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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jessica" data-source="post: 6702447" data-attributes="member: 6796107">Brainiacs: Racial OptionsThe races are listed such that those who get a bonus to the primary and either secondary stat (Int/Wis or Int/Cha) are listed first, then the races that only get a bonus to Int, and lastly the races that don’t get an Int-bonus but for some reason rate black or higher. Races that rate purple or worse won't be mentioned in the handbook, unless they're a trap race. The races will be listed from best to worst, with Int/Cha races generally rated higher than Int/Wis races. Since there are so many Int/Wis and Int/Cha races, having good stats won't automatically earn a skyblue or even blue rating. The race really needs to bring something extra to the table to earn those. <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/" target="_blank">Primary and Secondary</a>[sblock]Tiefling (CHA+Con/Int): the attack bonus against bloodied enemies and racial power are nice, but it’s the mindblowing feat support that sells the race. Cha for initiative, access to every other class' utility powers and dominating stunned enemies is what you're after. And on top of that, decent racial utility powers for a controller. I'm not rating any race gold, but it’s certainly the top pick for Cha-Psions.More on Tieflings in Lord_Ventor's <a href="http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648570/Infernal_Wrath:_The_Tieflings_Handbook?pg=1" target="_blank">Infernal Wrath: the Tiefling's Handbook</a>.Kalashtar (CHA+Int/Wis): getting (pseudo) Superior Will for free is a very powerful racial ability. The feat support is limited, but also surprisingly strong for a controller. Bastion of Mental Clarity won’t come into play often, but when it does you’ll be very glad you have it. Also an uncommon +2 bonus to a skill of your choice. In my opinion one of the strongest Psion races.Deva (WIS+Cha/Int): one of the two Int/Wis races of choice. Good racial features, and Soul of the World is an amazing epic destiny that opens up a wide range of possibilities. In the feat department you have Battle Intuition for an enormous initiative boost.Pixie (CHA+Dex/Int): it’s the ability to fly and to take shelter in your ally’s square that really sells this race. Think for a minute, what is it that a Psion really doesn’t want to do? Answer: be anywhere near his enemies. So you fly to a rooftop, perch there and start messing with people’s minds while they can't reach you. Gets worse at paragon when you start facing more flying enemies who have no problem reaching you. A minor action encounter utility power that turns you invisible is also welcome for a controller.More on Pixies in Mellored's <a href="http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28820983/Crivens!_A_Pictsies_Guide" target="_blank">Crivens! A Pictie's Guide</a>.Githzerai (WIS+Dex/Int): the other Int/Wis race of choice. Very good racial features for a controller. It’s unfortunate that most of the racial support is geared towards melee and classes that regularly get attacked. If Githzerai were more controller centered, they would get the skyblue rating like the Deva. Although Shared Danger Sense is a sexy, sexy feat.Shardmind (INT+Wis/Cha): the quintessential Psion race, according to the PHB3. Also the only Int-race that gives you the choice of either Wis or Cha as your secondary stat. It has a few interesting feats that increase your striker and leader traits and an ok psionic paragon path, but nothing that really improves your controller capabilities. Still, the stats are perfect, and that is enough for a blue rating. The skill bonuses are also excellent: Arcana, Endurance and a skill of your choice.Gnome (INT+Cha/Dex): Stealth is the name of the game with this race. Reactive Stealth lets you start combats hidden, Unseen Dread gives you forced movement on top of other effects, and Shadow Skulk lets you stay hidden if you miss. Shaped Consciousness and Dreamwalker also help you to stay out of sight while you make attacks through the eyes of your conjurations. A racial bonus to Stealth helps, and more Arcana is always good. Niche, but very powerful if you can get it to work consistently. Be aware that with only 5 speed, you’d better remain hidden because enemies will have no problem chasing you.If you don't invest in Stealth, the rating becomes black.Eladrin (INT+Cha/Dex): aside from good stats, a racial bonus to Will and a great racial power, there’s not much to recommend Eladrin over one of other Int/Cha races. You could get Wand proficiency as a Sun Elf, if you’re into that. And a bonus to Arcana is always useful.Hamadryad (WIS+Cha/Int): you could certainly do worse than this. Tree Mind and Hamadryad Aspects are solid abilities for a controller, as are some of the racial utility powers. It’s not as well supported as most of the other Int/Wis races, but no-one will fault you for playing a Dryad.Shade (CHA+Dex/Int): here we get near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Int/Cha races. If only Shades didn’t get one less healing surge. Being reduced to 5+Con mod surges doesn’t bode well for a controller’s lifespan. But if you can live with that, the race becomes pretty interesting. No other race can hide as well or as easily as this one, they’re even able to use allies for cover. Shaped Consciousness and Dreamwalker let you stay out of sight while your conjuration does your attacking for you, so it's easier to hide again. You're naturally trained in Stealth and receive a bonus to it and Arcana, so that guarantees you'll at least be decent at hiding. In the power department, Shadow Monsters is a nice utility for stacking attack penalties.If you promise me you’ll be very careful and invest in Stealth, you have my blessing to play a Shade. If you don't invest in Stealth, the rating becomes purple. Also, be aware that Gnomes and Wood Elves do it better.Changeling (CHA+Dex/Int): as cool as this race is to roleplay, there’s not much to recommend Changelings otherwise. They have a few feats specifically for Psions and psionic characters, but they’re not worth investing in. You take this race purely for RP reasons.[/sblock]<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/" target="_blank">Primary only</a>[sblock]Human (one ability score of your choice): although they don’t get a secondary ability score, Humans are very close to gold. +1 to all NADs, a bonus feat and another class skill training are all very good incentives to play the race, as are some of the excellent feats. But the real treasure for a power-starved class like you is the bonus level 1 at-will power. The powers at this level are already some of the best Psion powers available, so getting one for free is extremely good. Although you can’t augment it, most powers are good enough unaugmented to still be effective. And remember, you can always retrain the power when you pick up a power with similar effect at higher levels.If for some reason you feel you’ll never use the extra at-will power, you have Heroic Effort as the excellent alternative.Elf (DEX+Int/Wis): when you think of Elves, the first image that springs to mind is the classic archer hidden in a tree. But what if I told you that they also make excellent stealthy Psions? Provided you’re a Wood Elf, you can use your Perception (which you have as a class skill and get a racial bonus to) for initiative, and you have the option of starting combat hidden if you have any cover or concealment. The Communion utility power gives you some leader capabilities, and 7 speed is always useful for a class that doesn’t want enemies near it.If you're not a Wood Elf, the rating becomes black. Genasi (INT+Con/Str): although it’s an Int-primary race, Genasi don’t bring much extras to the table. The racial feats are plentiful but mostly useless to you. So really the only question is what manifestation to pick. There are four that have something useful for the Psion: Stormsoul can boost the damage of your lightning and thunder powers with Promise of Storm and gives a Fort bonus; Cindersoul protects you from nasty hits with Firedeath and gives a Fort bonus; Voidsoul gets you out of harm’s way with Void Assumption, has the excellent Scion of Abscence paragon path and gives a Will bonus; Embersoul gets you out of danger with Ashfall Evasion and gives a Ref bonus.More on Genasi in zelink511's <a href="http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/27994601/The_Elemental_Man_(or_Woman):_A_Genasi_Handbook" target="_blank">The Elemental Man (or Woman): A Genasi Handbook</a>.Shadar-kai (DEX+Int/Wis): the racial bonus to Fort and the defensive encounter power are nice. There are also a few very good control effects you can add to your powers during one or two turns with the feats from Dragon 391, but it's a rather large investment. Warforged (CON+Str/Int): what, you thought Shardminds were your only option for playing psychic constructs? What sells the Warforged as a Psion race is the racial bonus to Will, the defensive encounter power, and most of all the Psiforged Resolve feat which lets you regain a power point when you’re bloodied. Most of the racial support is aimed at melee classes, but you could do worse.Hobgoblin (CON+Int/Cha): Hobgoblins became a playable race late in the game (DR419). The racial power is absolutely incredible, one of the best defense powers in the game. Unfortunately, there's not much else here for you. The secondary stat is pretty useless, and if you want a racial initiative bonus you should play a Githzerai. The rest of the race is built around using shields in a phalanx formation with allies, and perhaps being mounted. But that's not what a Psion should be doing.Githyanki (INT+CON): since this is a Monster Manual race, it won’t be allowed at every table. Additionally, its racial features are almost the same as the Githzerai’s but without the boost to your secondary stat. If you want to play a planar traveler, just go with Githzerai instead.[/sblock]<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/" target="_blank">Secondary only</a>[sblock]Dragonborn (CHA+Str/Con): the reason this non-Int race is blue is the Rod of the Dragonborn, an item that converts all damage done by it to the same type your Dragon Breath deals. You take thunder with Thundering Breath, and use Resounding Thunder to increase the size of all your bursts and blasts. Lyrandar Wind-Rider gives you better accuracy and damage. Also, as a Kapak Draconian (DR421) you get combat advantage against slowed, immobilized and weakened targets, which are conditions you can easily inflict.Half-Elf (CON+Wis/Cha): the race gets this rating for one thing, and one thing only: Dilettante. Having an extra encounter power which you can turn into an at-will at paragon is great for a power-starved class like you. You’ll probably poach Wizard powers to pick up an effect that you don’t have in your arsenal yet. Options for those who want to lead are Direct the Strike (or Commander’s Strike if you’re feeling a little suicidal) and Magic Weapon, which you’ll use with a staff and thus requires some suicidal tendencies. Other options include Hand of Radiance (Wis), Magic Stones (Wis), Sacred Flame (Wis), Astral Seal (Cha) and Staggering Note (Cha).Access to Human feats completes the picture, and makes Half-Elves almost a blue race. There's another Half-Elf trick that's a bit iffier but gets you two extra power points per combat. Take a Vampire at-will, then take the Adept Dilettante feat so you count as a Vampire. This makes you eligible for the Psionic Vampire feat, which gets you a free healing surge when you hit with an augmented power and lets you spend a surge as a minor action to gain two power points. Revenant (DEX+Con/Cha): you play a Revenant for access to another race’s support and the amazing (read: broken) stuff you can do with it at 0 HP. Mellored explained this better than I ever could in <a href="http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/25152097/The_Ghost_with_the_Most_%28revenant_handbook%29" target="_blank">The Ghost With The Most: A Revenant Handbook</a>.Mul (CON+Str/Wis): an option for a more durable Psion. An additional healing surge and the Incredible Toughness power ensure you’ll keep going longer than any other Psion. You also get a couple of nice racial feats, and of course access to feats of Humans (or Dwarves, but there’s nothing there for you).Dwarf (CON+Str/Wis): another option for a more durable Psion. Shield Dwarves get free light shield proficiency which you can put to good use, and a minor action Second Wind is never wasted. Speed 5 is a problem though. Only play this if you’re really worried about your durability, but in that case I’d rather play a Mul.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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