D&D 5E (2024) [+] What does a non-spellcaster Psion need/look like?

[EzekielRaiden]

This is sort of a prelude to future musings, looking to survey the field rather than debate per se. What do you think a Psion needs, if they are not, in any way, a spellcaster?

Please note the [+], if you are genuinely and entirely of the opinion that a spellcaster Psion is the correct path to pursue, or if you think a non-spellcaster Psion is unnecessary, unhelpful, unlikely, counterproductive, etc., etc., then while I recognize your opinion as valid, it's not constructive for this thread, and only going to result in "NUH-UH!" "UH-HUH!" slap-fights. I've had my fill of those as of late.

I of course have my own ideas, but I'd prefer to take a back seat and hear what others have to say for a while first. So--tell me your non-spell-based Psion ideas, or expectations, or desires, or vague formless design notions, or whatever! Doesn't need to be hyper-specific.

 

[James Gasik]

I think psionics could very well justify a return to encounter abilities. The powers are things you can just do, without any points or spell slots, but they are mentally and physically taxing enough that you need at least a brief amount of time to utilize them again. These are powers a humanoid mind might not be designed to wield, and so there is a limit to how far you can push your limits to manifest them.

I think it was Star Wars SAGA that had Force powers work in this manner. So you could have one Psionic ability that could be used 1/5-10 minutes or so. Developing a second power gives you the ability to use that ability, and now you can use two powers before you need to recharge- either both powers once or one power twice. And so on, so each power learned increases both capacity and what you can do.

This way, individual powers are stronger than a cantrip, but weaker than a spell slot, though they should all scale in some way. This means that eventually, your encounter powers are better than low level spell slots, but they'll never be as strong as the highest level spells.

It gives them a unique balance point, where they never quite reach busted levels of power, but can use their abilities frequently throughout an adventuring day.

The only question then would be to decide what the Psionicist does when they are out of juice, though once they have 3-4 powers, they should be fine for most encounters, as long as they have some combat ability, like say a Mind Thrust or Telekinetic Missile.

Subclasses could focus on a particular type of ability, be it Telekinesis, Telepathy, ESP, etc. etc..

 

[Zardnaar]

Probably psionic points based a d8 hit dice maybe lightning armor.

Conceptually warlock perhaps in terms of mechanics. Limited to two or 3 "schools". Maybe one more eg psychometabolic, psychokinetic and psy warrior subclasses.

Probably very few Powers maybe 4E like or SWSE. Conceptually bits of 3.5 one as well.

You could also put aura on them.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Like a spellcaster that just uses spell points instead of spell slots?
And powers that replicate spells but are not.

 

[CreamCloud0]

mostly i think they need a small (per individual character) selection of specializations that give them a number of at-will and/or quick-recharge abilities that can be enhanced into stronger versions and variants by using points from an easy come-easy go 'energy' resource pool, it would also be very thematic for them to have some sort of mechanic that lets them use more points than they have or instantly recharge at the cost of some backlash or burnout: loosing their next turn, a level of exhaustion, loosing HP(and temporarily reduced maximum), not being able to use anything from that specialization for [diceroll] turns.

for example, (i'm going to be using spells here but only as example reference points,) you pick a pyrokinetic specialization and you might get three at-will abilities: produce flame, control flames and absorb elements(fire), a telekinetic might have mage hand and catapult, a...warding? psion might have shield, blade ward and armour of agathys, what each of these psions can do can be expanded by expending varying amounts of energy points to perform other abilities such as:

pyrokinetic: fire bolt, faerie fire, burning hands, hellish rebuke, fireball, conjure elemental(fire), fire shield, wall of fire and fire storm.

telekinetic: thunderclap, levitate, conjure barrage, fly, gravity sinkhole, bigby's hand, telekinesis, wall of force.

warding: mage armour, absorb elements, sanctuary, shield of faith, protection from energy, stoneskin, globe of invulnerability, wall of force.

(some of these are focusing more on the end results or specific effect than specific flavour of execution, a TK isn't going to literally conjure extra projectiles with conjure barrage or a warding psion might deal psychic damage with armour of agathys but those spells replicate them being able to launch a bunch of stuff all at once or create a defense that harms those who attack you in a particular way well.)