D&D 5E What's wrong with this psion?

[Ancalagon]

To me psionics belongs in a sci fi game...

 

[Retreater]

I mean, it's a psionic-themed sorcerer. It might be a fine character, but for me it doesn't do what I would want it to do.

For me psionics would need to include the following: power points, augmentation, not VSM component-casting based, skill checks to manifest, and psionic combat. Otherwise, it's just a variation of any other spellcasting class.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Yeah, well, if any of the psion fans could have actually agreed on anything regarding how psionics should have appeared, I'd be a lot more forgiving. But when every single one had their own singular idiosyncratic belief about what psionics and psions HAD to be... I realized that not a single thing WotC did was ever going to make them happy.

So when WotC just decided to go along with the primary group of D&D players were okay with... those dreaded "casuals"... I was fine with it and not surprised in the least.

Again, it is somewhat remarkable that WoTC thought that pleasing people who wanted psionics was too hard, so they decided to release psionics to please people who didn't want psionics.

Cool!

 

[DEFCON 1]

Again, it is somewhat remarkable that WoTC thought that pleasing people who wanted psionics was too hard, so they decided to release psionics to please people who didn't want psionics.

Cool!

Heh.. yeah, well I find it remarkable that those who wanted psionics thought that WotC was actually going to be able to give them exactly what they expected and needed for each of their own individual "must haves" list.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Heh.. yeah, well I find it remarkable that those who wanted psionics thought that WotC was actually going to be able to give them exactly what they expected and needed for each of their own individual "must haves" list.

I don't know! I'd have to see the exact results of the surveys to know for sure.

For example, we see people (like Ancalagon above) who don't like psionics at all because it's too sci-fi. For all the we know, there were people like that who voted strongly against any psionics. Or maybe they did a good job of controlling for it.

But assuming that you are correct (which, again, I think people repeat as gospel truth even though I haven't seen it properly sourced), it gets into the usual ranking issues that this type of polling can present. For example:

A. Option A (mystic)
B. Option B (mystic revisited)
C. Option C (screw it, make it a sorcerer)
D Option D (no psionics)

Presented in that way, I'd be curious to see what happened. I would assume that many (not all, but many) psionics fans would prefer (A,B),D,C while non-psionic fans would prefer D,C,(A,B).

 

[Maxperson]

What makes this character not a psion?

Human 9th Level Psionic Soul Sorcerer
Cantrips: Friends, Mage Hand, Message, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion
1st Level: Charm Person, Id Insinuation
2nd Level: Detect Thoughts, Hold Person, Levitate
3rd Level: Fear, Psionnic Blast
4th Level: Confusion, Ego Whip
5th Level: Dominate Person

Metamagic: Subtle Spell, Heightened Spell

Spells. Arcane power source. External power source. Components to cast those spells.

All of those exclude that character from being a Psion.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Spells. Arcane power source. External power source. Components to cast those spells.

All of those exclude that character from being a Psion.

Only the last one is a real thing, so giving them a trait that would let them to ignore components like some subclasses already do would fix this.

 

[jmartkdr2]

People who want psionics are consistent about one thing: psionic powers aren't spells. If the character casts spells, they're not a psion.

Therefore, the character in the OP isn't a psion. It's a psychic-themed spellcaster.

Now, there's no actual consensus on what psionics are - just that they are not spells. So I understand WotC's problem here - they really ought to just pick an mechanic and run with that, surveys be damned. If the class doesn't suck (and doesn't cast spells) people will get on board. Every other ask is just a detail.

 

[Charlaquin]

I don't know! I'd have to see the exact results of the surveys to know for sure.

For example, we see people (like Ancalagon above) who don't like psionics at all because it's too sci-fi. For all the we know, there were people like that who voted strongly against any psionics. Or maybe they did a good job of controlling for it.

But assuming that you are correct (which, again, I think people repeat as gospel truth even though I haven't seen it properly sourced), it gets into the usual ranking issues that this type of polling can present. For example:

A. Option A (mystic)
B. Option B (mystic revisited)
C. Option C (screw it, make it a sorcerer)
D Option D (no psionics)

Presented in that way, I'd be curious to see what happened. I would assume that many (not all, but many) psionics fans would prefer (A,B),D,C while non-psionic fans would prefer D,C,(A,B).

I notice the actual option they’re going with isn’t even on your list here.

 

[Cadence]

I mean, it's a psionic-themed sorcerer. It might be a fine character, but for me it doesn't do what I would want it to do.

For me psionics would need to include the following: power points, augmentation, not VSM component-casting based, skill checks to manifest, and psionic combat. Otherwise, it's just a variation of any other spellcasting class.

I'm on the "don't care at all" side. But this post explains a lot me. Thank you! I could get behind this.