Unearthed Arcana New Unearthed Arcana: Psionics!

There’s a new Unearthed Arcana article out, and it’s all about psionics! "Their minds bristling with power, three new subclasses arrive in today’s Unearthed Arcana: the Psychic Warrior for the fighter, the Soulknife for the rogue, and the tradition of Psionics for the wizard."

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In this 9-page PDF, there are also some new psionics-themed spells (including versions of classic psionic powers like id insinuation and ego whip) and two new feats.

 

[dave2008]

Precisely.

(you can refer to me as a "he" just fine)

I'll try to remember, but it is likely information they will seep out rather quickly if I don't get around to using quite a bit. I guess I will just have to respond to your posts more often!

 

[gyor]

This creates the odd situation where the Divine Soul Sorcerer can wield Arcane, Divine, and Psionic Magic.

And also the way they did the spells Soulknife and Pyschic Warrior are not potentially the only Psionic subclasses for the Rogue and Fighter, because both can cherry pick Psionic Spells via Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight.

 

[Eric V]

Psionics have been in every prior ed, including multiple full classes, there needs to at least be one full Psionicist or Psion or other psionic class in 5e.)

Yeah...but I really don't think that's a thing 5e designers concern themselves with anymore, if they ever did. Maybe "Big Tent" was a genuine idea at some point in the process, but not really in practice.

 

[Parmandur]

This creates the odd situation where the Divine Soul Sorcerer can wield Arcane, Divine, and Psionic Magic.

And also the way they did the spells Soulknife and Pyschic Warrior are not potentially the only Psionic subclasses for the Rogue and Fighter, because both can cherry pick Psionic Spells via Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight.

Sounds like features, not bugs, to me! They went out of their way to make the Soul Knife and Psychic Warrior not be casters, per se.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah...but I really don't think that's a thing 5e designers concern themselves with anymore, if they ever did. Maybe "Big Tent" was a genuine idea at some point in the process, but not really in practice.

Even a big tent can't fit everyone. The goal is to make it as accomodating as possible, not please literally everyone.

 

[gyor]

Sounds like features, not bugs, to me! They went out of their way to make the Soul Knife and Psychic Warrior not be casters, per se.

Exactly, its like you were reading my mind (get it!).

 

[Eric V]

Even a big tent can't fit everyone. The goal is to make it as accomodating as possible, not please literally everyone.

No one said anything about fitting everyone.

 

[Charlaquin]

Impression after a first read through:

These Subclasses fit in very well with the Psionic monsters and PC Races released so far.

This is a key point for me. I would prefer for psionics to have been a separate system from magic, but it's way too late for that now. There are several monsters and a handfull of PC races that already give psionic abilities, and they're spells. To release a psion class that worked completely differently now would just be internally inconsistent.

 

[Parmandur]

No one said anything about fitting everyone.

OK. WorC has a big tent, insofar as the tent fits a large and diverse number of people.

 

[Eric V]

To release a psion class that worked completely differently now would just be internally inconsistent.

Honestly asking: What would the result of that supposed inconsistency be?