encounter where the PCs suffer an ambush by "lurks" (rogues with psionic powers, a class from 3.5 complete psionic) hidden in the shadows. Then you will miss the "displays" to know where the enemy psion is attacking from.

Fraals should be a psionic PC specie because other creatures from Star Frontiers or Alternity/Star*Drive were adapted into D&D.

I suspect this time in 5e the psions will suffer a great influence from Asian fantasy fiction about "cultivators".

I liked some ideas from Incarnum and 3.5 Tome of Battle but the experencie can teach us how we can do it better. The first step to reintroduce the martial maneuvers (almost at-will powers, you have to do special action to reload them) could be a spell that lasts one encounter, where you can use the martial maneuver again after being spent with only the action of reload. Maybe the crusader only need a Concentration check to reload. Maybe this time the crusader would be a paladin subclass or even with a different name. The martial scripts could be used by all the rest of classes. It would need reload but it would last one encounter and not only one attack.

The incarnum would need more playtesting and feedback. I imagine a shaman summoning her totem spirit and using essence points to "unlock" mutations or extra powers, for example natural weapons or a better armour, a different energy attack or a middle-ranged attack. This monster ally would work more like a "soulspark" with steroids. The incarnate like a incarnum paladin subclass could be possible. I imagine the soulborn class like "my soul now is linked to a legendary spirit, now I am her chosen champion and you are going to suffer her wrath". It wouldn't be like warlocks' patrons but the legendary spirity giving a "magictek ectoplasmatic exosuit" for players who want their PCs be like "Christmas trees" (all the body slots full of magic items).

 

[con_the_soulreaper]

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

There is a lot to like here. The subclasses are distinct, which is nice. The energy dice are simple to use. This is as close as they've come to what I'd want in a psionic class (and I know they won't do what I want, so I'm going to judge it based on what they'll do, not some platonic ideal).

Thank you very much for my lesson of the day. I had forgotten "platonic ideal". I am now going to revisit the Theory.

 

[con_the_soulreaper]

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

There is a lot to like here. The subclasses are distinct, which is nice. The energy dice are simple to use. This is as close as they've come to what I'd want in a psionic class (and I know they won't do what I want, so I'm going to judge it based on what they'll do, not some platonic ideal).

Thank you so much for reminding me of the Platonic Ideal. I will now go revisit the Theory of Forms. Treasure in an unexpected place.

 

[Remathilis]

When do we get to be in the interesting experimental phase of 5E design rather than Malibu wizard with a new hat?
Incarnum was released 5 years into 3rd edition. Tome of Battle, Tome of Battle was released 6 years in.

We're ELEVEN YEARS into 5th, and it's the same design that are minor variations which they can have Chat GPT crap out on a lunch break.

"Sorry pal, Charisma divine full caster is the best I can do"

How many of those "neat experimental" phases bore fruit? It's not like incarnum survived the single book devoted to it. For every warlock in Complete Arcane, there is a whole Tome of Magic rotting under the sand. Elements of Tome of Battle became 4e, but crashed back into the maneuver system of a single subclass. Maybe the biggest thing the psionic system gave was the augment spells via points or slots for greater effect.

I kinda feel "experimental D&D" hit it's zenith in 4e before Essentials started clawing it back. Most experimental 5e never lives past UA: (universal subclasses, prestige classes, Greyhawk initiative, mass combat and the Mystic were all experiments that failed.) I guess in the modern era, you don't need to produce a whole book and publish it to experiment, which is why 5e feels far more safe.

 

[Neonchameleon]

View attachment 418803


Just to be clear, I am not simply memeing with the "That's the neat thing, you don't" image above. I'm quite serious. There never will be that stage, because 5e, as the apology edition, cannot do that. It cannot be weird and experimental. It has to be bog-standard, every time, until the day it dies, because anything else will piss off the vocal minority who won the edition war.

This isn't entirely fair. There was some experimentation with Tasha's, such as giving the sorcerer extra spells and making the druid's wild shape lead to interesting things that weren't animal transformations. And non-mundane rogues (soulknife, phantom) and fighters (psi warrior, rune knight).

The 2024 PHB normalised all the Tasha's philosophy changes. But just as Xanathar's was ideas from the 2014 PHB that were left on the cutting room floor (often for good reason) in 2025 we're in the ideas left out of the 2024 PHB (often for good reason) era.

 

[Neonchameleon]

How many of those "neat experimental" phases bore fruit? It's not like incarnum survived the single book devoted to it. For every warlock in Complete Arcane, there is a whole Tome of Magic rotting under the sand.

How many of the "safe era" ideas even get talked about? The warlock is one of between one and two classes to be added to the core in the past 25 years (the other being the artificer). And there are only two classes that get frequently brought up - the Psion and the warlord.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Some thoughts on character concepts:

A Psion Metamorph is a really good idea conceptually for a Simic Hybrid who's probably part of the Simic Combine in Ravnica. Tentacles and whatever other adaptions they have to go with their bone blades and viscera launchers. It's like those ideas were built for each other. Otherwise it's Thri-Kreen of the Xixchil/Zixchil caste as a Metamorph, they're all about body modifications.

Githzerai Telepath would be a classic idea, there's unfortunately no Shaper subclass yet (for the Anarch's Guild on Limbo), but a Githzerai Telepath Rrakkma Hunter is going to be really good at resisting whatever a Mind Flayer is likely to throw at them.

I think the Quandrix College in Strixhaven goes really well with the idea of a Psiwarper. Like maybe the only faction/organization idea that might go well with a Psiwarper is the Sigilian Mind's Eye faction.

A (blue) Goblin or really any small size character would go well with a Telekinetic, especially when they can start lifting Gargantuan creatures with their mind.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Some thoughts on character concepts:

A Psion Metamorph is a really good idea conceptually for a Simic Hybrid who's probably part of the Simic Combine in Ravnica.

The huge problem with the metamorph is that it's a trap. You're on the wizard/sorcerer chassis (d6 hit die, no armour prof) and most of the weapons are melee

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The huge problem with the metamorph is that it's a trap. You're on the wizard/sorcerer chassis (d6 hit die, no armour prof) and most of the weapons are melee

The Metamorph can easily get at least 15 AC at 6th level using a 1st level slot for Mage Armor (which is better than light armor) on top of the Mutable form, if not more depending on what they put into Dex and other build options. Just a few tweaks and they'd be alright for some second line combat.