Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Psionics and Mystics Take Two

February's Unearthed Arcana article from WotC's Mike Mearls has been posted. This time around, the topic is psionics again "This month, Unearthed Arcana returns to the mystic character class and the rules for psionics. Based on the playtest feedback you sent us, there are a number of changes you can expect." The article expands the Mystic class to 10th level, and adds a variety of new options.

Find the article right here.

 

[spartanah]

do I need to focus on a disciple to use it's powers? how do I cahnge focus?

 

[spartanah]

I love this psion, and I think it's well balanced...
Adavantage on initative? it's ok, people overestimate initative, unless you are an assassin, going later gives you a detailed mapping of the scenario... jumping first is not always the best option.
magical weapon on first level? wow, it's crazy... totally OP... but wait.. you can make it a +3 weapon.. this is almost legendary item... holly molly... oh right, druid gets that as a cantrip...

 

[Leatherhead]

I'd point out though, that it is consistent with 5e fluff to keep psionics tied to the Far Realms. So far, the only "psionic" material we have is the Monster Manual and all the psionic creatures are aberrations. Aboleth, Mind Flayers, etc. In earlier editions, more creatures had ties to psionics - pretty much anything outer planar, other than elementals, had psionics - Demons, devils, angels, etc. But, 5e has stripped all that away. Demons and angels have zero ties to psionics. And, this is largely just continuing the trend that was started in 3e. There's a reason that the Dal Quor is tied to psionics. Sure, it's the "Realm of Dreams" but, look at the art and the monsters - it's the Far Realms by any other name. Strange tentacled beasties get psionics.

This is the logical conclusion of the fact that literally everything in the DnD multiverse of 5e is canonically made out of, and runs on, magic instead of physics. Which means anything that doesn't function on magic, must therefore not be a part of the natural DnD cosmology. And the Far Realm is the convenient one stop label for all such places.

It's perfectly logical and fluffy for the ideas and setting they are trying to convey. Unfortunately, people refuse to grok it due to past edition biases or the insistence that their game world is "low magic."

 

[Leatherhead]

I love this psion, ... unless you are an assassin

I was just thinking about how well that would multi class. Perhaps people are too focused on multi-attack bursts to see the potential in a critical ambush from someone who can actually assure that it happens.

 

[zaratan]

I was just thinking about how well that would multi class. Perhaps people are too focused on multi-attack bursts to see the potential in a critical ambush from someone who can actually assure that it happens.

why not all three?


PS: lethal strike really need a nearf because of multiclass. But they could create another greater discipline that mistic use they psychic focus to do extra attack. This would balance the damage.

 

[mellored]

why not all three?

Why not all 5?

Mystic 5/ Paladin 5/ Assassin 3/ Battlemaster 3 / warcleric 1 (bonus attack), with a maul and 20 Str, (13 dex, 13 wis, 13 Int).

5 attacks = 10d6+25 = 60
3*2d8+2*3d8 smite = 54 (1 slot left)
25d10 leathal strike = 137.5 (2 psi left)
+4d8 battlemaster = 18
(no sneak attack with maul).
= 269.5 damage * accuracy.

Level 17 wizard = Meteor swarm = 140 damage. (Lots of slots left)

PS: lethal strike really need a nearf because of multiclass. But they could create another greater discipline that mistic use they psychic focus to do extra attack. This would balance the damage.

I don't see it.

Yea, you can make a nasty assassin with a big nova, but it's going to suck against a horde, and you won't have anything left for the rest of the fights.

So congrats on burning all your resources to 1-shot the dragon, but make sure to thank your party for carrying you though the rest of the dungeon. There's still balance over the course of a day.

 

[Parmandur]

Like the Far Realms fluff personally; guess they didn't receive much negative feedback on it the first go around?

 

[zaratan]

Why not all 5?

Mystic 5/ Paladin 5/ Assassin 3/ Battlemaster 3 / warcleric 1 (bonus attack), with a maul and 20 Str, (13 dex, 13 wis, 13 Int).

5 attacks = 10d6+25 = 60
3*2d8+2*3d8 smite = 54 (1 slot left)
25d10 leathal strike = 137.5 (2 psi left)
+4d8 battlemaster = 18
(no sneak attack with maul).
= 269.5 damage * accuracy.

Level 17 wizard = Meteor swarm = 140 damage. (Lots of slots left)

I don't see it.

Yea, you can make a nasty assassin with a big nova, but it's going to suck against a horde, and you won't have anything left for the rest of the fights.

So congrats on burning all your resources to 1-shot the dragon, but make sure to thank your party for carrying you though the rest of the dungeon. There's still balance over the course of a day.

you now what make this better? mystic 5 / assassin 3/ battlemaster 3 / pali 2 / favored soul 6

haste, quick BB or GFB and more spell slots.
I prefer without assassin to hard to trigger in the monster you need to use the nova and you can get more psi points.

Don't know, maybe is good to be that way, everyone will want to deep a little in mystic, like fighter 2 for fighting style and action surge, but they will need Int instead of dex or strenght that everyone has.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Why not all 5?

Mystic 5/ Paladin 5/ Assassin 3/ Battlemaster 3 / warcleric 1 (bonus attack), with a maul and 20 Str, (13 dex, 13 wis, 13 Int).

5 attacks = 10d6+25 = 60
3*2d8+2*3d8 smite = 54 (1 slot left)
25d10 leathal strike = 137.5 (2 psi left)
+4d8 battlemaster = 18
(no sneak attack with maul).
= 269.5 damage * accuracy.

Level 17 wizard = Meteor swarm = 140 damage. (Lots of slots left)

I don't see it.

Yea, you can make a nasty assassin with a big nova, but it's going to suck against a horde, and you won't have anything left for the rest of the fights.

So congrats on burning all your resources to 1-shot the dragon, but make sure to thank your party for carrying you though the rest of the dungeon. There's still balance over the course of a day.

Is Lethal Strike not affected by the Psi Limit? A level 5 Mystic has a Psi Limit of what, 5, unless I'm misreading the table. Even if we assume that the Psi Limit goes off character level, not class level (any reason to assume that?), it's not going to be above, what, 12 or so at level 17 (extrapolating from the table - it's 7 at L10 Mystic), is it?

Which would give you 12d10, not 25d10. If it doesn't increase by character level, it's 5d10.

Which is a pretty far cry from the numbers you're suggesting. Am I missing something? It rather looks like both you and [MENTION=6810501]zaratan[/MENTION] are using wild rules-ignoring here.

On the topic of the Mystic generally, it's not terrible, but I continue to dislike the arbitrary and contrived Far Realms origin (which is far stronger than the vague "weave" references associated with wizards, there's no valid comparison there), which isn't even integrated into the abilities and I dislike that it's yet another purely daily-resource-balanced character. It's okay, I guess. Rather dry without ANY flavour to any of the abilities - even Far Realm stuff would be better than this. Pseudo-science-y stuff and y'know, mystical stuff would be better still.

 

[zaratan]

Is Lethal Strike not affected by the Psi Limit? A level 5 Mystic has a Psi Limit of what, 5, unless I'm misreading the table. Even if we assume that the Psi Limit goes off character level, not class level (any reason to assume that?), it's not going to be above, what, 12 or so at level 17 (extrapolating from the table - it's 7 at L10 Mystic), is it?

5 PP limit per dicipline use, 27 total per long rest. That build of mellored can attack 5 times in one nova turn, so 25 total.