I just started playing a psi warrior and I've been looking for fun ideas to do with them, but haven't found a ton online.
I started thinking about using psi-powered leap to do a "death from above" attack - I'll need to get with the DM to see what's possible - and have used telekinetic movement to bring a barbarian with me into a fight with a hydra. I'd also like to combo with a cleric to sweep them around if they have Spirit Guardians active.
If anyone has fun ideas, leave a few down below. Thanks!
Forcing a cleric to move around doesn’t cause spirit guardian damage. The creatures you intend to damage need to be moved into the area of the spell, not move the area of the spell around.
The other stuff sounds cool.
I wrote a Psi Warrior guide a few years ago regarding its mechanics, I’ll see if I can link it. It might prove helpful.
Are you sure? I reread the spell and it sounds like it would work.
I never had a chance to make it happen, but had some fun playing the psi warrior before we finished the campaign. I may go back to the character in the future.
Sure regarding the spirit guardians interaction? Yes, it’s been clarified in the sage advice compendium.
“Does moonbeam deal damage when you cast it? What about when its effect moves onto a creature? The answer to both questions is no. Here’s some elaboration on that answer. Some spells and other game features create an area of effect that does something when a creature enters that area for the first time on a turn or when a creature starts its turn in that area. On the turn when you cast such a spell, you’re primarily setting up hurt for your foes on later turns. Moonbeam, for example, creates a beam of light that can damage a creature who enters the beam or who starts its turn in the beam. Here are some spells with the same timing as moonbeam for their areas of effect: blade barrier cloudkill cloud of daggers Evard’s black tentacles forbiddance moonbeam sleet storm spirit guardians Reading the description of any of those spells, you might wonder whether a creature is considered to be entering the spell’s area of effect if the area is created on the creature’s space. And if the area of effect can be moved—as the beam of moonbeam can—does moving it into a creature’s space count as the creature entering the area? Our design intent for such spells is this: a creature enters the area of effect when the creature passes into it. Creating the area of effect on the creature or moving it onto the creature doesn’t count. If the creature is still in the area at the start of its turn, it is subjected to the area’s effect. Entering such an area of effect needn’t be voluntary, unless a spell says otherwise. You can, therefore, hurl a creature into the area with a spell like thunderwave. We consider that clever play, not an imbalance, so hurl away! Keep in mind, however, that a creature is subjected to such an area of effect only the first time it enters the area on a turn. You can’t move a creature in and out of it to damage it over and over again on the same turn. In summary, a spell like moonbeam affects a creature when the creature passes into the spell’s area of effect and when the creature starts its turn there. You’re essentially creating a hazard on the battlefield.“
there are somewhat standardized terms and phrases that WOTC seems to use regarding spell and feature effects.
”at the begging of a creatures turn…”
”at the end of a creatures turn…”
”when a creature enters a space…”
“Any creature in the space when you XXX…”
“…when a creature moves into the space for the first time on a turn..”
”if a creature ends their turn in a space…”
There aren’t a lot of damaging spells that can have ongoing areas of effect and also can be moved to cause creatures damage without the creatures needing to move.
There are a few control spell effects that can do it and are lower level compared to the damaging ones.
If that’s how they call it, they’re free to. If I was a DM and it wasn’t being horribly abused (the back and forth movement is an example of abuse) I’d allow it. Strikes me as a poorly written mechanic though.
If you’re interested in looking at a spell that’s designed to do what your interpretation and ruling leans to, take a look at Ashardalon’s Stride from fizbans treasury of dragons.
its also a 3rd level spell, like spirit guardians, yet it’s AOE and damage have been balanced around the ease of using a player movement to directly cause damage. The damage is roughly 1/3 of spirit guardians and the AOE is a lot smaller too. It also has friendly fire potentially injuring teammates if you move around haphazardly. Spirit guardians doesn’t have that issue since you designate who’s not affected by the spell.
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I just started playing a psi warrior and I've been looking for fun ideas to do with them, but haven't found a ton online.
I started thinking about using psi-powered leap to do a "death from above" attack - I'll need to get with the DM to see what's possible - and have used telekinetic movement to bring a barbarian with me into a fight with a hydra. I'd also like to combo with a cleric to sweep them around if they have Spirit Guardians active.
If anyone has fun ideas, leave a few down below. Thanks!
Forcing a cleric to move around doesn’t cause spirit guardian damage. The creatures you intend to damage need to be moved into the area of the spell, not move the area of the spell around.
The other stuff sounds cool.
I wrote a Psi Warrior guide a few years ago regarding its mechanics, I’ll see if I can link it. It might prove helpful.
edit for link: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/fighter/116389-psi-warrior-guidance
Are you sure? I reread the spell and it sounds like it would work.
I never had a chance to make it happen, but had some fun playing the psi warrior before we finished the campaign. I may go back to the character in the future.
Sure regarding the spirit guardians interaction? Yes, it’s been clarified in the sage advice compendium.
“Does moonbeam deal damage when you cast it? What about when its effect moves onto a creature? The answer to both questions is no. Here’s some elaboration on that answer.
Some spells and other game features create an area of effect that does something when a creature enters that area for the first time on a turn or when a creature starts its turn in that area. On the turn when you cast such a spell, you’re primarily setting up hurt for your foes on later turns. Moonbeam, for example, creates a beam of light that can damage a creature who enters the beam or who starts its turn in the beam.
Here are some spells with the same timing as moonbeam
for their areas of effect:
blade barrier
cloudkill
cloud of daggers
Evard’s black tentacles
forbiddance
moonbeam
sleet storm
spirit guardians
Reading the description of any of those spells, you might wonder whether a creature is considered to be entering the spell’s area of effect if the area is created on the creature’s space. And if the area of effect can be moved—as the beam of moonbeam can—does moving it into a creature’s space count as the creature entering the area? Our design intent for such spells is this: a creature enters the area of effect when the creature passes into it. Creating the area of effect on the creature or moving it onto the creature doesn’t count. If the creature is still in the area at the start of its turn, it is subjected to the area’s effect.
Entering such an area of effect needn’t be voluntary,
unless a spell says otherwise. You can, therefore, hurl a creature into the area with a spell like thunderwave. We consider that clever play, not an imbalance, so hurl away!
Keep in mind, however, that a creature is subjected to such an area of effect only the first time it enters the area on a turn. You can’t move a creature in and out of it to damage it over and over again on the same turn.
In summary, a spell like moonbeam affects a creature
when the creature passes into the spell’s area of effect and when the creature starts its turn there. You’re essentially creating a hazard on the battlefield.“
there are somewhat standardized terms and phrases that WOTC seems to use regarding spell and feature effects.
”at the begging of a creatures turn…”
”at the end of a creatures turn…”
”when a creature enters a space…”
“Any creature in the space when you XXX…”
“…when a creature moves into the space for the first time on a turn..”
”if a creature ends their turn in a space…”
There aren’t a lot of damaging spells that can have ongoing areas of effect and also can be moved to cause creatures damage without the creatures needing to move.
There are a few control spell effects that can do it and are lower level compared to the damaging ones.
If that’s how they call it, they’re free to. If I was a DM and it wasn’t being horribly abused (the back and forth movement is an example of abuse) I’d allow it. Strikes me as a poorly written mechanic though.
If you’re interested in looking at a spell that’s designed to do what your interpretation and ruling leans to, take a look at Ashardalon’s Stride from fizbans treasury of dragons.
its also a 3rd level spell, like spirit guardians, yet it’s AOE and damage have been balanced around the ease of using a player movement to directly cause damage. The damage is roughly 1/3 of spirit guardians and the AOE is a lot smaller too. It also has friendly fire potentially injuring teammates if you move around haphazardly. Spirit guardians doesn’t have that issue since you designate who’s not affected by the spell.