Psion Wizard Spell List

[Yaarel]

Happy Fun Hour − Mearls explores a psion archetype for the wizard class.

Here is an example of a spell list for this psion. You can use the wizard class, but other caster classes are possible too. The spells divide up into the four themes: Spirit, Mind, Body, and Matter. Then they organize into psionic tropes within a theme. A full caster chooses two tropes, and selects the known spells from these two tropes.



Spirit

FORCE
(Telekinesis, Metacreativity)
Forcers manifest telekinetic force and shape constructs made out of force.

TELEPORTATION
(Clairsentience, Psychoportation)
Teleporters project their mind, even their body, across space-time, navigating probabilities and levels of being.



Mind

TELEPATHY
(Enchantment)
Telepaths play with minds − emotions, intellect, and sensory perceptions.



Body

HEALING
(Psychometabolism)
Healers guide the auras of living bodies to rejuvenate the body, or oppositely disrupt it.

SHAPESHIFTING
(Psychometabolism)
Shapeshifters psychosomatize the body at the cellular level to reshape the body according to new mental identities. They tend to be in tune with primal lifeforms.



Matter

PYROKINESIS
(Earth-Fire)
Pyros focus psychokinesis at a molecular level to agitate heat, and melt and shape stone.

AEROKINESIS
(Water-Air)
Aeros psychokinese currents of air and water, to condense storms, clouds of lightning and thunder, winds and floods, and bitter cold.

 

[Yaarel]

PSION SPELL LIST

The spells are roughly in order from weaker spells to stronger spells. So occasionally, a weak higher level spell occurs in a lower level list. For example, Water Breathing 3 is officially spell level 3, but your DM may allow you to choose it for a spell level 1 spell.



FORCE

0
Dancing Lights 0
Mage Hand 0
Minor illusion 0
Eldritch Blast 0

1
Water Walk 3
Floating Disk 1
Unseen Servant 1
Feather Fall 1
Catapult 1
Zephyr Strike 1
Darkness 2
Mage Armor 1
Silent Image 1
Shield
Magic Missile 1

2
Knock 2
Magic Mouth 2
Arcane Lock 2
Levitate 2
Mirror Image 2
Spiritual Weapon 2

3
Creation 5
Programmed Illusion 6
Tiny Hut 3
Fly 3
Major Image 3

4
Fabricate 4
Arcane Sword 7
Black Tentacles 4
Resilient Sphere 4

5
Blade Barrier 6
Telekinesis 5
Arcane Hand 5
Steel Wind Strike 5
Wall Of Force 5

6
Disintegrate 6

7
Reverse Gravity 7
Simulacrum 7
Forcecage 7

8
[...]

9
Wish 9



TELEPORTATION

0
Guidance 0
Darkvision 2

1
Alarm 1
Protection From Evil and Good 1
Shield Of Faith 1
Detect Magic 1
Hunters Mark 1

2
Locate Object 2
See Invisibility 2
Rope Trick 2
Instant Summons 6
Misty Step 2

3
Sequester 7
Magic Circle 3
Blink 3
Clairvoyance 3
Dispel Magic 3
Slow 3
Haste 3
Counterspell 3

4
Private Sanctum 4
Hallow 5
Locate Creature 4
Dimension Door 4
Arcane Gate 6
Arcane Eye 4
Banishment 4
Bless 1

5
Word Of Recall 6
Planar Binding 5
Scrying 5
Dispel Evil and Good 5
Banishing Smite 5
Circle Of Power 5
Teleportation Circle 5
Far Step 5

6
Forbiddance 6
Teleport 7
Globe Of Invulnerability 6
Etherealness 7
Contingency 6
True Seeing 6
Time Stop 9
Scatter 6

7
Demiplane 8
Plane Shift 7

8
Antimagic Field 8
Maze 8

9
Gate 9
Astral Projection 9
Foresight 9



TELEPATHY

0
Message 0
Friends 0
Comprehend Languages 1
Vicious Mockery 0

1
Charm Person 1
Compelled Duel 1
Cause Fear 1
Bane 1
Sanctuary 1
Command 1
Wrathful Smite 1
Disguise Self 1
Dissonant Whispers 1
Sleep 1
Hideous Laughter 1
Irresistible Dance 6

2
Shadow Blade 2
Zone Of Truth 2
Calm Emotions 2
Sending 3
Telepathy 8
Telepathy Language (Monster Manual)
Tongues 3
Telepathic Bond 5
Mind Spike 2
Crown Of Madness 2
Hold Person 2
Invisibility 2
Phantasmal Force 2
Suggestion 2

3
Nondetection 3
Phantasmal Killer 4
Fear 3
Hypnotic Pattern 3
Enemies Abound 3

4
Geas 5 / Charm Monster 4
Staggering Smite 4
Confusion 4
Compulsion 4
Weird 9
Synaptic Static 5
Greater Invisibility 4

5
Dream 5
Skill Empowerment/Expertise 5
Modify Memory 5
Mislead 5
Seeming 5
Project Image 7
Hold Monster 5
Dominate Person 5

6
Eyebite 6
Magic Jar 6
Mental Prison 6
Mass Suggestion 6

7
Power Word Kill 9
Power Word Stun 8
Feeblemind 8

8
Antipathy/Sympathy 8
Maddening Darkness 8
Dominate Monster 8
Mind Blank 8

9
Psychic Scream 9



HEALING

0
Spare the Dying 0
Resistance 0
Chill Touch 0
Warding Bond 2

1
Ray Of Enfeeblement 2
Ray Of Sickness 1
Inflict Wounds 1
False Life 1
Heroism 1
Cure Wounds 1
Hex 1
Healing Word 1

2
Gentle Repose 2
Protection From Poison 2
Vampiric Touch 3
Aid 2
Lesser Restoration 2
Blindness/Deafness 2
Prayer Of Healing 2

3
Remove Curse 3
Beacon Of Hope 3
Bestow Curse 3
Aura Of Vitality 3
Circle Of Death 6
Mass Healing Word 3
Revivify 3

4
Blight 4
Aura Of Purity 4
Divine Word 7
Death Ward 4

5
Resurrection 7 / Raise Dead 5
Greater Restoration 5
Contagion 5
Mass Cure Wounds 5

6
Harm 6
Tensers Transformation 6
Heroes Feast 6
Heal 6

7
True Resurrection 9
Finger of Death 7
Regenerate 7

8
Horrid Wilting 8
Clone 8

9
Power Word Heal 9
Mass Heal 9
Wish (Heal) 9
Invulnerability 9



SHAPESHIFTING

0
Poison Spray 0
Thornwhip 0
Mending (organic materials) 0
Shillelagh 0
Speak With Animals 1
Find Familiar 1

1
Alter Self (Aquatic Adaptation, no concentration) 2
Alter Self (Natural Weapons, no concentration) 2
Beast Bond 1
Hail Of Thorns 1
Longstrider 1
Grease 1
Barkskin 2
Expeditious Retreat 1
Ensnaring Strike/Smite 1
Entangle 1

2
Beast Sense 2
Enhance Ability 2
Enlarge/Reduce 2
Plant Growth 3
Alter Self (Change Appearance, also organic fabrics, no concentration) 2
Spider Climb 2
Pass Without Trace 2
Conjure Barrage 3
Wildshape (druid level 4 feature, 1 hour)
Web 2

3
Speak With Plants 3
Cloudkill 5
Stinking Cloud 3
Wings (speed 50 if in light or no armor, no hover, 1 hour)

4
Dominate Beast 4
Insect Plague 5
Fabricate (organic materials) 4
Wildshape (druid level 8 feature, 1 hour)
Freedom Of Movement 4
Tree Stride 5
Polymorph 4

5
Awaken 5
Wall Of Thorns 6
Swift Quiver 5
Animate Object (organic materials) 5
Transport Via Plants 6
Conjure Volley 5
Antilife Shell 5

6
[...]

7
Animal Shapes 8 / Mass Polymorph 9

8
[...]

9
True Polymorph 9
Shapechange 9



PYROKINESIS

0
Acid Splash 0
Produce Flame 0
Control Flames 0
Create Bonfire 0
Mending (earth, stone, metal, crystal) 0
Light 0
Primal Savagery (acid) 0
Word Of Radiance 0
Sacred Flame 0
Fire Bolt 0
Green Fire Blade 0

1
Daylight 3
Divine Favor 1
Continual Flame 2
Earth Tremor 1
Burning Hands 1
Searing Smite 1
Hellish Rebuke 1
Absorb Elements (acid, fire, radiant) 1
Passwall 5
Faerie Fire 1
Flame Blade 2
Guiding Bolt 1

2
Cloud Of Daggers 2
Mages Scorcher 2
Branding Smite 2
Pyrotechnics 2
Meld Into Stone 3
Earthen Grasp 2
Scorching Ray 2
Heat Metal 2
Spike Growth 2
Flaming Sphere 2

3
Stone Shape 4
Wall Of Sand 3
Elemental Weapon (acid, fire, radiant) 3
Blinding Smite 3
Protection From Energy (acid, fire, radiant) 3
Crusaders Mantle 3
Minute Meteors 3
Erupting Earth 3
Flame Strike 5
Fireball 3

4
Stoneskin 4
Wall Of Fire 4
Wall Of Light 5
Fabricate (earth, stone, metal, crystal) 4
Investiture Of Flame 6
Fire Shield 4
Vitriolic Sphere 4
Investiture Of Stone 6
Transmute Rock 5

5
Wall Of Stone
Conjure Elemental (earth, fire) 5
Animate Objects (earth, stone, metal, crystal) 5
Sunbeam 6

6
Firestorm 7
Flesh To Stone 6
Bones Of The Earth 6

7
Delayed Blast 7
Earthquake 8
Sunburst 8
Crown of Stars 7

8
Incendiary Cloud 8

9
Meteor Swarm 9



AEROKINESIS

0
Gust 0
Shape Water 0
Water Breather 3
Shocking Grasp 0
Lightning Lure 0
Ray Of Frost 0
Booming Blade 0
Frostbite 0

1
Skywrite 2
Armor Of Agathys / Of Ice 1
Absorb Elements (cold, lightning, thunder) 1
Snowball Storm 2
Ice Knife 1
Fog Cloud 1
Thunderous Smite 1
Thunderwave 1

2
Gust Of Wind 2
Earthbind 2
Wall Of Water 3
Warding Wind 2
Shatter 2
Silence 2

3
Gaseous Form 3
Wind Wall 3
Elemental Weapon (cold, lightning, thunder) 3
Ice Storm 4
Tidal Wave 3
Protection From Energy (cold, lightning, thunder) 3
Call Lightning 3
Sleet Storm 3
Thunder Step 3
Lightning Bolt 3
Lightning Arrow 3

4
Control Water 4
Investiture Of Ice 6
Maelstrom 5
Control Winds 5
Wind Walk 6
Investiture Of Wind 6
Storm Sphere 4
Watery Sphere 4

5
Control Weather 8
Conjure Elemental (air, water) 5
Wall Of Ice 6
Cone Of Cold 5
Freezing Sphere 6
Destructive Wave 5

6
Chain Lightning 6

7
Whirlwind 7

8
Tsunami 8

9
[...]

 

[Yaarel]

This third post is for spell research. Certain psionic concepts still need a spell, and a few tropes need more spells to choose from at a certain level.

 

[Gadget]

I'm not sure how one categorizes psychic powers these days, but the somewhat arbitrary logic applied to most of the abilities above could probably be applied to the entire spell list in one way or another. I would think that telekinetic, precognition, and mind affecting powers are what comes to mind when such a subject is broached. Things like fly, healing, Wish & elemental bending do not. But I may be out of touch/in the minority there.

I get that this version of the psion is limited to two disciplines, but the place some spells of much higher level are listed may be rather telling. Perhaps those spells are a bit over-valued in the PHB?

 

[Yaarel]

I would think that telekinetic, precognition, and mind affecting powers are what comes to mind when such a subject is broached. Things like fly, healing, Wish & elemental bending do not. But I may be out of touch/in the minority there.

Wish is pure psionics. The mind visualizes a desire, focuses, and makes the reality happen. It is the essence of all psionics.

Fly is telekinesing ones own body. Levitating, flying, moving by the force of the mind are standard tropes.

Psychic healers are standard fare, both today in pop culture, in alternative medicine, and in ancient times, such as certain Norse techniques, such as imbuing a stone with mental healing, then having the person in need of healing carrying around the stone as a kind of psionic amulet.

Psychosomatic healing (and psychosomatic injuries) are part of medical studies as well. Hospitals generally welcomes the power of the mind, as well as community, as part of a holistic healing process. For shamanic cultures, this is the main method of therapy. The human species evolved this way emphasizing mental aspects of healing because to some degree it is effective.



Heh, in the past, I agreed about elemental magic feeling less psionic. But movies like Fire Starter seem to tap into an archetype about setting fires with the power of the mind − this shows up often − and extends to electrical frenzies − and general telekinetic chaos especially when a psionic character is ‘awakening’ without any self-control.

When I think about Norse traditions, and nature spirits of frost and arctic storms, it is appropriate to characterize these ‘cold’ powers as manifestations of the minds of these spirits.



That said about these specific powers, different psychic traditions seem to have different assemblages of tropes.

• Paranormal studies: esp (remote viewing, precognition, sensing truth), telekinesis, and telepathy.

• The tv show Tomorrow People had the ‘3 Ts’: teleportation, telekinesis, and telepathy.

• Norse traditions mainly have: esp, telepathy, teleportation, shapeshifting, and protective magic (healing and abjuration). Telekinesis including fly are known but pretty rare. If a person with a strong mind wants to fly, they more likely to shapeshift their bodies into a bird than to telekinese themselves into the air. The only ones that I can think of who can fly like Superman, telekinetically, are elves who are said to hover in the sky, and certain horses that run thru the air (presumably like clouds do). Even then, elves often shapeshift. Most examples of telekinesis are moreso projecting ones mind outofbody to manipulate the objects.

Since there are different traditions with different tropes, it makes sense to pick a few tropes and focus on them, to explore their potential flavors.

I'm not sure how one categorizes psychic powers these days, but the somewhat arbitrary logic applied to most of the abilities above could probably be applied to the entire spell list in one way or another.

For my own campaigns, I already organized all official spells into the four themes: spirit, mind, body, and matter. The psion spell list here covers most of them. Mainly, the spells missing from the psion list are summoning spells and fiddly spells. This is because the feel of the psion is more personal and more direct.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

For my own campaigns, I already organized all official spells into the four themes: spirit, mind, body, and matter. The psion spell list here covers most of them. Mainly, the spells missing from the psion list are summoning spells and fiddly spells. This is because the feel of the psion is more personal and more direct.

I think you put the finger on an important part of the psionic casting: its personal, it needs to be direct, targeted. In my version, Psion would not have AoE effects, because he need to work one mind or reality at the time. So I think a psion spell list needs to have only Self or Single target spells. Elemental magic is hard to justify on a psion I believe. I can get behind the idea of fire/ice effects because the Psion would control the thermodynamic of a creatures, but wind and stone? Not so much. Even Acid or necrotic would be ok if you go the route of ''entropic'' effects being the contrary of psychometabolism.

 

[Gadget]

I suppose so, but at this point, it's just sorcery (or wizardry) without the need for material, somatic, or verbal components. I guess that's why the practitioner is limited to two disciplines rather than the whole list.

To elaborate on another portion of my post: Programmed Illusion, Telepathy, Arcane Sword, Irresistible Dance, Investiture of <element>, Telepathic Bond, and Weird seem to be at a significantly lower level than in the PHB. Of course these spells were chosen to fit a (loose) theme, but the difference is still somewhat eye-opening. Most or all of these spells are spells I have seen numerous complaints about being under powered for their level. Is this tacit agreement with such opinions? Or is it just that the new design constrains these higher powered abilities in such a way as to make the level difference palatable?

For me, I can see some of the spells are about a level off in the new design, but these are a bit more than that and would indicate more of a correction. This seems especially confusing as we were treated to a video of the devs in the lead up to the release of Xanthar's Guide talking about how they had to bump Create Homunculus up a level or two because they realized that the creator could see through the Homonculus's eyes with no limitation on distance. And yet here we have Telepathy, which allows that and so much more, at a lower level. I'm not saying I disagree with Mikes choices, I just find it curious.

 

[Yaarel]

I think you put the finger on an important part of the psionic casting: its personal, it needs to be direct, targeted. In my version, Psion would not have AoE effects, because he need to work one mind or reality at the time. So I think a psion spell list needs to have only Self or Single target spells.

The psion is personal and direct. On the other hand, it is possible to have a single effect that can affect many minds? For example, Mass Suggestion creates a certain experience, then all targets together (subjectively) experience it.

Elemental magic is hard to justify on a psion I believe. I can get behind the idea of fire/ice effects because the Psion would control the thermodynamic of a creatures, but wind and stone? Not so much. Even Acid or necrotic would be ok if you go the route of ''entropic'' effects being the contrary of psychometabolism.

Psionic manipulation of elements can work. I understand the objection to psions wielding elemental magic. In the past, I objected to it. But now I have made my peace with it.

Starting with the element of fire, pop culture refers to people starting fires with their mind. The archetype seems to have weight and many people find it fun.

But fire by itself is a one-trick wonder. An entire class that revolves around fire only is boring. Also, if a creature happens to be immune to fire, then the entire class becomes worthless. (Telepath and enchanter also have this problem because many high-level creatures are ‘immune’ to the entire mind-affecting class. Why even design classes and spells like this?)

So, combining fire with earth diversifies and deepens the gameplay experience. Not only can the psion create fire, now the psion can forge hot steel to shape a sword, and so on. Also, some spells already combine the elements of fire and earth, such as Heat Metal and Meteor Swarm.

When I think of psionic earth-fire elementalists, I think of Norse nature spirits (fire jǫtnar, cliff risar, stone dvergar). I also think of the D&D elemental monk, and the elemental ‘bender’ of the tv show, Avatar: The Last Air Bender. I agree with the school of thought that hold psionics and ki to be the same thing. Albeit, ki is specifically the psionic energy that forms ‘aura’ of a persons body.



As an analogy, think of the flame of a candle. All of it can be psionic.

• burning wick ≈ ‘matter’
• blue flame around wick ≈ ki/aura/lifeforce/soul ≈ ‘body’
• yellow flame around blue ≈ identity/emotions/intellect ≈ ‘mind’
• glow around the flame ≈ ideal self ≈ miracle/ether/aster ≈ ‘spirit’

Psionics can animate the elements, just like the lifeforce can animate the matter of the body.



So, earth-fire is a good pairing. Earth by itself just sits there. Fire brings it to life. Fire by itself is a flimsy trick. Earth brings substantiality.

Air-water is good pairing. Air by itself is ... pointless. What air spells are there? Gust Of Wind? Weak. But just add water. Now all kinds of cool things happen. You get fog, snow, thunder and lightning. The air witch becomes a weather witch. And it is cool.

Also, water by itself tends to be useless because water spells are so dependent on being in an aquatic or seafaring setting where you are surrounded by water. But just add air, and suddenly it is cool and useful anywhere.

When I think of psionic water-air elementalists, I think of Norse nature spirits (frost þursar, eagle-shapeshifted storm jǫtnar, rain æsir, wind vanir, and so on). (The sky-dwelling alfar moreso embody radiant sunlight, and are everywhere that gleams with sunshine, sunbeams, bright areas of clouds, even blindingly bright snow). For water-air, I also think of X-Men Storm, who creates storms, winds, rains, and lightning, with her mind. In Star Wars, I think of certain jedi and sith who wield lightning. I think of X-Men Iceman, and similarly, in the tv show, DC: The Flash, Killer Frost. By extension in D&D, I think of the elemental monk. I also think of all the giants − storm, frost, fire, cliff − as being inherently psionic, and half-giants as an appropriate psionic race.



So, psionics for elements does make sense. I sympathize with people who feel psionics and elementalism feel strange together. I made my peace with it. I feel there is more fun to be gained by allowing it, and more cool archetypes become possible.

In this thread, the idea is to pick two tropes, so normally, fire-earth might combine with telepathy or force, so most characters will have a more psionic feel anyway. Moreover, if going for a pyro archetype then focus more on fire spells within the earth-fire trope, and downplay the earth spells.

 

[Yaarel]

I suppose so, but at this point, it's just sorcery or wizardry without the need for material, somatic, or verbal components. I guess that's why the practitioner is limited to two disciplines rather than the whole list.

Yeah, exactly. The more focused spell list − two tropes − helps compensate for no material (or other) component. Also there are excellent spells on that list, and the focus helps prevent accessing all of them.

But mostly, the focus on two tropes is for flavor. Psychic characters in folkbelief and pop culture seem to specialize in certain themes.

To elaborate on another portion of my post: Programmed Illusion, Telepathy, Arcane Sword, Irresistible Dance, Investiture of <element>, Telepathic Bond, and Weird seem to be at a significantly lower level than in the PHB. Of course these spells were chosen to fit a (loose) theme, but the difference is still somewhat eye-opening. Most or all of these spells are spells I have seen numerous complaints about being under powered for their level. Is this tacit agreement with such opinions? Or is it just that the new design constrains these higher powered abilities in such a way as to make the level difference palatable?

For me, I can see some of the spells are about a level off in the new design, but these are a bit more than that and would indicate more of a correction. This seems especially confusing as we were treated to a video of the devs in the lead up to the release of Xanthar's Guide talking about how they had to bump Create Homunculus up a level or two because they realized that the creator could see through the Homonculus's eyes with no limitation on distance. And yet here we have Telepathy, which allows that and so much more, at a lower level. I'm not saying I disagree with Mikes choices, I just find it curious.

Regarding spells that are assigned a spell level that is higher than what they are worth:

The first step is noticing that a spell seems much weaker than other spells in the same spell level.

The second step is being honest. If a spell works better at a lower level, which level should it be in. Sometimes a spell works better in the next lower level. (High level Druid damage spells tend to be off by a level.) But other spells only becoming appealing choices if they are several spell levels lower. The spell level that a spell deserves depends entirely on what that spell can do, and how frequently useful that deed is.

For example, Programmed Illusion is ‘officially’ spell level 6. But this high spell level is absurd. It does about the same thing that Magic Mouth does, which deserves its spell level 2. Magic Mouth is actually a pretty good spell. Some spell descriptions dont explain why the spell is useful or effective. In the case of Magic Mouth, it is the ‘trigger’ that makes it useful. You the caster decides what − exactly − will trigger the mouth. For example, you can cast it on your backpack, and say, ‘Anyone who opens or takes this backpack except me’ triggers the Mouth. And the Mouth will continually repeat, ‘Help! Help! Thief! Thief! Stop stealing me! Stop stealing me!’. In this case, Magic Mouth works as an effective alarm. In comparison, Programmed Illusion does little more than this. At best, its visual component is a slight upgrade. But because the image itself must be determined in advance and is easy to disbelieve, it is spell level 3 at best, if not spell level 2.

When the designers made D&D 5e they made a great effort to comb out and nerf the old-school ‘broken’ spells. But they often forgot to lower the spell level after a particularly severe nerf. Worse, they made little or no effort to comb out the weak spells.

So to put it less diplomatically, some of the spells on the spell list suck. But if one moves it to a lower spell level, some of these start looking a bit more reasonable.

When assessing the worth of a spell, a simple question to ask is, would you rather have this spell or the Fireball spell, if you could only have one or the other. If you prefer Fireball, then likely the spell in question is only spell level 3 or lower. Also there are other benchmarks to compare.

Sometimes a spell that is generally useless is powerful in certain corner cases. Then it is necessary to ask how frequently do these corner cases happen? Every round? Then of course it is useful. Once per encounter? Once per short rest? Once per long rest? ... Once per adventure? Once per character career across many levels? You in reallife only saw the spell used once last year? If the answer is, ‘Ten years ago some brilliant player used this spell and saved everybody!’, then such an anecdote pretty much proves how terrible the spell is and that the entire game will become better by removing the spell from the list.

Also, many old school spells are obsolete because they did things that now skill checks do. For example, what the Detect Thoughts spell can do is usually handled by a Wisdom skill check now.

There are many character optimizers who assess and critique what a spell is worth. Often, they dont care about how powerful a character. Rather, they care about how well the game is designed. The care if a spell is worth the ink of printing it or not. They resent trap options.



For psionics, the defacto spell level is vital. For example, many telepathy spells are at official spell levels that are way too high. This means that creating telepath character is dead in the water. It will suck because the spell that are available at low levels suck. The concept is dead in the water because of poor game design.

Also dead in the water, phasing thru walls, etherealness, freeform telekinesis, and other concepts that are relevant to psionics. These need to be available in some effective way at level 1.

Inflated spell levels ruins psionics.

 

[Yaarel]

DMs think of some spells as ‘spoilers’. Sometimes the DM doesnt want the heroes to know something, because it is a mystery that the heroes need to solve. Similarly, sometimes DMs dont want heroes to access a certain room ... yet.

So, spells involving telepathy, esp, scrying, clairvoyance, phasing thru walls, teleportation, etherealness, outofbody mind projection, and so on can be problematic.

Old school makes such spoiler spells way too high a level. So when heroes reach these levels, the gaming system starts to break down anyway. Assuming the game functions well at high tiers, postponing a problem is no solution, since now mysteries fail to happen at high levels.



The solution is simple. Use Protection from Evil and Good, and related spells (like Hallow, etcetera) to keep out divination, scrying, and outofbody and ethereal traveling, in the same way that it keeps out extraplanar creatures.

Done.

Now, the DM can *easily* keep a secret because the villain cast a Protection spell or hired someone to cast it. A high level villain can cast a high level spell, thus keep the heroes in the dark or out in the cold.

The psionic character that tries to read a mind or pass thru a wall, can tell something is blocking the effort.