Errors:
1) At 11th level you've got "Psychic's Mark" as an item in the class table, but it appears to have been renamed "Unlocked Potential".
2) The class description references a specific Archon Spell List that isn't provided. The Psychopomp being limited to two schools means little without knowing what spells they can cast from those schools.
1) Thanks for the catch! Yes, a rename was the culprit. The 11th-level feature should read "Unlocked Potential (6th level)."
2) Not an error. The psychopomp's spell list is all spells from those two schools--no restriction. I can expand the text though for clarity.
Opinions:
1) Tying the Psychic Condensers together for Synergies seems a little haphazard, to me. In order to gain the "Full Potential" of your condenser you also need to take the Additional Psychic Condenser knack at least twice. And when you do, you suddenly unlock 3 abilities on the third knack gain, and an additional one for any following Condenser learned. And then 5 benefits all at once when you learn 5 total condensers. Out of 6 condensers.
Can you think of many, or really any, psionic characters in media who posses Inked Grimoire, Second Skin, Third Eye, Mind Manifest, and a Psi Crystal? What is the class fantasy behind this central conceit to the class?
(That's 5 extra levels of spells prepared, d12 one-handed weapon damage for a throwing weapon that deals psychic damage, 3 extra power points, your hit dice become d12s, and you can cast blur and fear once per short rest, all gained at 7th level simultaneously in addition to another spell known and your spells increasing to 4th level)
The synergies were a last-minute experiment to offer another path: rather than focus on a single implement, this gives a player a reason to diversify, provides an alternative capstone. They miss out on the higher-level knacks in doing so. As I wrote earlier though, this is all a work in progress that's being actively developed for balance, and I'm confident that if this element survives in any form, it will find its balance.
As to characters for precedent? I'm really not concerned. The psi-coded characters are not as deep a vein as standard fantasy, and in a game about magic and dragons and cool magic items, I'm not willing to be confined to historical or literary precedent. All for finding inspiration where I can, but I won't let it come in the way trying something new. (And though written as a sorcerer/wizard, Doctor Strange is all about his "gadgets.")
2) Is there no room for an archon class fantasy that does not involve carrying around between 1 and 5 psychic gadgets? Psychics without such accoutrements exist in various media ranging from Dark Sun psions through Victorian mediums and spiritualists.
Sure, go for it. There're knacks that have nothing to do with condensers, and there will be more of those by the end. But more importantly, this is only one of several planned classes, and there's lots of psionic space to explore.
3) Empowerment is an interesting direction to go for it, but the power-gain offset makes it feel kind of weak. I can spend 6 knacks to gain those six benefits plus one other benefit, or I can spend 2 knacks to gain two more condensers -and- the synergy functions of all three condensers.
See above.
4) Psionic Talents are just cantrips. Just call them cantrips. You label them as cantrips in the document and straight reprint Mage Hand. This doesn't actually help create any sort of fantasy, it just complicates things.
We're gonna have to disagree on this one.
5) Psionics presented as "Warlock, but pump your invocations when you're not casting spells" isn't terribly exciting, to me. There's certainly a subset of player who likes the simplicity of just making psionics into magic with a different name... Just isn't me.
Not everything's for all people, alas. I love me all forms of psionics, and a different system or a dedicated setting sounds lovely. But this ain't that. This is very specifically and intentionally a series of gaming elements that a player or GM can insert into an existing adventure/setting without worrying about massive sets of rules: rather, all the new rules are self-contained, such as in the archon, even if they might occasionally veer toward complex themselves. It's an exciting experiment, and people can come along for the ride if so moved.
Apologies:
I may be a bit overly critical on this. I actually put my own spin on 5e/A5e psionics out last month on Kickstarter. I took a very different path.
And congratulations on that! Always fun to dive into a project. All new psionics material is a grand thing indeed.
