D&D General Psionic species and subspecies, will they make a comeback too?

[Mind of tempest]

In 3.5 I played a Wiilowisp Psion and loved it

And are Xeph and Githyanki related - they look alike

No somehow they are not.

I want a psionic species just a solid one

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Anyways here's some of the existing Psionic species from before that I can remember:
Githyanki: featured in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Githzerai: featured in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Elan: from 3.5e and a Paragon Path or something in 4e, Humanoids that became Aberrations and replaced their physiology with psionic energy
Shardmind: from 4e, crystalline beings that probably were about as well received as Wildren in 4e
Kalashtar: featured in Eberron: Rising from the Last War and Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
Xeph: from 3.5e, does seem too close to the Githzerai
Synad: from 3.5e, with their triple hive connected minds, might actually be Tiraphegs from 1e that have adapted a more humanoid form.
Dromites: from 3.5e, Halfling sized insect-like Humanoids they're possibly Monstrosities now
Thri-Kreen: featured in Spelljammer in 5e
Half-Giants: probably just the Goliath equivalent to the Athasian Humanoid Giant, in much the same way Goliaths are related to Stone, Hill, Cloud and other Giants. Beasthead Goliaths could be a new variety if they're going down that path.
Blue: from 3.5e but never full PC race, but I think they'd just be normal Goblins (in a lot of 5e books as a species) who have any sort of psionic ability. Could mean a Goblin Rogue suddenly gets blue skin once reaching 3rd level when becoming a Soulknife.
Gem Dragonborn: from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Maenad: from 3.5e, humanoids who can scream and have glitter on their skin. Not much in common with the Maenads of Greek mythology.

 

[TravDoc42]

It was pointed out in the other thread that the Crystal option for the Astral entity spell sounds a lot like a shardmind, from 4e! That'd be neat to see!

 

[WanderingMystic]

We need the Dromites, I will happily take any incestoid humanoid psychic race

 

[Dragonhelm]

I would definitely like to see the return of some psionic races. Luckily, thri-kreen, githyanki, githzerai, gem dragonborn, and kalashtar are all available options in 5e. Goliaths are there too and were known to be the same as half-giants in Dark Sun and Exandria.

What I caution against is too many of the races that fill similar themes (i.e. humans, but psionic). I wonder if some of those races can be consolidated into others. It's like the thri-kreen in Spelljammer. Rather than converting rastipedes and xixchils, WotC said that thri-kreen can fill the bug space and are already very popular.

For example, the synad might just be a kalashtar with two quori spirits, which would be a neat twist.

The maenads can be super emotional but work to keep it in check. Kind of Vulcan-like. That could be applied to any other race. The little gem sparkles on their skin...well, give me a shardmind over that any day. I think shardminds can be very logical too.

Elans...I mean, transformed humans who gain psionic energy seems to fit kalashtar as well.

Personally, I think the races that I want to see return are the shardmind, dromites, and synad (as kalashtar with two quori spirits). Between those and the existing psionic races, I think we're good.

 

[Tonguez]

Anyways here's some of the existing Psionic species from before that I can remember:
Githyanki: featured in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Githzerai: featured in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Elan: from 3.5e and a Paragon Path or something in 4e, Humanoids that became Aberrations and replaced their physiology with psionic energy
Shardmind: from 4e, crystalline beings that probably were about as well received as Wildren in 4e
Kalashtar: featured in Eberron: Rising from the Last War and Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
Xeph: from 3.5e, does seem too close to the Githzerai
Synad: from 3.5e, with their triple hive connected minds, might actually be Tiraphegs from 1e that have adapted a more humanoid form.
Dromites: from 3.5e, Halfling sized insect-like Humanoids they're possibly Monstrosities now
Thri-Kreen: featured in Spelljammer in 5e
Half-Giants: probably just the Goliath equivalent to the Athasian Humanoid Giant, in much the same way Goliaths are related to Stone, Hill, Cloud and other Giants. Beasthead Goliaths could be a new variety if they're going down that path.
Blue: from 3.5e but never full PC race, but I think they'd just be normal Goblins (in a lot of 5e books as a species) who have any sort of psionic ability. Could mean a Goblin Rogue suddenly gets blue skin once reaching 3rd level when becoming a Soulknife.
Gem Dragonborn: from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
Maenad: from 3.5e, humanoids who can scream and have glitter on their skin. Not much in common with the Maenads of Greek mythology.

wow I hadnt associated Synads with Tiraphegs before you raised it here and the connection between them is compelling - are Tiraphegs what happens when Synads fail to achieve harmony between their tripartite minds, does the collapse of the three cause the whole creature to twist into a mad scream, and a body d struggling with its own metabolic stability? I'm going to have to revisit Tiraphegs and expand their backstory.

Blues were slightly smaller than base goblins but otherwise the same except they developed a blue tinge and psychic powers

No somehow they are not.

I think I'm going to connect Xeph and Gith together into a single species - Xeph were the unknown race before the Mindflayers enslaved them. It works with Maenad, Elan and Synads being formerly Human too.

Definitely have a liking for Dromites (they might even replace the Hin)

 

[Kobold Avenger]

On to the subject of Blue as just Goblins who happen to have Psionic powers, any ideas on why there would be a side effect on Goblins having their skin turn blue?

Would this have something to do with their Fey origins?
Does this condition affect Hobgoblins and Bugbears, or is it like Nilbogism which only affects Goblins?
What were Blue Goblins back in the Feywild?

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

I refuse to call the psionic goblins "blues" when the clearly superior name is Mind Goblin