D&D 5E Offering: my humble, simple Psion class

[Tales and Chronicles]

After all the talk last week about the psion class, I wanted to try my hand at a full class.
Here's my design points:

• Simple: Use spell slots, let the refluff in the hand of the player and dm.
• With a twist: Use the new idea of the ''psionic die'' to fuel some features.
• Recycle: Use features from UA and playtest that were left unused in the recent years.
• Familiar: Add small flavorful detail to be different than ''yet another caster''
• Spells: Mind stuff, space bending stuff, pyro/cryo-kinesis, some healing.

So, if any of you would like to comment on my take, I'd like to see what you think.

 

[DND_Reborn]

After all the talk last week about the psion class, I wanted to try my hand at a full class.
Here's my design points:

• Simple: Use spell slots, let the refluff in the hand of the player and dm.
• With a twist: Use the new idea of the ''psionic die'' to fuel some features.
• Recycle: Use features from UA and playtest that were left unused in the recent years.
• Familiar: Add small flavorful detail to be different than ''yet another caster''

So, if any of you would like to comment on my take, I'd like to see what you think.

It is a nice start. Here are some poitns for the core class. I'll look over the subclasses when I have more time.

• d6 is good for HD!
• Maybe add light armor due to low HD?
• 2 Skills (most homebrew want to grant 3 like they are something special...)

Include an example of how power manifest (e.g. eyes glow, hair stands on end, body shakes, etc.)

For all the options with saves, DC = 8 + prof bonus + INT mod. Simpler than rolling and comparing.

• Dishearten: spend die to force WIS save.
• Amorphous Shift: spend die to Disengage.
• Ectoplasmic Wave: use STR save.
• Lethargy wave: spend die for CON save or stunned until end of target's next turn.
• Kinetic Push: STR save or pushed, if fail by 5 or more, also fall prone.
• Crystal Prison: DEX save.

Psionic Apotheosis is too strong IMO. You could have it be a thing that works for 1 minute or something maybe?

That's it for now. The known "spells" follows Sorcerer progression I guess?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Include an example of how power manifest (e.g. eyes glow, hair stands on end, body shakes, etc.)

Will do!

For all the options with saves, DC = 8 + prof bonus + INT mod. Simpler than rolling and comparing.

• Dishearten: spend die to force WIS save.

Those I took from the playtest ''weapon master'' (soon to be battle master). I found those mechanics and thought they would be fun to play with and mix well with the Psionic Die.

Psionic Apotheosis is too strong IMO. You could have it be a thing that works for 1 minute or something maybe?

I'm not sure. For now its a copy/paste of the UA: Mystic capstone. Its open to change and if you have any ideas, I'm a taker,

That's it for now. The known "spells" follows Sorcerer progression I guess?

Exactly. Probably with a little less cantrips, maybe 4 or 5.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Those I took from the playtest ''weapon master'' (soon to be battle master). I found those mechanics and thought they would be fun to play with and mix well with the Psionic Die.

That's fine, but by sticking to the DC 8 + prof bonus + INT mod you are following a familiar mechanic used by several other classes and features. Consistency lends to acceptance IMO, but the final choice is yours of course.

I'm not sure. For now its a copy/paste of the UA: Mystic capstone. Its open to change and if you have any ideas, I'm a taker,

I never looked into the Mystic, but on the surface it just seems too much to me.

Exactly. Probably with a little less cantrips, maybe 4 or 5.

Ok. I'll want to put this up next to some other classes, and maybe I'll have time tomorrow or this weekend.

On the surface, I sort of like the overall direction. I know it probably isn't what a lot of people are looking for, but I also feel any official version will use spell slots and other familiar mechanics--which you are also doing.

Good first run!

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

That's fine, but by sticking to the DC 8 + prof bonus + INT mod you are following a familiar mechanic used by several other classes and features. Consistency lends to acceptance IMO, but the final choice is yours of course.

Yeah, there's probably a reason that idea was dropped in the playtest. I'll switch to DC.
Does it make it to close to metamagic?

I never looked into the Mystic, but on the surface it just seems too much to me.

Maybe something related to the Psionic Die? Maybe once per day, reset it to full size as an action?

Ok. I'll want to put this up next to some other classes, and maybe I'll have time tomorrow or this weekend.

Ok thanks. I cant do math, so any help is welcome.

 

[Flamestrike]

I'd take the Sorcerer chassis, give a custom spell list (plus some unique spells) remove M components, give it some psionic-ey features, tack on the Psi die to interact with those features and you're pretty much done.

 

[Coroc]

Refluff of an existing class has one advantage, and if I just want 1 straightforward psion without any subclass then maybe going that way is the best:

It can never break or unbalance the game.

Refluff is just naming. At work now so I cannot analyse your take in detail, but from the reaction posts it sounds cool.

For the "official" approach so far UAMystic3 is the best approach. Take the first 3 subclasses, ad a wild talent houserule for all other classes and you are good to go for your DS campaign.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Should it be "simple"? In previous editions psionics has always been more complex optional "advanced rules".

 

[ccooke]

Hmm.

I think you have the balance off.

So, you appear to be using the UA Psychic Talent Die unmodified. None of your higher level powers reduce the die size, though, which means there are no controls on the usage. Obviously this is only my own analysis, but from looking at the UA balance,all the more powerful things cost you your PTD size. This is actually the only way you can expect the die to ever run out - if you don't have powerful uses to tempt people into reducing their die, by the time the PTD is a d10 you would have a median of 137 uses in a normal day (average of 135 uses). Given a normal day is gong to have something like 40 actual rounds... you could expect to be using the power at every single opportunity, every single turn.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Should it be "simple"? In previous editions psionics has always been more complex optional "advanced rules".

Is anyone else other than @vincegetorix going to use these rules they're making? If no, then it doesn't matter how simple or complex they design them.