Psionics has a weird history in D&D, lol. Gygax never wanted it, and always thought it didn't belong in a fantasy game. There have been attempts to do it, but most of them have treated it as an adjunct to magic or simply as a different kind of magic itself. Some have treated it as a class, others have treated it as random abilities that a character may or may not have, and yet other systems have relied heavily on it.
I laid out some basic ground rules for my rather large ongoing group(s), but they were all less interested and I have a deadline, so I set it aside. But it still floats around in my head, and I do know that it is part of the larger system available in my setting.
So, I am bringing my same questions to all of you. This will be an optional addition in my campaigns, and once I do finish it I will just set it all up for free anyway on the setting website, and it will likely be late summer before it is done, but, first round is always 10 questions, so here we go.
How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
How should psionics improve over time?
Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
That's it for the first round of question. I usually do 3 rounds, always 10 questions. Rather obviously, this will all be homebrew, and once I have something set up, I might do a playtest.
Some notes from me:
I tend to lean heavily towards the Julian May approach from the series of novels she did more than Andre Norton or Katherine Kurtz style psionics, and so that means more groupings of broad, general abilities with a few specific features under each. I don't have much concern about who gets them -- and I dislike the idea of a "class" that is all that. I see magic as oppositional to psionics -- they argue a lot, but one cannot affect the other. I am less inclined to have psionics work like like spells in the sense of "here is your one thing you can do" and tend towards the "here is an ability, how you use it is up to you" style. In my experience, though, that means it requires a much crunchier, table and rule laden approach.
I am an Either/Or sort, though -- you can have psionics or you can have magic, but you can't have both. Also in my experience, that tends to make a PC over powered, and screws up game balance.
That's it for now. Let me know your thoughts.
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I love Psionics! I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. Also for this post, I'm assuming your specifically referring to Psionics in D&D.
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic? Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
This certainly can be complicated. For simplicity's sake, I'd say that Psionics are essentially magic users in the D&D world. Maybe they were born with their abilities or developed them in freak accidents like Sorcerers or perhaps they gained them through intense study and focus like Wizards. But that isn't to say that Psionics are using technically magic, just that they have similar abilities. And I think that someone could very well be Psionic as well as a magic user. But as you point out, that could get over powered very easily.
2) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
The classics for sure: telepathy/mind reading/empathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, having visions of the future and/or past. Maybe throw in some fortune telling or lie detection.
3) Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
I would be thrilled to have a full Psionics class! If you mean having a Psionics class with its own subclasses, I'd enjoy that very much. There are similar subclasses with Aberrant Mind sorcerers as well as Diviner wizards and Enchanter wizards. Additional abilities would also be fun, for example having a advantage on Insight checks or a bonus for spotting secret doors/traps.
4) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
I've only played 5e.
5) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Good question, I suppose that may depend on what ability they are using. I could see Wisdom for empathy, Intelligence for clairvoyance, Charisma for mind control, and arguably Constitution for telekinesis.
6) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
I'm leaning towards points.
7) How should psionics improve over time?
If they are their own subclass, perhaps as they grow stronger they can target more creatures at a greater distance/in a larger area. For example a level one telepath might be able to communicate with one person within 30 feet as long as they can see each other and share a language. A level five telepath might be able to communicate with up to three people within 60 feet as long as they share a language but they don't need to see their targets. A level 10 telepath might be able to establish a link with up to five people within 300 feet so they can all communicate with each other as long as they share a language, in addition the telepath can use an action to use a linked person's senses (like a wizard can use a familiar's senses). A level 15 telepath can link up to 10 people within one mile and they don't need to share a language, in addition the telepath can select one linked person and share their skill proficiencies. Please note that this example is just off the top of my head, I'm not giving much thought to balance.
If they are not their own subclass and just have additional abilities perhaps their abilities don't get stronger over time but they get more variety, like taking feats. So every few levels the Psionic can choose between standard telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, precognition, postcognition, etc.
8) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
I feel like the latter is better.
9) How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
Do you mean how they came to be a Psionic in the first place? See my first answer: through birth, freak accident, study. Or perhaps like a Warlock they made a deal with a powerful being. Or do you mean how can others in the game determine that someone has psionic abilities? I don't think your average person could be able to tell that unless the Psionic was actively using their power. Otherwise, maybe someone has a sixth sense for Psionic ability.
I presently have a player playing the UA Mystic class that never came to fruition. Barring a few hiccups common with playing UA content, it has been a pretty good experience. The playstyle seems fun, the resource tracking makes it feel unique, and the abilities are often similar to many spells while still retaining distinct elements.
The biggest problem - it isn’t for the novice player due to its frequent options (which, frankly, is why I like it—it actually has options when you level up I na way other classes do not) and needing to have a more advanced idea on resource conservation than even spell slots require.
I am a bit sad it didn’t make it into the actual game—would love to see Wizards dust it off some and give it a second look.
What they have now is fine by me; "Psionics" are spells that are cast without verbal and somatic components.
As interesting as it is for them to be more than that, and have "psionic modes" and "psionic combat" and points and augmentation etc etc.... the complexity all that stuff has added to the game has never been worth it for me.
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
I suppose psionics are “magic” in that it involves directing supernatural forces, but it should be at least as distinct from arcane, divine, and primal as they are from each other (and I think those should be more different too). If you asked me on the spot what psionics should be in lore, I’d probably default to saying it’s differently applied ki.
2) Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
Parallel, though users of either can certainly be oppositional.
3) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Telekineses, telepathy, and clairvoyance are the big ones. Telepathy could be employed to cause some supercharged psychosomatic effects.
4) Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
Class. There can be subclasses for others too.
5) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
Never played one.
6) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
I like SamCornick’s idea.
7) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
If I go with differently applied ki, then point based.
8) How should psionics improve over time?
Combination of existing powers doing bigger effects, and new powers that allow more specific or finer control of matter/thoughts/time.
9) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
Probably the latter.
10) How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
Not 100% sure of what this means: how does someone get psionics or how to tell if someone’s psionic? The former could be any number of ways, from birth to experience to enlightenment. The latter could be a lack of any verbal components and much less specific somatic components.
Psionic as a whole new class using the spell slot system so it would work with duel classing easy. Very few martial ability since its a mind fighter and not a hand to hand fighter. Like a wizard.
Psionics should interact with magic fully. Dispel magic should work against psionics just as psionics should be able to counter magic. Keep the systems equal.
You could have 8 basic psionic abilities and the class gets to pick which 2 or 3 they want to start with, like a caster choosing their spells. The difference is the abilities start very small and minimal and expand in power or range or area like spells do as they are "upcast" till they reach 9th level. Like with the spell system we already have at every level the caster gets to choose if they want an upcasted ability or a new ability at first level. 72 possible psionic "spells"
This way its an easy way to work it in to the system we already have.
I think the problem with psionics is most of the classic psionic/psychic powers are already covered by spells. Telekinesis, mind reading, blasting someone with psychic energy, etc. They all exist as part of the magic system. So, it's tough to have a really distinct system. It's just going to have to end up with a slightly different mechanic to achieve the same effect, and it will be less than satisfying.
So, I think you'd need to really re-wok the magic system as part of implementing a psionic system. But those spells are also pretty classic magic tropes, as well. So, you can't quite take the spells away from wizards to give them to psionicists. It's a tough nut to crack.
I did like the idea they had with psionic die that would change as you use them, but I guess not enough people liked it, so that's out.
I vaguely remember the 1e system. I remember rolling percent die and it was next to impossible to actually have them without cheating on the roll. And if you did have them, you got a bunch of weird powers, and I was never really clear on how they were supposed to work.
I guess I'm not directly answering most of your questions, sorry about that.
I run my own version of psionics in my world. It is based on some discusions here as well as the 1e-3e version of psionics. (I still have the hard copy books for those). I'll put it in a spoiler at the end as its fairly long. I'm still revising it but feel free to adapt it as you see fit or ignore it completely.
Your questions and my answers
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic? Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
A) I see it as oppositional in the sense you describe although I would tend to describe that as parallel. Both manipulate the world around the wielder but in very different ways. the wizard/sorceror manipulates the mana flowing through the world while the psionicist manipulates the world directly. psionics can work in null mana zones (antimagic zones) but special fields can be created thaat block the direct psionic manipulation (though few nonpsionicists even realize this.
2) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having? Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
A) Abilities can be almost anything, (See the spoiler at the bottom). I run full psionics as a single class - no subclasses because the individual psionicist effectively creates their own individual subclass.
3) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics? I still have the books and reference them regularly. I liked them and still do though they do need adapting to fit into 5e.
4) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score? A) In my world to have psionics you need at least a 13 in Intelligence, WIsdom, and Charisma and you get extra power points for the bonus points for wisdom and Intelligence.
5) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic? A) I have psionics actually working as both special abilities used proficiency bonus times per rest and as slots and known abilities in that sense it is somewhat similar to sorcerors. In addition (like sorcerors) there are power points that allow for various manipulations of the powers.
6) How should psionics improve over time? A) the disciplines that can be used proficiency bonus times increase in effectiveness at specified levels if you chose to continue with them, Alternatively you can choose a different discipline at these points (L1, L6, L10, L17) gaining the basic abilities (L1) of the new discipline. In addition there are numerous powers that were grouped by level in 2-3e and you can select a limited number of them as you progress gaining 25 powers at L20.
7) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up? A) Generally, I have described the disciplines as gaining or expandiing their abilities at specified levels while the powers are more descrete much as spells are.
8) How should it be determined that someone has psionics? A) My only requirement is that the player's character has scores of 13+ in all 3 of the required stats (I, W, Ch) and wants to play a psionicist. if they do not have the stats they have to play one of the standard psionic characters.
My version of psionics (spoiler as it is very long)
Psionics and Psions (class)
Psionics is the very rare ability to directly manipulate the universe around the character by the direct application of mental ”force”. The Awakened mind has learned to manipulate its surroundings as simply and directly as it manipulates its body. This manipulation does not involve the use of Mana or a magical “Weave”. Therefore it can act even in zones of suppressed or canceled or null magic. It is however possible to establish fields that suppress the use of Psionics as well. However this is seldom done as many (perhaps most) people (even magic wielders) don’t realize that psionics is separate from magic due to its rarity. Many psionics abilities have been mimicked by magic spells and so carry similar or the same names despite their very different sources. Once the mind has been awakened to psionics it requires self discipline and training to develop and enhance a person’s abilities to their fullest. Psionic abilities fall into 5 broad groups known as disciplines based on their area or style of effect and most psionicists focus on a single discipline. This does not mean that they can’t have developed specific abilities from any of the disciplines however. These disciplines are:
1) Clairsentience – the ability to use various senses at distant / remote locations.
2) Psychokinesis – the ability to control objects or energies outside the body.
3) Psychometabolism – the ability to enhance or temporarily modify the body to make it heal or function effectively in different environments.
4) Telepathy – the ability to communicate directly, brain to brain, without the use of language and with essentially any creature or being.
5) Psychoportation – the ability to warp space in such a way as to jump instantly from one location to another or even (for highly skilled practioners) from one plane to another.
There is also the realm of Metapsionics which covers the ways a psionicist can adapt or modify their abilities on the fly to meet novel situations or to link abilities to create unusual or enhanced effects.
Psionicists are those individuals who, having awakened their minds, have chosen to focus on their abilities mastering the direct manipulation of their world rather than developing their abilities as a means of focusing on combat/roguery/spell casting or other areas of concentration. In some respects they resemble various types of spell casters but they normally do not need more than a quiet word and their will to create their effects. To become a Psion an individual needs an intelligence, wisdom and constitution of 13 or higher. Because of their unspecialized background before the awakening of their mind they are proficient in common, an appropriate racial language, simple weapons and any appropriate racial weapons, and with light armors. They can have any background and have a D8 for hit dice. At level 1 they get 8+ constitution bonus hit points. They get Constitution and Wisdom Save Proficiencies. They get 3 skills or tool proficiencies of their choice.
Psion Progression
Level
Features
PPP
L0Ps
L1Ps
L2Ps
L3Ps
L4Ps
L5Ps
L6Ps
L7Ps
L8Ps
L9Ps
1
Psionics
Disciplines
0
4
2
2
Willspring
2+
4
3
3
MetaPsionics
3+
4
4
2
4
ASI
4+
5
4
3
5
5+
5
4
3
2
6
Discipline
6+
5
4
3
3
7
7+
5
4
3
3
1
8
ASI
8+
5
4
3
3
2
9
9+
5
4
3
3
3
1
10
MetaPsionics
10+
6
4
3
3
3
2
11
11+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
12
ASI
12+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
13
13+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
14
Discipline
14+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
15
15+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
16
ASI
16+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
17
MetaPsionics
17+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18
Discipline
18+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
19
ASI
19+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
20
Capstone
20+
6
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
Psionics – the character’s mind is awakened (how this happen should be described in the background/Personality section) and they become a psionicist and are able to use psionics.
Discipline – The Psion chooses a primary and secondary discipline to begin their training. They then get the basic abilities of the discipline which are available for use Proficiency bonus times per short rest. At each Discipline enhancement level they may either add the enhanced abilities for their disciplines or add the basic abilities of an additional discipline. These abilities are listed below:
Clairsentience: L1: you are able to extend your point of view out of your body to any point within 30’ of you that you have line of effect to (ie. You cannot see or hear through a sealed solid door but openings as small as a keyhole, cracks at the edges that light can come through etc would allow you to extend your point of sight or hearing to any point up to 30’ into the room.) You are able to grant yourself any one of the following as one of your uses of this power: darkvision 60’ range (or +60’ if you naturally have darkvision), tremorsense 30’ range or blindsight 10’ range for one hour. L6: The range of your extended senses becomes 60’ with Darkvision extending to 90’, tremorsense to 60’ and blindsight to 20’. On a successful activation roll (8+PB+IB) you are able to jump your senses to any physical location you can specify. However there is a cumulative -1/250 miles penalty for any location you have not visited. L14: The ranges of your extended and extra senses increases again – extended senses and darkvision to 120’, Tremor sense to 90’ and Blindsight to 30’. The penalty for clairsentience changes to -1/1000 miles. L18: The time for your Darkvision/Tremorsense/Blindsight extends from 1 hour to 8 hours on each activation. In addition you can activate a dangersense that lasts for 6 hours per activation. This danger sense grants you advantage on Initiative rolls, you cannot be surprised while you are conscious, other creatures don’t gain advantage against you for being unseen by you, and you gain advantage on saves vs spells that would affect you.
Psychokinesis: L1: You are able to lift and move an unattached object of up to 10 pounds within a 30’ radius of you. This object can be used as a weapon doing 1D4 damage on a successful weapon attack roll. On a successful activation you are able to control free objects such as dice so they land as you desire. L6: the range of this effect increases to 60’, you gain fine manipulation with the ability (locks etc) and, as a bonus action you can push or pull one creature within range if they fail a strength save (DC= 8+PB+WB) up to 5’ towards or away from you. In addition the damage from this ability increases to 1D6. L14: You are able to generate a blade or ball shaped zone of energy of your choice. This energy zone does 1D6 damage of the appropriate type if it hits an individual. You can safely wrap the energy zone around a weapon you wield doing no damage to the weapon but adding the field’s damage to the weapon’s on a successful hit with the weapon. Alternatively you can use a bonus action to move the field up to 30’ within a 60’ radius of you as a bonus action. If the field hits an individual they must make a dexterity save (8+PB=WB) or take the damage of the field L18: The range of action for this field increases to 90’ radius and the damage increases to 3D6.
Psychometabolism: L1: You are able to accelerate your healing abilities healing 1D8 +WB damage to yourself Proficiency bonus times per short rest L6: Your healing ability increases to 3D8+WB or you are able to clear 1 disease or poison you suffer from with each activation. L14: Your healing factor increases to 6D8+WB or you are able to remove the blindness or deafness condition from yourself. L18: Your healing ability increases to 8D8+WB per activation. Your abilities to remove diseases, poisons, blindness and deafness extend to others of your choice as well as yourself (one individual and one condition for each activation).
Telepathy: L1: You can speak telepathically with any creature you can detect with in 60’ of yourself. The creature understands you even if it doesn’t share a language with you. The creature cannot respond telepathically. Once per long rest you can activate the Read Mind Ability – this is essentially the Detect Thoughts spell as a psionics ability L6: The range of your telepathy increases to 120’, the individual you communicate with is able to respond telepathically also. L14:the range of your telepathy increases to 1 mile and you are able to communicate with up to 5 other individuals. You gain a second Read Mind ability for each long rest L18: Your telepathic range, with those you know the mind of, becomes unlimited as long as you are on the same planet and plane. You gain a third Read Minds ability per long rest.
Psychoportation: L1: When you activate this power you begin rapidly shifting position within the 5’ space you occupy. This causes your image to blur to those viewing you giving them disadvantage on attacks against you. This disadvantage continues as long as you maintain concentration or up to 1 hour. L6: you gain the ability to warp space locally so that you can step up to 30’ away from your location as a single step. This step is not subject to opportunity attacks at either end. L14:the range of your warp step increases to 60’ L18: the range of your warp step increases to 120’
WillSpring – this ability allows you to tap into the deeper resources of your mind to alter or enhance your abilities in various ways. It is represented by your psionics power points. You gain 1 point per level and one point for each intelligence and wisdom bonus point you have (normal max = 30). These points can be used to improve the DC of a power, increase the damage of some powers (typically +1D6/point, max 3 points) or activate metapsionic effects on powers or metapsionic powers. You regain all expended psionics power points on a long rest.
MetaPsionics – This represents the Psion’s ability to alter or twist their powers to fit the needs of the moment. A psion gains 3 Metapsionic abilities at level 1 and 2 more each at level 10 and level 17. You can use only one metapsionic ability on a power unless noted differently below. The psionics power points needed to activate a metapsionic ability are noted in the descriptions.
1) Careful Power (1PPP) when you activate an area effect power requiring a saving throw this ability allows you to create pockets of safety within the area. Choose a number of those affected up to your Intellegence Bonus. Those individuals automatically save and take no damage from the power.
2) Distant Power (1PPP) allows you to either double the range of the power or grant a touch power a range of 30’.
3) Extended Power allows you to extend the time of effect of a power. Each psionics power point expended doubles the time (doesn’t work on instantanteous or 1 round duration spells) of effect up to 24 hours.
4) Quickened Power allows you to speed up the activation time of a power. It only works on powers that have a 1 action activation time. 2 psionic power points expended allow it to be activated in a bonus action while 3 expended allow it to be activated as a reaction.
5) Twinned Power allows you to duplicate the power attacking a second individual. The power must meet the following requirements: A) it targets a single creature, B) it is incapable of targeting more than 1 creature, C) it doesn’t have a range of self or touch
6) Transmuted power allows you to change the type of energy/damage the power does for 1 psionic power point.
7) Seeking power can be used even if you have already used a different metapsionic power. It allows you to reroll the attack roll of the power for 2 psionic power points.
8) Cannibalize allows the psion who is out of power points to sacrifice one of his hit dice using the roll to restore that many power points instead of hit points.
9) Gird allows a psion to maintain a concentration based power without concentration. This costs 2 power points.
10) Splice allows the psion to link 2 powers together activating both at once for 3 power points.
Powers
A Psion learns a total of 26 powers and gains a total of 20 activation slots by level 20. They can forgo using a higher level power to use a lower level power in a higher level slot. Doing so increases the damage of the lower level power by 1 D6 for each slot level it is raised. If a power doesn’t do damage but does have an extended duration then each increased level doubles the duration up to 24 hours. There are 10 levels of powers (corresponding to the 10 levels of magic (Cantrips and L1-9) as that is the format of such abilities in these worlds) Many of these powers are mimicked by spells of similar or the same name at roughly the same power levels. In addition there are a large number of powers that have not been duplicated by magic (yet). Some are specific to a particular Psionic Discipline but most are available for any discipline.
Discipline Powers:
Psychometabolism:
L1) Thicken Skin: +1 enhancement bonus to base AC for 1 hour
L2) Animal Affinity: +2 enhancement bonus to Strength/Dex/Con for 8 hours
L2) Empathic Transfer: transfers 1D8 +con bonus HP from you to another person healing them while you take the damage.
L2) Chameleon: Gain a +5 bonus to hide attempts
L3) Ectoplasmic Form: become insubstantial, able to pass through walls and fly (10’/r) for 1 minute
L3) Hustle: gain an extra move action this round.
L4) Metamorphosis: transform into a creature of CR1 or less for 10 minutes
L4) Psychic Vampire: touch attack drains 2 hit points/Level from target giving the Psion 2 power points per level.
L5) Psionic Revivify – restores life to a recently (10’ or less) dead individual.
L5) Biofeedback: Boosts 1-3 stats by draining 1-3 stats
L5) Restore Extremity: reattaches a severed limb or appendage to an individual if lost within 10’.
L6) Psionic Restoration: Restores level and ability drains
L7) Fission: create a duplicate of yourself for 10 minutes.
L8) Fusion: combine the abilities and forms of yourself and one other individual into a single being for 10 minutes.
L9) Greater Metamorphosis: Assume the shape of any nonunique creature or being of your CR or less for 1 hour.
Psychokinesis
L1) Control Object: Telekinetically animate a small a small object for 1 minute
L2) Control Air: Control the wind speed and direction in a 30’ radius for 1 minute.
L2) Energy Missile: Deal 2 D4+1 Energy damage of your choice to up to 5 subjects.
L3) Energy Cone: Deal 5D6 Energy damage of your choice to all in a 60’ cone.
L4) Control Body: Will vs Will contest – if you win you get rudimentary control of subject’s limbs for up to 1 minute, contest each round until they succeed.
L4) Energy Ball: deal 8D6 damage of your choice in a 20’r, 120’ range.
L4) Inertial Barrier: Gain +4 AC for 8 hours
L5) Energy Current: Deal 5D6 damage of your choice to first foe and half damage to second if within 10’ of first, 30’ range.
L5) Fiery Discorporation: Cheat death by Discorporating into a nearby (60’ range) fire for 1 day.
L6) Null Psionics Field: create a region where psionics doesn’t work 60’ radius.
L7) Redoppsi: Powers targeting you rebound onto manifestor. (Reaction)
L7) Spell Redoppsi: Spells targeting only you rebound onto caster (Reaction)
L8) Telekinetic Sphere: 10’ radius globe of telekinetic force blocks attacks for 10 minutes and moves with you.
L9) Tornado Blast: vortex of air subjects your foes to 17D6 force damage and moves them 20’ in a random direction
Psychoportation
L1) Burst: gain 10’ of speed for 1 minute
L1) Detect Teleportation: Detect portals and teleports if done within 120’.
L2) Dimensional Swap: you and an ally, or 2 allies within 30’ of each other swap places – no opportunity attacks.
L2) Levitate Subject moves up or down, and/or forward/back/sideways up to 30’/ round at your control for up to 1 minute.
L3) Astral Caravan: You lead astral travel enabled group to a destination via the astral plane.
L4) Dimensional Anchor: Bars extra dimensional travel while concentrating (1 hour max).
L4) Dismissal: forces a planar creature back to its home plane.
L4) Fly: Fly at 60/round for 1 hour
L5) Baleful Teleport: Forces subject (s) to teleport into a solid object doing 9D6 damage to subject(s) and object.
L5) Tesseract: warps space on this plane such that the subject(s) can step through to a distant (known) location.
L5) Tesseract Trigger: predetermined event triggers a tesseract.
L6) Banishment: Banishes extraplanar creatures to their home plane.
L7) Ethereal Jaunt: become Ethereal for 1 round per level
L8) Mass Time Hop: Willing subjects hop forward in time 1 round/level
L9) Teleportation Circle: circle teleports all inside it to a destination of your choosing.
L9) Time Regression: Relive the last round.
Clairsentience
L1) Destiny Dissounance: your touch sickens a foe (poisoned status for 1 minute)
L1) Precognition: Gain a +2 Insight bonus to one roll.
L2) Clairsentience: See and hear a distant location for up to 1 hour.
L2) Object Reading: Learn properties and information about an item.
L2) Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions: learn about events and history of a location.
L3) Escape Detection: those attempting to locate you with clairsentience or scrying type powers/ spells or abilities do so at disadvantage.
L4) Anchored navigation: establish a mishap free teleport/tesseract beacon.
L4) Remote viewing: See/hear/smell/ and potentially interact with subjects at a distance.
L5) Clairtangent Hand: able to see and reach into distant locations handling objects there.
L5) Second Chance: reroll last roll (Reaction)
L6) Greater Precognition: Gain a +4 enhancement bonus to a roll.
L7) Fate of One: Reroll the last (failed) roll.
L8) Hypercognition: +6 enhancement bonus to an intelligence check.
L9) Reality Revision: As with Wish.
Telepathy
L1) Charm: Wisdom save fail of foe makes them your friend (Psionic Charm Person)
L1) Forge Link: form a limited mental bond with subject.
L2) Aversion: Subject is averse to dealing with you or object/individual you specify (Psionic Fear)
L2) Brain Lock: Wisdom save or subject cannot move or take actions (Psionic Hold Person)
L2) Read Thoughts: Psionic Detect Thoughts.
L2) Suggestion: Wisdom Save or subject is compelled to follow stated course of action.
L3) Crisis of Breath: Constitution Save or subject’s breathing and speaking is disrupted.
L3) Hostile Empathic Transfer: touch attack transfers 3D8+Con Bonus damage to target while healing same amount of manifestor’s damage.
L3) False Sensory Input: Subject senses what isn’t there – (Psionic Illusion)
L4) Dominate: Psionic Dominate person
L4) Thieving Mindlink: Borrow knowledge of another psion’s power for 1 minute.
L4) Modify Memory: Change up to 5 minutes of the target’s memory.
L5) Schism: You are able to concentrate on 2 powers of different levels at the same time.
L6) Mindprobe: You discover target’s deepest thoughts.
L7) Mind Switch: You switch minds with target.
L8) Crisis of Life: Con save or subject dies of a heart attack. Save does 7D10 damage
L9) Psychic Churchery: repair psychic damage or psionically awaken target’s mind or teach Target a new ability.
Metacreativity
L1) Astral Construct: creates an astral construct to fight for you.
L1) Minor Creation: one cloth or wood object
L2) Repair Damage: repairs 3D8 + 1HP/L to constructs
L3) Concealing Amorpha: Quasi real membrane grants you concealment
L3) Ectoplasmic Cocoon: save or foe is restrained.
L4) Fabricate (as the spell)
L5) Hail of Crystals: a crystal explodes sending shards doing 9D4 to all in area (20’ sphere)
L6) Crystalize: Com save or Petrified into a crystal statue.
L6) Create Dorje: Copy a Fragment of your personality and power(s) into an item
L7) Mass Ectoplassmic Cocoon: 20’radius effect – save or restrained
L8) Astral Seed: Create a seed of your person on the astral that will grow into a second you (Psionic Clone)
L9) True Creation: Form a permanent demiplane.
General Powers
Level 0: (I’ve used the cantrips to preserve the relative power level, as with cantrips these 0 level powers increase in damage with the manefestor’s level. * L1 Psionic powers converted to Cantrips)
Acid Splash, Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Chill Touch, Control Flames, Control Lights*, Create Bonfire, Create Sound*, Curtain of Light (Word of Radiance), Dancing Lights, Fire Bolt, Force Blast (Eldritch Blast), Friends, Frostbite, Green-Flame Blade, Guidance, Gust, Infestation, Light, Lightning Lure, Mage Hand, Magic Stone, Mending, Message, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Naturecraft (Druidcraft), Poison Spray, Prestidigitation, Primal Savagery, Produce Flame, Ray of Frost, Resistance, Searing Light (Sacred Flame), Shape Water, Shillelagh, Shocking Grasp, Spare the Dying, Sword Burst, Thaumaturgy, Thorn Whip, Thunderclap, Bells of Death (Toll the Dead), True Strike, Vicious Mockery
Most spells from the published lists can be duplicated as powers of equivalent level, In addition are the following powers from the 3e & 4e Psionics books. I am listing only the names as I haven’t started trying to convert them to 5e. They are listed at the power level they are at in the 3e/4e books, converting them may alter their level.
Level 1: Astral Traveler, Attraction, Bolt, Call to Mind, Catfall, Conceal Thoughts, Crystal Shard, Daze, Decelerate, Deflection Field, Déjà vu, Demoralize, Detect Psionics, Disable, Dissipating Touch, Distract, Ecto Protection, Eidetic Lock, Empathy, Empty Mind, Endure Elements, Energy Arc, Energy Ray, Entangling Ectoplasm, Float, Force Screen (+2 AC), Grease, Hammer, Inertial Armor, Know Direction/location, Matter Agitation, Mind Thrust (1D10 psychic Damage), Missive, My Light, Defensive Precognition (Reaction), Offensive Precognition (Bonus Action), Offensive Prescience, Primal Fear, Sense Link, Slow Breathing, Skate, Stone Mind, Stygian Descernment, Synesthete, Telempathic Projection, Urban Strider, Vigor
Level 2: Bestow Power, Biofeedback, Body Equilibrium, Cloud Mind, Concealing Amorpha, Concussion Blast, Control Sounds, Crystal Storm, Damp Power, Detect Hostiles, Earth Walk, Ego Whip, Elemental Steward, Elf sight, Energy Adaptation – Minor, Energy Emanation, Energy Push, Energy Stun, Feat Leech, Id Insinuation, Psionic Identify, Inflict Pain, Larval Flayers, Levitate, Mental Disruption, Mass Missive, Psychic Scimitar, Psychoportive Shelter, Recall Agony, Forced sense link, Serenity, Stygian Ray, Sustenance, Swarm of Crystals, Thought Shield, Communicate (Psionic Tongues), Zone of Alertness
Level 3: Body Adjustment, Body Purification, Cerebral Phantasm, Danger Sense, Darkvision, Dimension Twister, Dismiss Ectoplasm, Dispel Psionics, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Energy Lance, Energy Retort, Energy Wall, Negate Invisibility, Exhalation of the Bronze Dragon, Heavy Earth, Keen edge, Mental Barrier, Mindfire, Mind Trap, Psionic Blast, Psi Trap (Glyph of Warding),Psychic Containment, Realized Potential, Forced Share Pain (reaction), Telekinetic Force, Telekinetic Thrust, Time Hop, Telekinetic Sight, Ubiquitous Vision
Level 4: Aura Sight, Correspond, Death Urge, Detect Remote sensing, Minor Tesseract (Dimension Door), Divination, Empathic Feedback, Energy Adaptation, Energy Flash, Freedom of Movement, Intellect Fortress, Mind Wipe, Personality Parasite, Planar Apothosis, Power Leech, Psychic Reformation, Shadow Eft, Suggestion Implant, Telekinetic Maneuver, Trace Teleport, Wall of Ectoplasm
Level 6: Aura Alteration, Breath of the Black Dragon, Mass Cloud Mind, Contingency, Co-opt Concentration, Disentegrate, Energy Barrage, Energy Nullification, Ethereal Abduction, Fuse Flesh, Inconstant Location, Mind over Energy, Overland Flight, Psychometry, Remote view Trap, Retrieve, Stygian Bolt, Suspend Life, Temporal Acceleration
Level 7: Decerebrate, Divert Teleport (reaction), *Energy Absorption, Energy Claw, Energy Conversion, Energy Wave, Evade Burst (reaction),Eyes of the Basilisk, Insanity, Mind Blank (Personal), Moment of Prescience, Oak Body, Phase Door, Planar Champion, Sequester, Ultrablast
Level 8: Bend reality, Iron Body, Matter manipulation, Mind Blank, Planar Embrace, Recall Death, Shadow Body, Stygian Veil, Greater Tesseract (teleport), True Metabolism
How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
Subsidiary, essentially. Psionics to me is just one type of magic, or rather a different method of accessing magic.
What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Most of the same abilities that a magic user can use. The difference is not the abilities, but how you manifest them and what spin you can put on them. Why can't a psion manifest a fireball with their mind?
Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
I'd like a class, ultimately. I'd like to see a psionic focus mechanic akin to concentration.
If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
I'm more familiar with editions 2-4. 2e was too complicated, but had some good cases of clever mechanics. I like the baseline attack and defense modes. The psion in 3e was just a reskinned wizard with mostly the same abilities. 4e was notorious for its homogenous classes.
Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Usually intelligence, maybe charisma.
Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
I don't really care, but slots are more established and they ultimately present the same trade-offs. A more warlocky approach may be interesting as well.
How should psionics improve over time?
The same way magic improves! Am I getting tedious?
Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
You mean like cantrips that you can use for free but can be augmented with resources for the latter? Sounds interesting. Worth trying a variety of approaches. That's pretty similar to the way the Force works in the FFG Star Wars rpg.
How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
For PCs, it should be up to the player, of course. Do you mean in-world? In that case there are a number of origins. It could be randomly manifest in the population after some important event, or it could be a matter of study and meditation like wizards.
The reason I would like to see psionics is because I think it's cool. Adding more classes and game options doesn't hurt anyone, since you don't have to use or play with that extra material at your table if you don't want to. However, for the people who the change actually impacts, it's a really cool option that D&D's been missing for too long.
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As interesting and fun as Psionics could be, spellcasting has always been a big part of D&D. That meant the "mind powers" were all put into the spells system and thus Wizards have been the de facto "mind power" PC option all along. You won't get a robust, distinct, and appealing Psionics system unless you are willing to reduce the scope and/or power of spells.
For instance, the Dark Sun setting had Psionics. It wasn't particularly strong much of the time, but magic in that world got pared back compared to other AD&D settings due to the destruction wrought by previous generations of literal magic abuse. In that instance, Psionics had a place in the player's minds because it was A) useful, B) was not simply a duplicate of what spells already did, and C) had a thematic reason for existing.
If you want to your players to care about Psionics in a game, the game designer needs to delineate the thematic and mechanical differences between the magic system and the psionics system in a way that is easy to understand and that incentivizes players to try it instead of going with what they already know.
Previously I thought psionics could be implemented by a combo of its own spell list, and will point casting.
However 1dnd seems to be limited to three spell lists, and none of them are psionic. So I guess it would have its own will point resource, which it then fuels its class abilities from.
That’s 11. Ok, I will dive in and post updates as I go.
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Fraals (little grayskin aliens) as PC specie. And the return of the blues (a psionic goblin subrace, years before baby Yoda to become so popular). A third subrace for the giths.
A subclass like the flayerspawn psychic.
The aegis, a class or subclass about using an astral construct as a exosuit-powered armor.
Athanatism, the psionic art of manipulating souls and spirits. It was going to be a new discipline created by Dreamscarred Press for Starfinder.
The ardent as class, or at least a paladin subclass. I love the potential to create stories with the clerisc and the rest of divine spellcasters as freenemies, a love-hate relation.
The maenads allowed to be lawful barbarians.
The wilders being dazed if they fail with the psychic enervation. Wilder as sorcerer subclass?
How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
How should psionics improve over time?
Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
How should it be determined that someone has psionics? ...
Answering as someone who is a big fan of psychic characters in other works - including fantasy works - and also someone who has never played older editions of D&D:
1.) I typically operate, when I can, by a triumverate of overall "Capability" buckets - Physical (including certain augmented-physical powersets like the Monk's ki), Magical, Psychic/Psionic. The more buckets a character dips from, the less capable they are in any given bucket. Certain characters/classes obviously lean harder into one bucket than the others. But yes - Psychic Arts and magical abilities are two different, generally unrelated categories of supernatural abilities.
2.) A mix between Oppositional and Parallel. In my settings/worlds/stories magical affinity and psionic affinity tend to preclude each other (one individual can only have so many supernatural gifts/talents by default), but this is not a hard and fast rule, and given that magic can be studied as a science and learned without any affinity at all (i.e. wizards), a character can plausibly have access to both magic and psychic abilities. it is not common, and I'd generally preclude sorcerers and other innate magic critters from having significant psychic ability.
3.) I'm a sucker for the classics. Broadly, psychic talents fall into two categories - Physical (psychokinesis, pyrokinesis/firestarting, certain forms of self augmentation) and Mental (mind-reading, thought/emotion projection, psychic senses/ESP). Some abilities like remote viewing can plausibly align with either bucket, but any given character specializes in one or the other with relatively minor talents in their 'off' bucket, if any.
4.) If someone wants to implement psychic abilities as a standalone equal to magic, they're going to need the full Monty - class, subclasses, and feats. I don't think most players want that level of psychic capability in their D&D, sadly. A straight Psychic/Mystic class is against regulations according to the unpleasant majority, which means no specialists in psychic abilities. That makes it extremely difficult to implement psychic powers correctly, save as minor and forgettable powers via throwaway feats like the Tasha's Telekinetic/Telepathic feats.
5.) Never played/looked into 1e, have no opinion.
6.) No reason to invent entire new ability scores for psychic abilities. Much like magic, a Psychic Modifier could be derived from any mental stat dependent on how one obtains their powers. Same as how physical abilities can draw from any physical stat.
7.) I actually favor psychic abilities having a higher 'base' level than magic, i.e. Psychic Cantrips are generally stronger/more impactful than magic, but access to higher-level psychic abilities is restricted and most of them require the expenditure of Hit Dice/loss of HP to use. High-level psychic powers are a strain on the body; casting from Hit Dice is a good way to simulate the classic "Psychic Nose Bleed" effect of high-impact psychic abilities causing the character physical stress and harm. So base psychic powers are equivalent to maybe cantrip through level twoish spells, but access to higher powers is dramatically lower than traditional spellcasters.
8.) The same way physical classes improve over time - the addition of new things you can do. Without a strictly regimented Spell Slot system, new psychic abilities would take the form of more ways to expend Hit Dice and possibly new ways to use base abilities. A bit like the monk gaining access to new ways to use ki as the monk progresses.
9.) 5e doesn't tolerate "here's your ability, use it creatively" powers. Sadly. Everything has to be limited, regimented, and set up such that your ability does ONE THING, ONE WAY and that's it. Which is just ever so boring. I vastly prefer broader abilities that allow for creative use, as well as DMs who encourage creative use and players who don't take "Creative Use" to mean "be a giant dickhole that ruins D&D games with bizarre unfun edge-case jank", but alas, 5e is what it is.
10.) The same way it's determined that someone has magic, or combat prowess - if you want psychic abilities, pick character options that grant psychic abilities. A feat or two if you're a minor talent with little training, a subclass if your psychic arts are something you've spent time honing in service to your broader discipline, a base class if your psychic arts are your broader discipline. No reason for psychic abilities to be a weirdly bolted-on extra free bit that some characters are lucky enough to have while other characters can suck one.
1. Remove all the mind spells. No more charms, no more mind reading, no more domination. Illusions are now explicitly holograms, not hallucinations. Also remove kinetic spells like telekinesis, floating disk, and mage hand. Depending on player surveys, maybe also take away pyro spells, weapon conjuring spells, or time spells. I don't think that's necessary but who knows.
2. Give them different rules. Something to do with strain, probably. We're looking for nosebleeds, overexertion, and powers going out of control. You also don't want a spell list, you want it to feel different from magic, so maybe a loosely modular system, one rooted in the logic of skill checks, rather than the logic of inventory management.
Psionics aren't as broad as magic and there are some things they can't do, even though in some media they can. You have to recognize that in most media, psionics are just a stand-in for magic. That can't be the case in D&D. It usually has been, though. So you're also gonna lose a lot of old D&D psionic stuff. That's the price of progress.
The base psionic class probably chooses like two broad categories of powers they're gifted in, but can only afford to train one, leaving the other as this dangerous specter. So they might be skilled at influencing people's behavior, but have raw uncontrolled power in reading people, for example. They're getting overloaded with signals all the time. Or they might be an expert at throwing things with their mind but they can't control their surges of infectious melancholy that overwhelm their allies. Psionic characters are defined by their problems as much as they are by their abilities.
I don't know if it's a good idea to design a class around the idea of randomly screwing over your party. But that's the only way to do this properly.
Edit: For what it's worth, I want a return to Vancian casting. I think it's cool and exciting. I want it to be possible for any character, regardless of class, to attempt to memorize a spell, and for the definition of Wizard (or Magician, perhaps) to be "someone who can do it reliably.") Thus, I think Psionics should be the thing where you're either born with it or you aren't, and magic is something you can learn by practice alone. Intelligence for magic, Charisma -- or preferably morale! -- for psionics. (You can roughly mimic morale using hit points if you're not a coward.)
Edit again: In Vance's novels, magic spells are, more or less, ways to cause extraplanar entities to use their, for lack of a better word, psionic powers for you. Essentially there just exist beings who naturally can, say, cause lasers to shoot down in a cone from above (The Excellent Prismatic Spray), and when you cast it, you're making them do that. You probably don't understand this, or know anything about the entity, and that's fine because somebody wrote down the spell. So in this case, magic and psionics could be from the same source -- it's just that psionics are the only people who can control it directly. Due to their biology or the number of dimensions in the world they call home or whatever, they're only able to manifest the kinds of powers we imagine as psychic in nature. Sure.
This is kind of interesting because I'm yet another person who has created a homebrew Psionics Class.
This came about around a year ago, when another discussion about Psionics was going on in the forums. There was a lot of debate about how they should work, but one thing that came up a lot was the idea that, even if you treat psionics as a form of magic, the class itself shouldn't be built around spellcasting... especially since you could just play as a Sorcerer or something and just pick all the thematically appropriate spells and just flavor it as being psychic.
So I tried to build them almost as a martial class that just had class features that function similar to spellcasting... stuff like a psychic grapple, a simple psychic attack that can be done at range based pretty heavily on the Sun Soul Monk's Radiant Sun Bolt feature. I also included the Psionic Energy Dice that were kind of a major features of psions (and you still see in Psi Warrior Fighter and Soulknife Rogue). Honestly if I was to build a Psion entirely on my own I wouldn't include the Psionic Energy Dice, since trying to both make them regularly used by the class and balancing around them was actually one of the biggest problems I had, but by the time I realized how much extra work it was putting on me to balance around them I had already worked on the class so much that I'd basically have to start over from scratch to create the class without them.
Anyway, I also created 4 subclasses... I'm not sure how balanced they all are, but the one I'm happiest with is the "Kineticist", which focuses on using Psychokinesis and the primary feature of the class is being able to animate a floating weapon to fight for you. I've only done some minor playtesting, and it doesn't seem horribly unbalanced, but I haven't really had the opportunity to give it a ton of playtesting, but I think it at least does a good job of accomplishing the fantasy I was aiming for:
The Psion
Formal wear ripped and torn, a mistreated half-elf erupts with unseen force, foes falling, clutching their head in pain as they’re wracked with psionic forces.
Voices scream in pain as a young human conjures magical flame with nothing but a thought, explosions sending attackers flying and engulfing them in flames.
Wine spills as silver goblets clink in toast. Nobles mingle, never suspecting that the Dwarven man disguised as a servant is silently probing their minds, unlocking secrets that could shatter kingdoms.
Whether through a quirk of genetics, exposure to otherworldly forces, or intense training, Psions are uniquely blessed to tap into magical forces using the sheer power of their minds. While they may not show any outward sign of the power they possess, these mental warriors are never unarmed, never defenseless, as their minds are more powerful than any equipment they could find.
Awakened Minds
While some adventurers with latent psychic powers utilize them in combat, it is only those who nurture and train those powers who become true Psions. While some may believe one must be born with these powers, it’s possible for anyone with the mental fortitude, patience, and drive to unlock these powers through meditation and training.
Psions at first seem to share many traits with Sorcerers, but Psions have no need for spellcasting focuses or traditional spellcasting. Instead they utilize their psionic powers to manipulate others, and battle performing feats of strength without muscles or athleticism, but instead the sheer force of their minds.
Focused Mentalists
All living creatures have the potential for Psionic Powers, although a rare few are born with innate psychic powers. Across the planes, there are some people whose races are natively psychic, with telepathy as common as speech, and telekinetics used for daily, mundane chores. However, even among these societies, it is only those who hone and focus the power deep within who unlock their mind’s full potential, and attain the unmatched psychic power of a true Psion.
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Psionic Energy Die
Psionic Energy Dice Uses
1
+2
Psychic Defenses, Psionic Power, Psychic Force, Psychic Communication
d6
4
2
+2
Psionic Manipulation
d6
4
3
+2
Psychic Conditioning, Psychic Studies
d6
4
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement, Improved Telepathy
d6
4
5
+3
Extra Attack
d8
6
6
+3
Psychic Studies Feature, Mental Expertise
d8
6
7
+3
Shielded Mind
d8
6
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
d8
6
9
+4
Psychic Studies Feature
d8
8
10
+4
Mind Propelled Leaps
d8
8
11
+4
Mental Strength
d10
8
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
d10
8
13
+5
Mental Domination
d10
10
14
+5
Psychic Force Improvement
d10
10
15
+5
Psychic Studies Feature
d10
10
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
d10
10
17
+6
Thought Collector
d12
12
18
+6
Mind Wrestler
d12
12
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
d12
12
20
+6
Psionic Mastery
d12
12
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8
Hit Points at first level: 8+ Your Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Your Constitution Modifier Per Psion level after the 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Daggers, Hand axes, Quarterstaffs, Sickles, Slings, Spears, Hand Crossbows
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: You know one additional language of your choice
You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background
* (a) A Quarterstaff or (b) A Dagger
* (a) An Explorer’s Pack or (b) A Scholar’s Pack
Alternatively, you may start with 4d4 x 10 gp to buy your own equipment
Multiclassing
Ability Score Minimum: 13 Intelligence
Psychic Defenses
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor, your AC equals 13+ your Dexterity modifier
Psionic Power
You Harbor a Wellspring of Psionic energy within yourself. This is represented by your Psionic Energy Dice, which are a d6. You have a number of dice equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus, and they fuel your psionic powers.
Some of your Psionic Powers expend the Psionic Energy Die, as specified in the Power’s description. You can’t use a power if it requires you to expend a die and you have no Psionic Energy Dice. You Regain all your Psionic Energy Dice when you finish a Long Rest.
When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Psionic Energy Dice increases, at 5th level (d8), 11th level (d10), 17th level (d12)
Some of your Psionic Features require a target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The Saving Throw DC is calculated as follows:
Psionic save DC = 8 + Your proficiency bonus + Your Intelligence Modifier
Psychic Force
You know the Mage Hand Cantrip. You can cast it without Verbal or Somatic components and you can make the spectral hand invisible. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack Action. The special attack is called a Psychic Force Attack, and is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Intelligence Modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is Psychic and its damage die is equal to your Psionics Energy Dice.
Psychic Conditioning
Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the following features:
Improved Psychic Defenses - You gain resistance to psychic damage.
Mind Link - You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you, but they are unable to respond to you in kind.
Psionic Strike - when you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice, rolling it and dealing psychic damage to the target equal to the number you rolled.
Mind Grapple – When attacking, you can replace one of the attacks with a Mind Grapple attempt. Expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to force one creature Large or smaller of your choice within 60 feet of you to make a Strength Saving throw. Roll your Psionics Energy Dice, and subtract half of the number rolled (rounded up) from the creature’s Saving Throw. On a failure, its speed is reduced to Zero for one minute. The creature can attempt a Saving Throw again at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success, and the condition ends automatically if you use your Mind Grapple on a different creature, or if you become incapacitated. You can end your Mind Grapple at any time, requiring no action.
Psychic Studies
At 3rd level, you choose an aspect of your psionic powers to focus your studies upon. Choose one of the Psychic Studies subclasses, detailed at the end of the class description. The Studies you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 9th, and 15th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once when you take the attack action on your turn.
Mental Expertise
At 6th level, choose two of your Skill Proficiencies that use your Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifier. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
Empowered Mind
Starting at 7th level, you gain the following features:
*Shielded Mind - You have advantage on any Saving Throw to resist being Charmed or Frightened, and your thoughts cannot be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it.
* Improved Telepathy - As an action, select a number of creatures within 30 feet of yourself up to your Intelligence Modifier, in addition to yourself. For the next hour, you can communicate telepathically as long as you remain within 1 mile of each other. A creature can’t use this telepathy if it cannot speak any languages, and a creature can willingly end the telepathic connection at any time (no action required). You and the creature do not need to speak a common language to understand each other. You can use this ability once, and must finish a Long Rest before using it again. Alternatively, you can expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice to use it again.
Mind-Propelled Leaps
Beginning at 10th level, your Jump Distance is doubled.
In addition, as a bonus action you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed for one minute.
Mental Strength
At 11th level, any skill check you make using your Strength modifier can be made using your Intelligence modifier instead. In addition, when making a Strength Saving throw, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to make an Intelligence Saving Throw instead. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice and add the number rolled to your Saving Throw.
Mental Domination
Starting at level 13, as an action, you can target one creature within 30 feet and force them to make an Intelligence Saving Throw. On a failure, that creature is charmed by you for 1 minute, and has disadvantage on one saving throw of your choice during that time. If the creature takes damage, or if you use your Mental Domination on a different creature, the Charmed condition ends. The creature does not realize it was charmed during this time. A creature targeted by this feature cannot be targeted by it again for 1 hour, unless you expend a Psionic Energy Die to do so.
Psychic Force Improvement
Beginning at 14th level, The range for your Mage Hand spell and your Psychic Force Attack both increase to 60 feet.
Thought Collector
Upon reaching level 17, You learn the Detect Thoughts spell and can cast it at will without requiring a spell slot or material components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
When you cast Detect Thoughts with this feature you can choose to expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice, which has the following effects.
*Casting the spell does not require Vocal or Somatic Components
*If you attempt to probe the target’s thoughts more deeply, roll your Psionic Energy Dice and decrease their saving throw by half of the number rolled (rounded up). If they fail their Saving throw, they do not know that you are probing their mind.
Mind Wrestler
Upon reaching 18th level, your Mind Grapple feature improves in the following ways:
*Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an Attack Roll, you can use your Mind Grapple against that creature as a free action.
*A creature under the effects of your Mind Grapple takes Psychic Damage equal to one roll of your Psionics Energy Dice at the start of its turn.
*If a creature succeeds on its saving throw to end your Mind Grapple at the end of its turn, you can use a reaction to expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice, rolling the die and reducing their saving throw by half of the number rolled (rounded up), potentially turning that success into a failure.
*Two creatures can be held by your Mind Grapple simultaneously. If you attempt to use your Mind Grapple again while two creatures are already held, the condition ends for one of the creatures of your choice.
Psionic Mastery
Starting at 20th level, when you use any feature that includes a roll of your Psionic Energy Dice, you can roll the die twice and select which die roll to use. This includes when you use your Psionic Energy Dice size to determine damage. In addition, you ignore resistance and immunity when dealing Psychic damage to a creature.
Psychic Studies: Kinetics
Those who study the art of Kinetics learn to utilize their psionic powers in combat to control their enemies and protect their allies. They specialize in honing their Telekinetic potential, performing feats of strength using only the power of their minds. Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following features:
Bonus Proficiencies
When you specialize in Kinetics Studies at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Simple Weapons, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords, Scimitars, Warhammers and Shields. If you equip a shield, you still maintain the benefits of your Psychic Defenses.
Blade Puppetry
As a bonus action, you can cause any weapon you are proficient with within 30 feet that is not being held or carried by any creature other than yourself that lacks the Two-Handed or Ammunition Property to animate under your control for 1 minute. While animated, the weapon becomes a magical object that hovers in place. During your turn, you can move this animated weapon up to 30 feet, requiring no action. If the animated is more than 60 feet from you at the end of your turn, it stops being animated.
* While animated, when you take the attack action on your turn you can make an Animated Weapon Attack. This is a melee Weapon Attack using the Animated Weapon and originating from the Animated Weapon’s space. When attacking in this manner, you use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls. If the weapon has the Versatile property, the attack is made as if being wielded in one hand.
* When you take the Attack Action, you can use a bonus action to make an Animated Weapon Attack. The damage die for this attack becomes a d4.
* When a creature you can see within 5 feet of your Animated Weapon moves at least 5 feet away from it, you can use your reaction to make an Animated Weapon Attack as an Attack of Opportunity against that creature.
Defensive Blade: Kinetic Feature
When you reach 6th level, if a creature you can see within 5 ft of a weapon animated by your Blade Puppetry feature is hit by an attack, as a reaction you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to make the animated weapon protect the target of the attack. Roll your Psionic Energy Die, and add the number rolled to the target’s AC until the end of the current turn, including against the triggering attack.
Puppetmaster: Kinetic Feature
Bonus Proficiencies: Upon reaching 9th level, you become proficient in Greataxes, Greatswords, and Mauls.
Dual-Minded: After reaching 9th level, when you use your Blade Puppetry feature, you can now animate 2 Weapons simultaneously, controlling both independently. Alternatively, you can instead animate a single weapon that has the Two-Handed property, or a Versatile weapon as if wielded with two hands.
Mind Prisoner:As a bonus action, you can move onecreature held by your Mind Grapple 10 feet in any direction.
Alternatively, you can expend one Psionic Energy Die and move the creature up to 30 feet instead. If the creature collides with a solid object while moved in this fashion, it stops moving and takes Bludgeoning Damage equal to one roll of your Psionic Energy Die. If it collides with another creature, the second creature must make a DEX saving throw. On a failure, both creatures stop moving and take damage equal to your Die Roll.
Kinetic Master: Kinetic Feature
Starting at 15th level, your Telekinetic Skills reach their peak, granting the following features:
*You can cast Telekinesis at will, requiring no components, but can only target Objects. When casting Telekinesis with this feature, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to enable the spell to target creatures as well. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
*Once per turn, when you use the Attack Action to make an Animated Weapon Attack, you can make one additional Animated Weapon Attack with that weapon.
* When you use your bonus action to make an Animated Weapon Attack, the damage die is now a d6.
*Your Mind Grapple feature can now target creatures Huge or smaller.
Psychic Studies: Pyrokinetics
Your psychic forces have become more dangerous, manifesting in bursts of flame and extreme heat. Starting at 3rd level, you learn to use your psychic powers to manipulate flames in the following ways:
Flame Controller – You learn the Control Flames Cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Flaming Psychic Force Attack – When making a Psychic Force Attack, you can deal Fire damage instead of Psychic Damage. If you use fire damage to hit a flammable object that is not being worn or carried, it catches on fire.
Ignite Foe – Once per turn, when you deal fire damage to a creature, you can choose to Ignite that creature for one minute.
Ignited – A creature that has been Ignited is covered with non-magical flames. At the start of their turn, they take 1d4 fire damage, and any flammable objects they touch that are not being worn or carried catches on fire. The ignited condition ends early if any creature uses their action to douse the flame, or if the Ignited creature becomes fully submerged in water.
Ignited Fury – As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice. Roll the die, dealing the number rolled in fire damage to all Ignited Creatures within 30 feet of yourself. After taking this damage, those creatures are no longer Ignited.
Flame Thrower: Pyrokinetics Feature
Starting at 6th level, you’ve learned to direct the raging fire within, learning to control your pyrokinetics in the following ways.
Flamewalker – You become resistant to fire damage.
Flame Conjure – You learn the following spells, requiring no material component:
Burning Hands
Flaming Sphere
Heat Metal
Fireball
You can cast each of these spells a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and cannot cast them again until you complete a Long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
In addition, you can expend one use of your Psychic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast them without requiring Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psychic Energy Die, and add the number rolled in fire damage to one creature damaged by that spell on the turn the spell is cast.
Fire Fighter: Pyrokinetics Feature
Starting at 9th level, your control of fire becomes more deadly. You gain the following features:
Fire Lock - Any creature held by your Mind Grapple becomes Ignited.
Ignited Blast – When using your Ignited Fury, you can choose to have the Ignited Creatures also erupt with a 5 foot radius blast of flame. Any flammable objects that are not being held or carried in that blast radius catch fire, and any creature that isn’t already ignited must make a DEX saving throw. On a failure, they take the same amount of fire damage rolled for your Ignited Fury and become Ignited. On a success, they take half damage and are not ignited.
Overwhelming Heat - When you deal fire damage to a creature using your Pyrokinetics features, you ignore resistance to fire damage.
Fire Starter: Pyrokinetics Feature
When you reach 15th level, you’ve learned to embrace the raging fire within, using the flames to punish those who stand to harm you or those you choose to protect.
Flame Master – As a bonus action, you surround yourself in flames for 1 minute, casting bright light in a 30 foot radius, and dim light an additional 30 feet. When you activate this feature, every creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw or take fire damage equal to your Psionics Energy Dice and become ignited. While Surrounded in flames, you become immune to fire damage and resistant to cold damage. Ranged Weapon Attacks have disadvantage to hit you. Any creature within 10 feet of you who hits you with a weapon attack becomes ignited. You can use this ability once, and must finish a Long Rest before using it again. Alternatively, you can expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice to use it again. You can end your Flame Master transformation at any time, requiring no action.
Flame Burst – At the start of your turn, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice. During this turn, when you roll to deal fire damage, every die automatically rolls its highest value. You can use this feature once, and cannot use it again until completing a Long Rest.
Psychic Studies: Psychoanalyst
As you’ve grown in your understanding of your psionic powers, you’ve learned to focus them and adapt to the challenges you face, forging your own psychic path.
First Analysis
At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Aggressive – Once per turn, you can use your Psionic Strike feature without expending a use of your Psionic Energy Dice, however, when used with this feature the Die Size is always a d6.
Controlling – You can use your Mind Grapple as a Bonus Action. In addition, when you roll your Psionic Energy Dice as part of your Mind Grapple Feature, if the number rolled is a 6 or higher you do not expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice.
Manipulative – You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Guidance
Charm Person
Command
Detect Thoughts
You can cast each of these spells of first level or higher a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell. If the creature fails their saving throw, they do not realize you had cast this spell upon them.
Second Analysis
Beginning at 6th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Precise – Before you make a Psychic Force Attack, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage.
Defensive – As a reaction to you or another creature you can see within 30 feet taking damage, you can expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice. Roll the die and reduce the damage taken by the number rolled, or double the number rolled if the damage that triggers this reaction is Psychic.
Curious - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Levitate
Pass Without Trace
Clairvoyance
You can cast each of these spells a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components.
Third Analysis
Starting with 9th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Forceful – When you hit a creature with your Psychic Force Attack, you can push them away from you in a straight line by 10 feet.
Deflective – When you roll initiative, for one minute you are protected by a psychic shield. When a creature targets you with an attack, they must make an Intelligence Saving throw. On a failure, they must target a different creature of their choice within range of their attack. If there is no other creature within range their attack is wasted. On a Success, you lose your psychic shield and they target you as normal.
Confounding - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Hypnotic Pattern
Confusion
Phantasmal Killer
You can cast each these spells a number of times equal to half your Proficiency Bonus (rounded down), and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell.
Fourth Analysis
Starting with 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Combative – You gain a +2 bonus to the attack and damage rolls of your Psychic Force Attack. In addition, when you take the attack action on your turn, you can make one Psychic Force Attack as a bonus action.
Self-Preserving – When you expend a use of Psionic Energy Dice and roll the die as part of a class feature, you gain Temporary HP equal to the number rolled.
Demanding - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Feeblemind
Reverse Gravity
Mental Prison
You can cast each of these spells once, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell.
Psychic Studies: Mysticism
Your psychic powers have opened your mind to the complex weave of mysticism. Those who combine the forces of psionics and arcana are known as Mystics. Through careful study, you’ve learned to use these powers to perform spells, and augment them with your psionic powers.
Level
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
2
3
2
-
-
-
4
2
4
3
-
-
-
5
2
4
3
-
-
-
6
2
4
3
-
-
-
7
2
5
4
2
-
-
8
2
6
4
2
-
-
9
2
6
4
2
-
-
10
3
7
4
3
-
-
11
3
8
4
3
-
-
12
3
8
4
3
-
-
13
3
9
4
3
2
-
14
3
10
4
3
2
-
15
3
10
4
3
2
-
16
3
11
4
3
3
-
17
3
11
4
3
3
-
18
3
11
4
3
3
-
19
3
12
4
3
3
1
20
3
13
4
3
3
1
Spellcasting -When you reach 3rd level, you expand your powers to include spellcasting.
Mental Casting – You do not need to provide a material component for any spells learned through this feature, unless that component has a GP cost. However, you cannot learn any spells that consume their material component.
Cantrips - You learn two cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell slots - The Mystic Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your sorcerer spellsof 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells known of first level and higher - You know three 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the divination, enchantment, or illusion spells on the sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Mystic Spellcasting table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a divination, enchantment, or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a divination, enchantment, or illusion spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.
Spellcasting Ability - Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since you learn your spells utilizing your mental connection to the weave. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier= your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Mystic Spells – You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Mystic Spells table. Each of these spells count as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against your number of spells known. You can cast each spell of 1st level or higher on your Mystic Spells table once without consuming a spell slot, and cannot cast them again without consuming a spell slot until you complete a long rest.
3rd
Thaumaturgy, Catapult, Charm Person
5th
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Calm Emotions
7th
Suggestion, Phantasmal Force
9th
Sending, Zone of Truth
15th
Compulsion, Animate Objects
19th
Psychic Scream
Mental Magical Modifications
When you reach 6th level, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting a spell, creating one of the following modifications:
*When you roll damage for a spell, you can roll your Psionic Energy Die, dealing the number rolled plus your Intelligence Modifier in psychic damage to one target of this spell on the turn it is cast.
*Roll your Psionic Energy Die, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from the Saving Throw of one Creature against this spell.
*You do not require Vocal or Somatic Components for this spell. In addition, if this is an enchantment spell to charm one or more creature, you can alter one creature’s understanding so that it remains unaware of being charmed.
Psychic Attacker
Starting at 9th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one Psychic Force Attack as a bonus action.
Mystic Mastery
Beginning at 15th level, select one first level spell from the Sorcerer Spell List with a casting time of one action. You learn that spell, which does not count against your number of spells known, and can cast it at first level without expending a spell slot.
1. Remove all the mind spells. No more charms, no more mind reading, no more domination. Illusions are now explicitly holograms, not hallucinations. Also remove kinetic spells like telekinesis, floating disk, and mage hand. Depending on player surveys, maybe also take away pyro spells, weapon conjuring spells, or time spells. I don't think that's necessary but who knows.
....
this mental part here above, i hate this. and yet, as someone who played a psion in AD&D regular and also Dark Sun, i have to say the old brain-brain attack / defense stuff was nuts. completely complex and butter-nut broken and nuts. defining as a class skill? yes, but way way nuts. psionics can't fit into these worlds if they can just go around dominating everyone else who hasn't taken a level in their class. that's pay-to-win-app-expansion levels of nuts. chuck all the mind-taker stuff.
keep the kinetic powers though. there are worse things in this world than paralleling sorcerers by replacing 'fireball' with 'throws a big rock' instead. add in some spoon bending, sketchy remote seeing, and force-jumps and we're good. although, honestly, given the metamorphosis body altering powers (dhalsim arms!) i can't see how this isn't already a monk subclass.
It's worth considering that the quintessential attack power for a psion must either be a direct mental blast or throwing stuff with telekinesis. And if it's the latter, then you should always carry a bunch of alchemist's fire and acid, or magic knives if you have em. So what you're kinda designing is actually an alchemist or a rogue. Tricky.
The psionic attack was what made the old psionic class totally broken. That and the fact that nothing short of another psionic was able to defend against anything psionic.
A character had to know of and about pcionics to be able to find the few spells and or magic items that could possibly defend against its attacks.
If normal characters/npc's have no way or no magic to defend themselves then the system will be broke.
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So, um, hi.
Psionics has a weird history in D&D, lol. Gygax never wanted it, and always thought it didn't belong in a fantasy game. There have been attempts to do it, but most of them have treated it as an adjunct to magic or simply as a different kind of magic itself. Some have treated it as a class, others have treated it as random abilities that a character may or may not have, and yet other systems have relied heavily on it.
I laid out some basic ground rules for my rather large ongoing group(s), but they were all less interested and I have a deadline, so I set it aside. But it still floats around in my head, and I do know that it is part of the larger system available in my setting.
So, I am bringing my same questions to all of you. This will be an optional addition in my campaigns, and once I do finish it I will just set it all up for free anyway on the setting website, and it will likely be late summer before it is done, but, first round is always 10 questions, so here we go.
How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
How should psionics improve over time?
Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
That's it for the first round of question. I usually do 3 rounds, always 10 questions. Rather obviously, this will all be homebrew, and once I have something set up, I might do a playtest.
Some notes from me:
I tend to lean heavily towards the Julian May approach from the series of novels she did more than Andre Norton or Katherine Kurtz style psionics, and so that means more groupings of broad, general abilities with a few specific features under each. I don't have much concern about who gets them -- and I dislike the idea of a "class" that is all that. I see magic as oppositional to psionics -- they argue a lot, but one cannot affect the other. I am less inclined to have psionics work like like spells in the sense of "here is your one thing you can do" and tend towards the "here is an ability, how you use it is up to you" style. In my experience, though, that means it requires a much crunchier, table and rule laden approach.
I am an Either/Or sort, though -- you can have psionics or you can have magic, but you can't have both. Also in my experience, that tends to make a PC over powered, and screws up game balance.
That's it for now. Let me know your thoughts.
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I love Psionics! I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. Also for this post, I'm assuming your specifically referring to Psionics in D&D.
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic? Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
This certainly can be complicated. For simplicity's sake, I'd say that Psionics are essentially magic users in the D&D world. Maybe they were born with their abilities or developed them in freak accidents like Sorcerers or perhaps they gained them through intense study and focus like Wizards. But that isn't to say that Psionics are using technically magic, just that they have similar abilities. And I think that someone could very well be Psionic as well as a magic user. But as you point out, that could get over powered very easily.
2) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
The classics for sure: telepathy/mind reading/empathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, having visions of the future and/or past. Maybe throw in some fortune telling or lie detection.
3) Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
I would be thrilled to have a full Psionics class! If you mean having a Psionics class with its own subclasses, I'd enjoy that very much. There are similar subclasses with Aberrant Mind sorcerers as well as Diviner wizards and Enchanter wizards. Additional abilities would also be fun, for example having a advantage on Insight checks or a bonus for spotting secret doors/traps.
4) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
I've only played 5e.
5) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Good question, I suppose that may depend on what ability they are using. I could see Wisdom for empathy, Intelligence for clairvoyance, Charisma for mind control, and arguably Constitution for telekinesis.
6) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
I'm leaning towards points.
7) How should psionics improve over time?
If they are their own subclass, perhaps as they grow stronger they can target more creatures at a greater distance/in a larger area. For example a level one telepath might be able to communicate with one person within 30 feet as long as they can see each other and share a language. A level five telepath might be able to communicate with up to three people within 60 feet as long as they share a language but they don't need to see their targets. A level 10 telepath might be able to establish a link with up to five people within 300 feet so they can all communicate with each other as long as they share a language, in addition the telepath can use an action to use a linked person's senses (like a wizard can use a familiar's senses). A level 15 telepath can link up to 10 people within one mile and they don't need to share a language, in addition the telepath can select one linked person and share their skill proficiencies. Please note that this example is just off the top of my head, I'm not giving much thought to balance.
If they are not their own subclass and just have additional abilities perhaps their abilities don't get stronger over time but they get more variety, like taking feats. So every few levels the Psionic can choose between standard telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, precognition, postcognition, etc.
8) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
I feel like the latter is better.
9) How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
Do you mean how they came to be a Psionic in the first place? See my first answer: through birth, freak accident, study. Or perhaps like a Warlock they made a deal with a powerful being. Or do you mean how can others in the game determine that someone has psionic abilities? I don't think your average person could be able to tell that unless the Psionic was actively using their power. Otherwise, maybe someone has a sixth sense for Psionic ability.
I presently have a player playing the UA Mystic class that never came to fruition. Barring a few hiccups common with playing UA content, it has been a pretty good experience. The playstyle seems fun, the resource tracking makes it feel unique, and the abilities are often similar to many spells while still retaining distinct elements.
The biggest problem - it isn’t for the novice player due to its frequent options (which, frankly, is why I like it—it actually has options when you level up I na way other classes do not) and needing to have a more advanced idea on resource conservation than even spell slots require.
I am a bit sad it didn’t make it into the actual game—would love to see Wizards dust it off some and give it a second look.
What they have now is fine by me; "Psionics" are spells that are cast without verbal and somatic components.
As interesting as it is for them to be more than that, and have "psionic modes" and "psionic combat" and points and augmentation etc etc.... the complexity all that stuff has added to the game has never been worth it for me.
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
I suppose psionics are “magic” in that it involves directing supernatural forces, but it should be at least as distinct from arcane, divine, and primal as they are from each other (and I think those should be more different too). If you asked me on the spot what psionics should be in lore, I’d probably default to saying it’s differently applied ki.
2) Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
Parallel, though users of either can certainly be oppositional.
3) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Telekineses, telepathy, and clairvoyance are the big ones. Telepathy could be employed to cause some supercharged psychosomatic effects.
4) Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
Class. There can be subclasses for others too.
5) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
Never played one.
6) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
I like SamCornick’s idea.
7) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
If I go with differently applied ki, then point based.
8) How should psionics improve over time?
Combination of existing powers doing bigger effects, and new powers that allow more specific or finer control of matter/thoughts/time.
9) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
Probably the latter.
10) How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
Not 100% sure of what this means: how does someone get psionics or how to tell if someone’s psionic? The former could be any number of ways, from birth to experience to enlightenment. The latter could be a lack of any verbal components and much less specific somatic components.
Psionic as a whole new class using the spell slot system so it would work with duel classing easy. Very few martial ability since its a mind fighter and not a hand to hand fighter. Like a wizard.
Psionics should interact with magic fully. Dispel magic should work against psionics just as psionics should be able to counter magic. Keep the systems equal.
You could have 8 basic psionic abilities and the class gets to pick which 2 or 3 they want to start with, like a caster choosing their spells. The difference is the abilities start very small and minimal and expand in power or range or area like spells do as they are "upcast" till they reach 9th level. Like with the spell system we already have at every level the caster gets to choose if they want an upcasted ability or a new ability at first level. 72 possible psionic "spells"
This way its an easy way to work it in to the system we already have.
I think the problem with psionics is most of the classic psionic/psychic powers are already covered by spells. Telekinesis, mind reading, blasting someone with psychic energy, etc. They all exist as part of the magic system. So, it's tough to have a really distinct system. It's just going to have to end up with a slightly different mechanic to achieve the same effect, and it will be less than satisfying.
So, I think you'd need to really re-wok the magic system as part of implementing a psionic system. But those spells are also pretty classic magic tropes, as well. So, you can't quite take the spells away from wizards to give them to psionicists. It's a tough nut to crack.
I did like the idea they had with psionic die that would change as you use them, but I guess not enough people liked it, so that's out.
I vaguely remember the 1e system. I remember rolling percent die and it was next to impossible to actually have them without cheating on the roll. And if you did have them, you got a bunch of weird powers, and I was never really clear on how they were supposed to work.
I guess I'm not directly answering most of your questions, sorry about that.
I run my own version of psionics in my world. It is based on some discusions here as well as the 1e-3e version of psionics. (I still have the hard copy books for those). I'll put it in a spoiler at the end as its fairly long. I'm still revising it but feel free to adapt it as you see fit or ignore it completely.
Your questions and my answers
1) How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic? Is it oppositional, adversarial, parallel?
A) I see it as oppositional in the sense you describe although I would tend to describe that as parallel. Both manipulate the world around the wielder but in very different ways.
the wizard/sorceror manipulates the mana flowing through the world while the psionicist manipulates the world directly. psionics can work in null mana zones (antimagic zones) but special fields can be created thaat block the direct psionic manipulation (though few nonpsionicists even realize this.
2) What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having? Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
A) Abilities can be almost anything, (See the spoiler at the bottom). I run full psionics as a single class - no subclasses because the individual psionicist effectively creates their own individual subclass.
3) If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics? I still have the books and reference them regularly. I liked them and still do though they do need adapting to fit into 5e.
4) Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
A) In my world to have psionics you need at least a 13 in Intelligence, WIsdom, and Charisma and you get extra power points for the bonus points for wisdom and Intelligence.
5) Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
A) I have psionics actually working as both special abilities used proficiency bonus times per rest and as slots and known abilities in that sense it is somewhat similar to sorcerors.
In addition (like sorcerors) there are power points that allow for various manipulations of the powers.
6) How should psionics improve over time?
A) the disciplines that can be used proficiency bonus times increase in effectiveness at specified levels if you chose to continue with them, Alternatively you can choose a different discipline at these points (L1, L6, L10, L17) gaining the basic abilities (L1) of the new discipline. In addition there are numerous powers that were grouped by level in 2-3e and you can select a limited number of them as you progress gaining 25 powers at L20.
7) Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
A) Generally, I have described the disciplines as gaining or expandiing their abilities at specified levels while the powers are more descrete much as spells are.
8) How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
A) My only requirement is that the player's character has scores of 13+ in all 3 of the required stats (I, W, Ch) and wants to play a psionicist. if they do not have the stats they have to play one of the standard psionic characters.
My version of psionics (spoiler as it is very long)
Psionics and Psions (class)
Psionics is the very rare ability to directly manipulate the universe around the character by the direct application of mental ”force”. The Awakened mind has learned to manipulate its surroundings as simply and directly as it manipulates its body. This manipulation does not involve the use of Mana or a magical “Weave”. Therefore it can act even in zones of suppressed or canceled or null magic. It is however possible to establish fields that suppress the use of Psionics as well. However this is seldom done as many (perhaps most) people (even magic wielders) don’t realize that psionics is separate from magic due to its rarity. Many psionics abilities have been mimicked by magic spells and so carry similar or the same names despite their very different sources. Once the mind has been awakened to psionics it requires self discipline and training to develop and enhance a person’s abilities to their fullest. Psionic abilities fall into 5 broad groups known as disciplines based on their area or style of effect and most psionicists focus on a single discipline. This does not mean that they can’t have developed specific abilities from any of the disciplines however. These disciplines are:
1) Clairsentience – the ability to use various senses at distant / remote locations.
2) Psychokinesis – the ability to control objects or energies outside the body.
3) Psychometabolism – the ability to enhance or temporarily modify the body to make it heal or function effectively in different environments.
4) Telepathy – the ability to communicate directly, brain to brain, without the use of language and with essentially any creature or being.
5) Psychoportation – the ability to warp space in such a way as to jump instantly from one location to another or even (for highly skilled practioners) from one plane to another.
There is also the realm of Metapsionics which covers the ways a psionicist can adapt or modify their abilities on the fly to meet novel situations or to link abilities to create unusual or enhanced effects.
Psionicists are those individuals who, having awakened their minds, have chosen to focus on their abilities mastering the direct manipulation of their world rather than developing their abilities as a means of focusing on combat/roguery/spell casting or other areas of concentration. In some respects they resemble various types of spell casters but they normally do not need more than a quiet word and their will to create their effects. To become a Psion an individual needs an intelligence, wisdom and constitution of 13 or higher. Because of their unspecialized background before the awakening of their mind they are proficient in common, an appropriate racial language, simple weapons and any appropriate racial weapons, and with light armors. They can have any background and have a D8 for hit dice. At level 1 they get 8+ constitution bonus hit points. They get Constitution and Wisdom Save Proficiencies. They get 3 skills or tool proficiencies of their choice.
Psion Progression
Level
Features
PPP
L0Ps
L1Ps
L2Ps
L3Ps
L4Ps
L5Ps
L6Ps
L7Ps
L8Ps
L9Ps
1
Psionics
Disciplines
0
4
2
2
Willspring
2+
4
3
3
MetaPsionics
3+
4
4
2
4
ASI
4+
5
4
3
5
5+
5
4
3
2
6
Discipline
6+
5
4
3
3
7
7+
5
4
3
3
1
8
ASI
8+
5
4
3
3
2
9
9+
5
4
3
3
3
1
10
MetaPsionics
10+
6
4
3
3
3
2
11
11+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
12
ASI
12+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
13
13+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
14
Discipline
14+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
15
15+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
16
ASI
16+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
17
MetaPsionics
17+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18
Discipline
18+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
19
ASI
19+
6
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
20
Capstone
20+
6
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
Psionics – the character’s mind is awakened (how this happen should be described in the background/Personality section) and they become a psionicist and are able to use psionics.
Discipline – The Psion chooses a primary and secondary discipline to begin their training. They then get the basic abilities of the discipline which are available for use Proficiency bonus times per short rest. At each Discipline enhancement level they may either add the enhanced abilities for their disciplines or add the basic abilities of an additional discipline. These abilities are listed below:
WillSpring – this ability allows you to tap into the deeper resources of your mind to alter or enhance your abilities in various ways. It is represented by your psionics power points. You gain 1 point per level and one point for each intelligence and wisdom bonus point you have (normal max = 30). These points can be used to improve the DC of a power, increase the damage of some powers (typically +1D6/point, max 3 points) or activate metapsionic effects on powers or metapsionic powers. You regain all expended psionics power points on a long rest.
MetaPsionics – This represents the Psion’s ability to alter or twist their powers to fit the needs of the moment. A psion gains 3 Metapsionic abilities at level 1 and 2 more each at level 10 and level 17. You can use only one metapsionic ability on a power unless noted differently below. The psionics power points needed to activate a metapsionic ability are noted in the descriptions.
1) Careful Power (1PPP) when you activate an area effect power requiring a saving throw this ability allows you to create pockets of safety within the area. Choose a number of those affected up to your Intellegence Bonus. Those individuals automatically save and take no damage from the power.
2) Distant Power (1PPP) allows you to either double the range of the power or grant a touch power a range of 30’.
3) Extended Power allows you to extend the time of effect of a power. Each psionics power point expended doubles the time (doesn’t work on instantanteous or 1 round duration spells) of effect up to 24 hours.
4) Quickened Power allows you to speed up the activation time of a power. It only works on powers that have a 1 action activation time. 2 psionic power points expended allow it to be activated in a bonus action while 3 expended allow it to be activated as a reaction.
5) Twinned Power allows you to duplicate the power attacking a second individual. The power must meet the following requirements: A) it targets a single creature, B) it is incapable of targeting more than 1 creature, C) it doesn’t have a range of self or touch
6) Transmuted power allows you to change the type of energy/damage the power does for 1 psionic power point.
7) Seeking power can be used even if you have already used a different metapsionic power. It allows you to reroll the attack roll of the power for 2 psionic power points.
8) Cannibalize allows the psion who is out of power points to sacrifice one of his hit dice using the roll to restore that many power points instead of hit points.
9) Gird allows a psion to maintain a concentration based power without concentration. This costs 2 power points.
10) Splice allows the psion to link 2 powers together activating both at once for 3 power points.
Powers
A Psion learns a total of 26 powers and gains a total of 20 activation slots by level 20. They can forgo using a higher level power to use a lower level power in a higher level slot. Doing so increases the damage of the lower level power by 1 D6 for each slot level it is raised. If a power doesn’t do damage but does have an extended duration then each increased level doubles the duration up to 24 hours. There are 10 levels of powers (corresponding to the 10 levels of magic (Cantrips and L1-9) as that is the format of such abilities in these worlds) Many of these powers are mimicked by spells of similar or the same name at roughly the same power levels. In addition there are a large number of powers that have not been duplicated by magic (yet). Some are specific to a particular Psionic Discipline but most are available for any discipline.
Discipline Powers:
Psychometabolism:
L1) Thicken Skin: +1 enhancement bonus to base AC for 1 hour
L2) Animal Affinity: +2 enhancement bonus to Strength/Dex/Con for 8 hours
L2) Empathic Transfer: transfers 1D8 +con bonus HP from you to another person healing them while you take the damage.
L2) Chameleon: Gain a +5 bonus to hide attempts
L3) Ectoplasmic Form: become insubstantial, able to pass through walls and fly (10’/r) for 1 minute
L3) Hustle: gain an extra move action this round.
L4) Metamorphosis: transform into a creature of CR1 or less for 10 minutes
L4) Psychic Vampire: touch attack drains 2 hit points/Level from target giving the Psion 2 power points per level.
L5) Psionic Revivify – restores life to a recently (10’ or less) dead individual.
L5) Biofeedback: Boosts 1-3 stats by draining 1-3 stats
L5) Restore Extremity: reattaches a severed limb or appendage to an individual if lost within 10’.
L6) Psionic Restoration: Restores level and ability drains
L7) Fission: create a duplicate of yourself for 10 minutes.
L8) Fusion: combine the abilities and forms of yourself and one other individual into a single being for 10 minutes.
L9) Greater Metamorphosis: Assume the shape of any nonunique creature or being of your CR or less for 1 hour.
Psychokinesis
L1) Control Object: Telekinetically animate a small a small object for 1 minute
L2) Control Air: Control the wind speed and direction in a 30’ radius for 1 minute.
L2) Energy Missile: Deal 2 D4+1 Energy damage of your choice to up to 5 subjects.
L3) Energy Cone: Deal 5D6 Energy damage of your choice to all in a 60’ cone.
L4) Control Body: Will vs Will contest – if you win you get rudimentary control of subject’s limbs for up to 1 minute, contest each round until they succeed.
L4) Energy Ball: deal 8D6 damage of your choice in a 20’r, 120’ range.
L4) Inertial Barrier: Gain +4 AC for 8 hours
L5) Energy Current: Deal 5D6 damage of your choice to first foe and half damage to second if within 10’ of first, 30’ range.
L5) Fiery Discorporation: Cheat death by Discorporating into a nearby (60’ range) fire for 1 day.
L6) Null Psionics Field: create a region where psionics doesn’t work 60’ radius.
L7) Redoppsi: Powers targeting you rebound onto manifestor. (Reaction)
L7) Spell Redoppsi: Spells targeting only you rebound onto caster (Reaction)
L8) Telekinetic Sphere: 10’ radius globe of telekinetic force blocks attacks for 10 minutes and moves with you.
L9) Tornado Blast: vortex of air subjects your foes to 17D6 force damage and moves them 20’ in a random direction
Psychoportation
L1) Burst: gain 10’ of speed for 1 minute
L1) Detect Teleportation: Detect portals and teleports if done within 120’.
L2) Dimensional Swap: you and an ally, or 2 allies within 30’ of each other swap places – no opportunity attacks.
L2) Levitate Subject moves up or down, and/or forward/back/sideways up to 30’/ round at your control for up to 1 minute.
L3) Astral Caravan: You lead astral travel enabled group to a destination via the astral plane.
L4) Dimensional Anchor: Bars extra dimensional travel while concentrating (1 hour max).
L4) Dismissal: forces a planar creature back to its home plane.
L4) Fly: Fly at 60/round for 1 hour
L5) Baleful Teleport: Forces subject (s) to teleport into a solid object doing 9D6 damage to subject(s) and object.
L5) Tesseract: warps space on this plane such that the subject(s) can step through to a distant (known) location.
L5) Tesseract Trigger: predetermined event triggers a tesseract.
L6) Banishment: Banishes extraplanar creatures to their home plane.
L7) Ethereal Jaunt: become Ethereal for 1 round per level
L8) Mass Time Hop: Willing subjects hop forward in time 1 round/level
L9) Teleportation Circle: circle teleports all inside it to a destination of your choosing.
L9) Time Regression: Relive the last round.
Clairsentience
L1) Destiny Dissounance: your touch sickens a foe (poisoned status for 1 minute)
L1) Precognition: Gain a +2 Insight bonus to one roll.
L2) Clairsentience: See and hear a distant location for up to 1 hour.
L2) Object Reading: Learn properties and information about an item.
L2) Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions: learn about events and history of a location.
L3) Escape Detection: those attempting to locate you with clairsentience or scrying type powers/ spells or abilities do so at disadvantage.
L4) Anchored navigation: establish a mishap free teleport/tesseract beacon.
L4) Remote viewing: See/hear/smell/ and potentially interact with subjects at a distance.
L5) Clairtangent Hand: able to see and reach into distant locations handling objects there.
L5) Second Chance: reroll last roll (Reaction)
L6) Greater Precognition: Gain a +4 enhancement bonus to a roll.
L7) Fate of One: Reroll the last (failed) roll.
L8) Hypercognition: +6 enhancement bonus to an intelligence check.
L9) Reality Revision: As with Wish.
Telepathy
L1) Charm: Wisdom save fail of foe makes them your friend (Psionic Charm Person)
L1) Forge Link: form a limited mental bond with subject.
L2) Aversion: Subject is averse to dealing with you or object/individual you specify (Psionic Fear)
L2) Brain Lock: Wisdom save or subject cannot move or take actions (Psionic Hold Person)
L2) Read Thoughts: Psionic Detect Thoughts.
L2) Suggestion: Wisdom Save or subject is compelled to follow stated course of action.
L3) Crisis of Breath: Constitution Save or subject’s breathing and speaking is disrupted.
L3) Hostile Empathic Transfer: touch attack transfers 3D8+Con Bonus damage to target while healing same amount of manifestor’s damage.
L3) False Sensory Input: Subject senses what isn’t there – (Psionic Illusion)
L4) Dominate: Psionic Dominate person
L4) Thieving Mindlink: Borrow knowledge of another psion’s power for 1 minute.
L4) Modify Memory: Change up to 5 minutes of the target’s memory.
L5) Schism: You are able to concentrate on 2 powers of different levels at the same time.
L6) Mindprobe: You discover target’s deepest thoughts.
L7) Mind Switch: You switch minds with target.
L8) Crisis of Life: Con save or subject dies of a heart attack. Save does 7D10 damage
L9) Psychic Churchery: repair psychic damage or psionically awaken target’s mind or teach Target a new ability.
Metacreativity
L1) Astral Construct: creates an astral construct to fight for you.
L1) Minor Creation: one cloth or wood object
L2) Repair Damage: repairs 3D8 + 1HP/L to constructs
L3) Concealing Amorpha: Quasi real membrane grants you concealment
L3) Ectoplasmic Cocoon: save or foe is restrained.
L4) Fabricate (as the spell)
L5) Hail of Crystals: a crystal explodes sending shards doing 9D4 to all in area (20’ sphere)
L6) Crystalize: Com save or Petrified into a crystal statue.
L6) Create Dorje: Copy a Fragment of your personality and power(s) into an item
L7) Mass Ectoplassmic Cocoon: 20’radius effect – save or restrained
L8) Astral Seed: Create a seed of your person on the astral that will grow into a second you (Psionic Clone)
L9) True Creation: Form a permanent demiplane.
General Powers
Level 0: (I’ve used the cantrips to preserve the relative power level, as with cantrips these 0 level powers increase in damage with the manefestor’s level. * L1 Psionic powers converted to Cantrips)
Acid Splash, Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Chill Touch, Control Flames, Control Lights*, Create Bonfire, Create Sound*, Curtain of Light (Word of Radiance), Dancing Lights, Fire Bolt, Force Blast (Eldritch Blast), Friends, Frostbite, Green-Flame Blade, Guidance, Gust, Infestation, Light, Lightning Lure, Mage Hand, Magic Stone, Mending, Message, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Naturecraft (Druidcraft), Poison Spray, Prestidigitation, Primal Savagery, Produce Flame, Ray of Frost, Resistance, Searing Light (Sacred Flame), Shape Water, Shillelagh, Shocking Grasp, Spare the Dying, Sword Burst, Thaumaturgy, Thorn Whip, Thunderclap, Bells of Death (Toll the Dead), True Strike, Vicious Mockery
Most spells from the published lists can be duplicated as powers of equivalent level, In addition are the following powers from the 3e & 4e Psionics books. I am listing only the names as I haven’t started trying to convert them to 5e. They are listed at the power level they are at in the 3e/4e books, converting them may alter their level.
Level 1: Astral Traveler, Attraction, Bolt, Call to Mind, Catfall, Conceal Thoughts, Crystal Shard, Daze, Decelerate, Deflection Field, Déjà vu, Demoralize, Detect Psionics, Disable, Dissipating Touch, Distract, Ecto Protection, Eidetic Lock, Empathy, Empty Mind, Endure Elements, Energy Arc, Energy Ray, Entangling Ectoplasm, Float, Force Screen (+2 AC), Grease, Hammer, Inertial Armor, Know Direction/location, Matter Agitation, Mind Thrust (1D10 psychic Damage), Missive, My Light, Defensive Precognition (Reaction), Offensive Precognition (Bonus Action), Offensive Prescience, Primal Fear, Sense Link, Slow Breathing, Skate, Stone Mind, Stygian Descernment, Synesthete, Telempathic Projection, Urban Strider, Vigor
Level 2: Bestow Power, Biofeedback, Body Equilibrium, Cloud Mind, Concealing Amorpha, Concussion Blast, Control Sounds, Crystal Storm, Damp Power, Detect Hostiles, Earth Walk, Ego Whip, Elemental Steward, Elf sight, Energy Adaptation – Minor, Energy Emanation, Energy Push, Energy Stun, Feat Leech, Id Insinuation, Psionic Identify, Inflict Pain, Larval Flayers, Levitate, Mental Disruption, Mass Missive, Psychic Scimitar, Psychoportive Shelter, Recall Agony, Forced sense link, Serenity, Stygian Ray, Sustenance, Swarm of Crystals, Thought Shield, Communicate (Psionic Tongues), Zone of Alertness
Level 3: Body Adjustment, Body Purification, Cerebral Phantasm, Danger Sense, Darkvision, Dimension Twister, Dismiss Ectoplasm, Dispel Psionics, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Energy Lance, Energy Retort, Energy Wall, Negate Invisibility, Exhalation of the Bronze Dragon, Heavy Earth, Keen edge, Mental Barrier, Mindfire, Mind Trap, Psionic Blast, Psi Trap (Glyph of Warding),Psychic Containment, Realized Potential, Forced Share Pain (reaction), Telekinetic Force, Telekinetic Thrust, Time Hop, Telekinetic Sight, Ubiquitous Vision
Level 4: Aura Sight, Correspond, Death Urge, Detect Remote sensing, Minor Tesseract (Dimension Door), Divination, Empathic Feedback, Energy Adaptation, Energy Flash, Freedom of Movement, Intellect Fortress, Mind Wipe, Personality Parasite, Planar Apothosis, Power Leech, Psychic Reformation, Shadow Eft, Suggestion Implant, Telekinetic Maneuver, Trace Teleport, Wall of Ectoplasm
Level 5: Adapt Body, Anticipatory Strike, Catepsi, Celestial Conduit, Cranial Deluge, Detain Ectoplasm, Ectoplasmic Shambler, Ethereal Agent, Incarnate (Psionic Permanency), Leech Field, Psionic Plane Shift, Power Resistance, Psychic Crush, Shatter Mind Blank, Greater Stomp, Stygian Dominion, Suppress Schism, Telekinetic Buffer, Tower of Iron Will, True Seeing
Level 6: Aura Alteration, Breath of the Black Dragon, Mass Cloud Mind, Contingency, Co-opt Concentration, Disentegrate, Energy Barrage, Energy Nullification, Ethereal Abduction, Fuse Flesh, Inconstant Location, Mind over Energy, Overland Flight, Psychometry, Remote view Trap, Retrieve, Stygian Bolt, Suspend Life, Temporal Acceleration
Level 7: Decerebrate, Divert Teleport (reaction), *Energy Absorption, Energy Claw, Energy Conversion, Energy Wave, Evade Burst (reaction),Eyes of the Basilisk, Insanity, Mind Blank (Personal), Moment of Prescience, Oak Body, Phase Door, Planar Champion, Sequester, Ultrablast
Level 8: Bend reality, Iron Body, Matter manipulation, Mind Blank, Planar Embrace, Recall Death, Shadow Body, Stygian Veil, Greater Tesseract (teleport), True Metabolism
Level 9: Affinity Field, Aposi, Assimilate, Etherealness, Microcosm, Reality revision, Stygian Conflagration, Timeless Body, Urge Extermination
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
How do you see Psionics working in relation to Magic?
Subsidiary, essentially. Psionics to me is just one type of magic, or rather a different method of accessing magic.
What sorts of Abilities to do you Psionics having?
Most of the same abilities that a magic user can use. The difference is not the abilities, but how you manifest them and what spin you can put on them. Why can't a psion manifest a fireball with their mind?
Do you want to see a class with psionics, or sub-classes, or just additional abilities?
I'd like a class, ultimately. I'd like to see a psionic focus mechanic akin to concentration.
If you are familiar with them, did you like the 1e style psionics?
I'm more familiar with editions 2-4. 2e was too complicated, but had some good cases of clever mechanics. I like the baseline attack and defense modes. The psion in 3e was just a reskinned wizard with mostly the same abilities. 4e was notorious for its homogenous classes.
Should psionics use an existing Ability Score, add an Ability Score, or have a derived ability score?
Usually intelligence, maybe charisma.
Should psionics be point based or slot based, like magic?
I don't really care, but slots are more established and they ultimately present the same trade-offs. A more warlocky approach may be interesting as well.
How should psionics improve over time?
The same way magic improves! Am I getting tedious?
Should psionics have discrete things that can be done, like spells, or should it be a more broad "this is the ability and what it can do at each level" style of set up?
You mean like cantrips that you can use for free but can be augmented with resources for the latter? Sounds interesting. Worth trying a variety of approaches. That's pretty similar to the way the Force works in the FFG Star Wars rpg.
How should it be determined that someone has psionics?
For PCs, it should be up to the player, of course. Do you mean in-world? In that case there are a number of origins. It could be randomly manifest in the population after some important event, or it could be a matter of study and meditation like wizards.
The reason I would like to see psionics is because I think it's cool. Adding more classes and game options doesn't hurt anyone, since you don't have to use or play with that extra material at your table if you don't want to. However, for the people who the change actually impacts, it's a really cool option that D&D's been missing for too long.
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HERE.Agreeing with Xalthu.
As interesting and fun as Psionics could be, spellcasting has always been a big part of D&D. That meant the "mind powers" were all put into the spells system and thus Wizards have been the de facto "mind power" PC option all along. You won't get a robust, distinct, and appealing Psionics system unless you are willing to reduce the scope and/or power of spells.
For instance, the Dark Sun setting had Psionics. It wasn't particularly strong much of the time, but magic in that world got pared back compared to other AD&D settings due to the destruction wrought by previous generations of literal magic abuse. In that instance, Psionics had a place in the player's minds because it was A) useful, B) was not simply a duplicate of what spells already did, and C) had a thematic reason for existing.
If you want to your players to care about Psionics in a game, the game designer needs to delineate the thematic and mechanical differences between the magic system and the psionics system in a way that is easy to understand and that incentivizes players to try it instead of going with what they already know.
Previously I thought psionics could be implemented by a combo of its own spell list, and will point casting.
However 1dnd seems to be limited to three spell lists, and none of them are psionic. So I guess it would have its own will point resource, which it then fuels its class abilities from.
That’s 11. Ok, I will dive in and post updates as I go.
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Fraals (little grayskin aliens) as PC specie. And the return of the blues (a psionic goblin subrace, years before baby Yoda to become so popular). A third subrace for the giths.
A subclass like the flayerspawn psychic.
The aegis, a class or subclass about using an astral construct as a exosuit-powered armor.
Athanatism, the psionic art of manipulating souls and spirits. It was going to be a new discipline created by Dreamscarred Press for Starfinder.
The ardent as class, or at least a paladin subclass. I love the potential to create stories with the clerisc and the rest of divine spellcasters as freenemies, a love-hate relation.
The maenads allowed to be lawful barbarians.
The wilders being dazed if they fail with the psychic enervation. Wilder as sorcerer subclass?
Answering as someone who is a big fan of psychic characters in other works - including fantasy works - and also someone who has never played older editions of D&D:
1.) I typically operate, when I can, by a triumverate of overall "Capability" buckets - Physical (including certain augmented-physical powersets like the Monk's ki), Magical, Psychic/Psionic. The more buckets a character dips from, the less capable they are in any given bucket. Certain characters/classes obviously lean harder into one bucket than the others. But yes - Psychic Arts and magical abilities are two different, generally unrelated categories of supernatural abilities.
2.) A mix between Oppositional and Parallel. In my settings/worlds/stories magical affinity and psionic affinity tend to preclude each other (one individual can only have so many supernatural gifts/talents by default), but this is not a hard and fast rule, and given that magic can be studied as a science and learned without any affinity at all (i.e. wizards), a character can plausibly have access to both magic and psychic abilities. it is not common, and I'd generally preclude sorcerers and other innate magic critters from having significant psychic ability.
3.) I'm a sucker for the classics. Broadly, psychic talents fall into two categories - Physical (psychokinesis, pyrokinesis/firestarting, certain forms of self augmentation) and Mental (mind-reading, thought/emotion projection, psychic senses/ESP). Some abilities like remote viewing can plausibly align with either bucket, but any given character specializes in one or the other with relatively minor talents in their 'off' bucket, if any.
4.) If someone wants to implement psychic abilities as a standalone equal to magic, they're going to need the full Monty - class, subclasses, and feats. I don't think most players want that level of psychic capability in their D&D, sadly. A straight Psychic/Mystic class is against regulations according to the unpleasant majority, which means no specialists in psychic abilities. That makes it extremely difficult to implement psychic powers correctly, save as minor and forgettable powers via throwaway feats like the Tasha's Telekinetic/Telepathic feats.
5.) Never played/looked into 1e, have no opinion.
6.) No reason to invent entire new ability scores for psychic abilities. Much like magic, a Psychic Modifier could be derived from any mental stat dependent on how one obtains their powers. Same as how physical abilities can draw from any physical stat.
7.) I actually favor psychic abilities having a higher 'base' level than magic, i.e. Psychic Cantrips are generally stronger/more impactful than magic, but access to higher-level psychic abilities is restricted and most of them require the expenditure of Hit Dice/loss of HP to use. High-level psychic powers are a strain on the body; casting from Hit Dice is a good way to simulate the classic "Psychic Nose Bleed" effect of high-impact psychic abilities causing the character physical stress and harm. So base psychic powers are equivalent to maybe cantrip through level twoish spells, but access to higher powers is dramatically lower than traditional spellcasters.
8.) The same way physical classes improve over time - the addition of new things you can do. Without a strictly regimented Spell Slot system, new psychic abilities would take the form of more ways to expend Hit Dice and possibly new ways to use base abilities. A bit like the monk gaining access to new ways to use ki as the monk progresses.
9.) 5e doesn't tolerate "here's your ability, use it creatively" powers. Sadly. Everything has to be limited, regimented, and set up such that your ability does ONE THING, ONE WAY and that's it. Which is just ever so boring. I vastly prefer broader abilities that allow for creative use, as well as DMs who encourage creative use and players who don't take "Creative Use" to mean "be a giant dickhole that ruins D&D games with bizarre unfun edge-case jank", but alas, 5e is what it is.
10.) The same way it's determined that someone has magic, or combat prowess - if you want psychic abilities, pick character options that grant psychic abilities. A feat or two if you're a minor talent with little training, a subclass if your psychic arts are something you've spent time honing in service to your broader discipline, a base class if your psychic arts are your broader discipline. No reason for psychic abilities to be a weirdly bolted-on extra free bit that some characters are lucky enough to have while other characters can suck one.
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1. Remove all the mind spells. No more charms, no more mind reading, no more domination. Illusions are now explicitly holograms, not hallucinations. Also remove kinetic spells like telekinesis, floating disk, and mage hand. Depending on player surveys, maybe also take away pyro spells, weapon conjuring spells, or time spells. I don't think that's necessary but who knows.
2. Give them different rules. Something to do with strain, probably. We're looking for nosebleeds, overexertion, and powers going out of control. You also don't want a spell list, you want it to feel different from magic, so maybe a loosely modular system, one rooted in the logic of skill checks, rather than the logic of inventory management.
Psionics aren't as broad as magic and there are some things they can't do, even though in some media they can. You have to recognize that in most media, psionics are just a stand-in for magic. That can't be the case in D&D. It usually has been, though. So you're also gonna lose a lot of old D&D psionic stuff. That's the price of progress.
The base psionic class probably chooses like two broad categories of powers they're gifted in, but can only afford to train one, leaving the other as this dangerous specter. So they might be skilled at influencing people's behavior, but have raw uncontrolled power in reading people, for example. They're getting overloaded with signals all the time. Or they might be an expert at throwing things with their mind but they can't control their surges of infectious melancholy that overwhelm their allies. Psionic characters are defined by their problems as much as they are by their abilities.
I don't know if it's a good idea to design a class around the idea of randomly screwing over your party. But that's the only way to do this properly.
Edit: For what it's worth, I want a return to Vancian casting. I think it's cool and exciting. I want it to be possible for any character, regardless of class, to attempt to memorize a spell, and for the definition of Wizard (or Magician, perhaps) to be "someone who can do it reliably.") Thus, I think Psionics should be the thing where you're either born with it or you aren't, and magic is something you can learn by practice alone. Intelligence for magic, Charisma -- or preferably morale! -- for psionics. (You can roughly mimic morale using hit points if you're not a coward.)
Edit again: In Vance's novels, magic spells are, more or less, ways to cause extraplanar entities to use their, for lack of a better word, psionic powers for you. Essentially there just exist beings who naturally can, say, cause lasers to shoot down in a cone from above (The Excellent Prismatic Spray), and when you cast it, you're making them do that. You probably don't understand this, or know anything about the entity, and that's fine because somebody wrote down the spell. So in this case, magic and psionics could be from the same source -- it's just that psionics are the only people who can control it directly. Due to their biology or the number of dimensions in the world they call home or whatever, they're only able to manifest the kinds of powers we imagine as psychic in nature. Sure.
This is kind of interesting because I'm yet another person who has created a homebrew Psionics Class.
This came about around a year ago, when another discussion about Psionics was going on in the forums. There was a lot of debate about how they should work, but one thing that came up a lot was the idea that, even if you treat psionics as a form of magic, the class itself shouldn't be built around spellcasting... especially since you could just play as a Sorcerer or something and just pick all the thematically appropriate spells and just flavor it as being psychic.
So I tried to build them almost as a martial class that just had class features that function similar to spellcasting... stuff like a psychic grapple, a simple psychic attack that can be done at range based pretty heavily on the Sun Soul Monk's Radiant Sun Bolt feature. I also included the Psionic Energy Dice that were kind of a major features of psions (and you still see in Psi Warrior Fighter and Soulknife Rogue). Honestly if I was to build a Psion entirely on my own I wouldn't include the Psionic Energy Dice, since trying to both make them regularly used by the class and balancing around them was actually one of the biggest problems I had, but by the time I realized how much extra work it was putting on me to balance around them I had already worked on the class so much that I'd basically have to start over from scratch to create the class without them.
Anyway, I also created 4 subclasses... I'm not sure how balanced they all are, but the one I'm happiest with is the "Kineticist", which focuses on using Psychokinesis and the primary feature of the class is being able to animate a floating weapon to fight for you. I've only done some minor playtesting, and it doesn't seem horribly unbalanced, but I haven't really had the opportunity to give it a ton of playtesting, but I think it at least does a good job of accomplishing the fantasy I was aiming for:
The Psion
Formal wear ripped and torn, a mistreated half-elf erupts with unseen force, foes falling, clutching their head in pain as they’re wracked with psionic forces.
Voices scream in pain as a young human conjures magical flame with nothing but a thought, explosions sending attackers flying and engulfing them in flames.
Wine spills as silver goblets clink in toast. Nobles mingle, never suspecting that the Dwarven man disguised as a servant is silently probing their minds, unlocking secrets that could shatter kingdoms.
Whether through a quirk of genetics, exposure to otherworldly forces, or intense training, Psions are uniquely blessed to tap into magical forces using the sheer power of their minds. While they may not show any outward sign of the power they possess, these mental warriors are never unarmed, never defenseless, as their minds are more powerful than any equipment they could find.
Awakened Minds
While some adventurers with latent psychic powers utilize them in combat, it is only those who nurture and train those powers who become true Psions. While some may believe one must be born with these powers, it’s possible for anyone with the mental fortitude, patience, and drive to unlock these powers through meditation and training.
Psions at first seem to share many traits with Sorcerers, but Psions have no need for spellcasting focuses or traditional spellcasting. Instead they utilize their psionic powers to manipulate others, and battle performing feats of strength without muscles or athleticism, but instead the sheer force of their minds.
Focused Mentalists
All living creatures have the potential for Psionic Powers, although a rare few are born with innate psychic powers. Across the planes, there are some people whose races are natively psychic, with telepathy as common as speech, and telekinetics used for daily, mundane chores. However, even among these societies, it is only those who hone and focus the power deep within who unlock their mind’s full potential, and attain the unmatched psychic power of a true Psion.
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Psionic Energy Die
Psionic Energy Dice Uses
1
+2
Psychic Defenses, Psionic Power, Psychic Force, Psychic Communication
d6
4
2
+2
Psionic Manipulation
d6
4
3
+2
Psychic Conditioning, Psychic Studies
d6
4
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement, Improved Telepathy
d6
4
5
+3
Extra Attack
d8
6
6
+3
Psychic Studies Feature, Mental Expertise
d8
6
7
+3
Shielded Mind
d8
6
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
d8
6
9
+4
Psychic Studies Feature
d8
8
10
+4
Mind Propelled Leaps
d8
8
11
+4
Mental Strength
d10
8
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
d10
8
13
+5
Mental Domination
d10
10
14
+5
Psychic Force Improvement
d10
10
15
+5
Psychic Studies Feature
d10
10
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
d10
10
17
+6
Thought Collector
d12
12
18
+6
Mind Wrestler
d12
12
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
d12
12
20
+6
Psionic Mastery
d12
12
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8
Hit Points at first level: 8+ Your Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Your Constitution Modifier Per Psion level after the 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Daggers, Hand axes, Quarterstaffs, Sickles, Slings, Spears, Hand Crossbows
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: You know one additional language of your choice
Skills: Choose 2 from Animal Handling, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Perception
Starting Equipment
You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background
* (a) A Quarterstaff or (b) A Dagger
* (a) An Explorer’s Pack or (b) A Scholar’s Pack
Alternatively, you may start with 4d4 x 10 gp to buy your own equipment
Multiclassing
Ability Score Minimum: 13 Intelligence
Psychic Defenses
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor, your AC equals 13+ your Dexterity modifier
Psionic Power
You Harbor a Wellspring of Psionic energy within yourself. This is represented by your Psionic Energy Dice, which are a d6. You have a number of dice equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus, and they fuel your psionic powers.
Some of your Psionic Powers expend the Psionic Energy Die, as specified in the Power’s description. You can’t use a power if it requires you to expend a die and you have no Psionic Energy Dice. You Regain all your Psionic Energy Dice when you finish a Long Rest.
When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Psionic Energy Dice increases, at 5th level (d8), 11th level (d10), 17th level (d12)
Some of your Psionic Features require a target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The Saving Throw DC is calculated as follows:
Psionic save DC = 8 + Your proficiency bonus + Your Intelligence Modifier
Psychic Force
You know the Mage Hand Cantrip. You can cast it without Verbal or Somatic components and you can make the spectral hand invisible. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack Action. The special attack is called a Psychic Force Attack, and is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Intelligence Modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is Psychic and its damage die is equal to your Psionics Energy Dice.
Psychic Conditioning
Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the following features:
Improved Psychic Defenses - You gain resistance to psychic damage.
Mind Link - You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you, but they are unable to respond to you in kind.
Psionic Strike - when you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice, rolling it and dealing psychic damage to the target equal to the number you rolled.
Mind Grapple – When attacking, you can replace one of the attacks with a Mind Grapple attempt. Expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to force one creature Large or smaller of your choice within 60 feet of you to make a Strength Saving throw. Roll your Psionics Energy Dice, and subtract half of the number rolled (rounded up) from the creature’s Saving Throw. On a failure, its speed is reduced to Zero for one minute. The creature can attempt a Saving Throw again at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success, and the condition ends automatically if you use your Mind Grapple on a different creature, or if you become incapacitated. You can end your Mind Grapple at any time, requiring no action.
Psychic Studies
At 3rd level, you choose an aspect of your psionic powers to focus your studies upon. Choose one of the Psychic Studies subclasses, detailed at the end of the class description. The Studies you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 9th, and 15th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20.
If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once when you take the attack action on your turn.
Mental Expertise
At 6th level, choose two of your Skill Proficiencies that use your Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifier. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
Empowered Mind
Starting at 7th level, you gain the following features:
*Shielded Mind - You have advantage on any Saving Throw to resist being Charmed or Frightened, and your thoughts cannot be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it.
* Improved Telepathy - As an action, select a number of creatures within 30 feet of yourself up to your Intelligence Modifier, in addition to yourself. For the next hour, you can communicate telepathically as long as you remain within 1 mile of each other. A creature can’t use this telepathy if it cannot speak any languages, and a creature can willingly end the telepathic connection at any time (no action required). You and the creature do not need to speak a common language to understand each other. You can use this ability once, and must finish a Long Rest before using it again. Alternatively, you can expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice to use it again.
Mind-Propelled Leaps
Beginning at 10th level, your Jump Distance is doubled.
In addition, as a bonus action you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed for one minute.
Mental Strength
At 11th level, any skill check you make using your Strength modifier can be made using your Intelligence modifier instead. In addition, when making a Strength Saving throw, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to make an Intelligence Saving Throw instead. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice and add the number rolled to your Saving Throw.
Mental Domination
Starting at level 13, as an action, you can target one creature within 30 feet and force them to make an Intelligence Saving Throw. On a failure, that creature is charmed by you for 1 minute, and has disadvantage on one saving throw of your choice during that time. If the creature takes damage, or if you use your Mental Domination on a different creature, the Charmed condition ends. The creature does not realize it was charmed during this time. A creature targeted by this feature cannot be targeted by it again for 1 hour, unless you expend a Psionic Energy Die to do so.
Psychic Force Improvement
Beginning at 14th level, The range for your Mage Hand spell and your Psychic Force Attack both increase to 60 feet.
Thought Collector
Upon reaching level 17, You learn the Detect Thoughts spell and can cast it at will without requiring a spell slot or material components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
When you cast Detect Thoughts with this feature you can choose to expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice, which has the following effects.
*Casting the spell does not require Vocal or Somatic Components
*If you attempt to probe the target’s thoughts more deeply, roll your Psionic Energy Dice and decrease their saving throw by half of the number rolled (rounded up). If they fail their Saving throw, they do not know that you are probing their mind.
Mind Wrestler
Upon reaching 18th level, your Mind Grapple feature improves in the following ways:
*Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an Attack Roll, you can use your Mind Grapple against that creature as a free action.
*A creature under the effects of your Mind Grapple takes Psychic Damage equal to one roll of your Psionics Energy Dice at the start of its turn.
*If a creature succeeds on its saving throw to end your Mind Grapple at the end of its turn, you can use a reaction to expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice, rolling the die and reducing their saving throw by half of the number rolled (rounded up), potentially turning that success into a failure.
*Two creatures can be held by your Mind Grapple simultaneously. If you attempt to use your Mind Grapple again while two creatures are already held, the condition ends for one of the creatures of your choice.
Psionic Mastery
Starting at 20th level, when you use any feature that includes a roll of your Psionic Energy Dice, you can roll the die twice and select which die roll to use. This includes when you use your Psionic Energy Dice size to determine damage. In addition, you ignore resistance and immunity when dealing Psychic damage to a creature.
Psychic Studies: Kinetics
Those who study the art of Kinetics learn to utilize their psionic powers in combat to control their enemies and protect their allies. They specialize in honing their Telekinetic potential, performing feats of strength using only the power of their minds. Starting at 3rd level, you gain the following features:
Bonus Proficiencies
When you specialize in Kinetics Studies at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Simple Weapons, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords, Scimitars, Warhammers and Shields. If you equip a shield, you still maintain the benefits of your Psychic Defenses.
Blade Puppetry
As a bonus action, you can cause any weapon you are proficient with within 30 feet that is not being held or carried by any creature other than yourself that lacks the Two-Handed or Ammunition Property to animate under your control for 1 minute. While animated, the weapon becomes a magical object that hovers in place. During your turn, you can move this animated weapon up to 30 feet, requiring no action. If the animated is more than 60 feet from you at the end of your turn, it stops being animated.
* While animated, when you take the attack action on your turn you can make an Animated Weapon Attack. This is a melee Weapon Attack using the Animated Weapon and originating from the Animated Weapon’s space. When attacking in this manner, you use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls. If the weapon has the Versatile property, the attack is made as if being wielded in one hand.
* When you take the Attack Action, you can use a bonus action to make an Animated Weapon Attack. The damage die for this attack becomes a d4.
* When a creature you can see within 5 feet of your Animated Weapon moves at least 5 feet away from it, you can use your reaction to make an Animated Weapon Attack as an Attack of Opportunity against that creature.
Defensive Blade: Kinetic Feature
When you reach 6th level, if a creature you can see within 5 ft of a weapon animated by your Blade Puppetry feature is hit by an attack, as a reaction you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to make the animated weapon protect the target of the attack. Roll your Psionic Energy Die, and add the number rolled to the target’s AC until the end of the current turn, including against the triggering attack.
Puppetmaster: Kinetic Feature
Bonus Proficiencies: Upon reaching 9th level, you become proficient in Greataxes, Greatswords, and Mauls.
Dual-Minded: After reaching 9th level, when you use your Blade Puppetry feature, you can now animate 2 Weapons simultaneously, controlling both independently. Alternatively, you can instead animate a single weapon that has the Two-Handed property, or a Versatile weapon as if wielded with two hands.
Mind Prisoner:As a bonus action, you can move onecreature held by your Mind Grapple 10 feet in any direction.
Alternatively, you can expend one Psionic Energy Die and move the creature up to 30 feet instead. If the creature collides with a solid object while moved in this fashion, it stops moving and takes Bludgeoning Damage equal to one roll of your Psionic Energy Die. If it collides with another creature, the second creature must make a DEX saving throw. On a failure, both creatures stop moving and take damage equal to your Die Roll.
Kinetic Master: Kinetic Feature
Starting at 15th level, your Telekinetic Skills reach their peak, granting the following features:
*You can cast Telekinesis at will, requiring no components, but can only target Objects. When casting Telekinesis with this feature, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice to enable the spell to target creatures as well. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
*Once per turn, when you use the Attack Action to make an Animated Weapon Attack, you can make one additional Animated Weapon Attack with that weapon.
* When you use your bonus action to make an Animated Weapon Attack, the damage die is now a d6.
*Your Mind Grapple feature can now target creatures Huge or smaller.
Psychic Studies: Pyrokinetics
Your psychic forces have become more dangerous, manifesting in bursts of flame and extreme heat. Starting at 3rd level, you learn to use your psychic powers to manipulate flames in the following ways:
Flame Controller – You learn the Control Flames Cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Flaming Psychic Force Attack – When making a Psychic Force Attack, you can deal Fire damage instead of Psychic Damage. If you use fire damage to hit a flammable object that is not being worn or carried, it catches on fire.
Ignite Foe – Once per turn, when you deal fire damage to a creature, you can choose to Ignite that creature for one minute.
Ignited – A creature that has been Ignited is covered with non-magical flames. At the start of their turn, they take 1d4 fire damage, and any flammable objects they touch that are not being worn or carried catches on fire. The ignited condition ends early if any creature uses their action to douse the flame, or if the Ignited creature becomes fully submerged in water.
Ignited Fury – As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice. Roll the die, dealing the number rolled in fire damage to all Ignited Creatures within 30 feet of yourself. After taking this damage, those creatures are no longer Ignited.
Flame Thrower: Pyrokinetics Feature
Starting at 6th level, you’ve learned to direct the raging fire within, learning to control your pyrokinetics in the following ways.
Flamewalker – You become resistant to fire damage.
Flame Conjure – You learn the following spells, requiring no material component:
Burning Hands
Flaming Sphere
Heat Metal
Fireball
You can cast each of these spells a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and cannot cast them again until you complete a Long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
In addition, you can expend one use of your Psychic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast them without requiring Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psychic Energy Die, and add the number rolled in fire damage to one creature damaged by that spell on the turn the spell is cast.
Fire Fighter: Pyrokinetics Feature
Starting at 9th level, your control of fire becomes more deadly. You gain the following features:
Fire Lock - Any creature held by your Mind Grapple becomes Ignited.
Ignited Blast – When using your Ignited Fury, you can choose to have the Ignited Creatures also erupt with a 5 foot radius blast of flame. Any flammable objects that are not being held or carried in that blast radius catch fire, and any creature that isn’t already ignited must make a DEX saving throw. On a failure, they take the same amount of fire damage rolled for your Ignited Fury and become Ignited. On a success, they take half damage and are not ignited.
Overwhelming Heat - When you deal fire damage to a creature using your Pyrokinetics features, you ignore resistance to fire damage.
Fire Starter: Pyrokinetics Feature
When you reach 15th level, you’ve learned to embrace the raging fire within, using the flames to punish those who stand to harm you or those you choose to protect.
Flame Master – As a bonus action, you surround yourself in flames for 1 minute, casting bright light in a 30 foot radius, and dim light an additional 30 feet. When you activate this feature, every creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw or take fire damage equal to your Psionics Energy Dice and become ignited. While Surrounded in flames, you become immune to fire damage and resistant to cold damage. Ranged Weapon Attacks have disadvantage to hit you. Any creature within 10 feet of you who hits you with a weapon attack becomes ignited. You can use this ability once, and must finish a Long Rest before using it again. Alternatively, you can expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice to use it again. You can end your Flame Master transformation at any time, requiring no action.
Flame Burst – At the start of your turn, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice. During this turn, when you roll to deal fire damage, every die automatically rolls its highest value. You can use this feature once, and cannot use it again until completing a Long Rest.
Psychic Studies: Psychoanalyst
As you’ve grown in your understanding of your psionic powers, you’ve learned to focus them and adapt to the challenges you face, forging your own psychic path.
First Analysis
At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Aggressive – Once per turn, you can use your Psionic Strike feature without expending a use of your Psionic Energy Dice, however, when used with this feature the Die Size is always a d6.
Controlling – You can use your Mind Grapple as a Bonus Action. In addition, when you roll your Psionic Energy Dice as part of your Mind Grapple Feature, if the number rolled is a 6 or higher you do not expend a use of your Psionic Energy Dice.
Manipulative – You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Guidance
Charm Person
Command
Detect Thoughts
You can cast each of these spells of first level or higher a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell. If the creature fails their saving throw, they do not realize you had cast this spell upon them.
Second Analysis
Beginning at 6th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Precise – Before you make a Psychic Force Attack, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage.
Defensive – As a reaction to you or another creature you can see within 30 feet taking damage, you can expend one use of your Psionics Energy Dice. Roll the die and reduce the damage taken by the number rolled, or double the number rolled if the damage that triggers this reaction is Psychic.
Curious - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Levitate
Pass Without Trace
Clairvoyance
You can cast each of these spells a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components.
Third Analysis
Starting with 9th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Forceful – When you hit a creature with your Psychic Force Attack, you can push them away from you in a straight line by 10 feet.
Deflective – When you roll initiative, for one minute you are protected by a psychic shield. When a creature targets you with an attack, they must make an Intelligence Saving throw. On a failure, they must target a different creature of their choice within range of their attack. If there is no other creature within range their attack is wasted. On a Success, you lose your psychic shield and they target you as normal.
Confounding - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Hypnotic Pattern
Confusion
Phantasmal Killer
You can cast each these spells a number of times equal to half your Proficiency Bonus (rounded down), and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell.
Fourth Analysis
Starting with 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. You can change your Analysis choice whenever you gain a level in this class.
Combative – You gain a +2 bonus to the attack and damage rolls of your Psychic Force Attack. In addition, when you take the attack action on your turn, you can make one Psychic Force Attack as a bonus action.
Self-Preserving – When you expend a use of Psionic Energy Dice and roll the die as part of a class feature, you gain Temporary HP equal to the number rolled.
Demanding - You know the following Spells, requiring no Material Components:
Feeblemind
Reverse Gravity
Mental Prison
You can cast each of these spells once, and regain the ability to cast them upon completing a Long Rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting one of these spells in order to cast the spell without Vocal or Somatic Components. Roll your Psionic Energy Dice, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from one creature’s Saving Throw against this spell.
Psychic Studies: Mysticism
Your psychic powers have opened your mind to the complex weave of mysticism. Those who combine the forces of psionics and arcana are known as Mystics. Through careful study, you’ve learned to use these powers to perform spells, and augment them with your psionic powers.
Level
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
2
3
2
-
-
-
4
2
4
3
-
-
-
5
2
4
3
-
-
-
6
2
4
3
-
-
-
7
2
5
4
2
-
-
8
2
6
4
2
-
-
9
2
6
4
2
-
-
10
3
7
4
3
-
-
11
3
8
4
3
-
-
12
3
8
4
3
-
-
13
3
9
4
3
2
-
14
3
10
4
3
2
-
15
3
10
4
3
2
-
16
3
11
4
3
3
-
17
3
11
4
3
3
-
18
3
11
4
3
3
-
19
3
12
4
3
3
1
20
3
13
4
3
3
1
Spellcasting - When you reach 3rd level, you expand your powers to include spellcasting.
Mental Casting – You do not need to provide a material component for any spells learned through this feature, unless that component has a GP cost. However, you cannot learn any spells that consume their material component.
Cantrips - You learn two cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell slots - The Mystic Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your sorcerer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells known of first level and higher - You know three 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the divination, enchantment, or illusion spells on the sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Mystic Spellcasting table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a divination, enchantment, or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a divination, enchantment, or illusion spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.
Spellcasting Ability - Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since you learn your spells utilizing your mental connection to the weave. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier= your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Mystic Spells – You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Mystic Spells table. Each of these spells count as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against your number of spells known. You can cast each spell of 1st level or higher on your Mystic Spells table once without consuming a spell slot, and cannot cast them again without consuming a spell slot until you complete a long rest.
3rd
Thaumaturgy, Catapult, Charm Person
5th
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Calm Emotions
7th
Suggestion, Phantasmal Force
9th
Sending, Zone of Truth
15th
Compulsion, Animate Objects
19th
Psychic Scream
Mental Magical Modifications
When you reach 6th level, you can expend one use of your Psionic Energy Dice when casting a spell, creating one of the following modifications:
*When you roll damage for a spell, you can roll your Psionic Energy Die, dealing the number rolled plus your Intelligence Modifier in psychic damage to one target of this spell on the turn it is cast.
*Roll your Psionic Energy Die, and subtract half the number rolled (rounded up) from the Saving Throw of one Creature against this spell.
*You do not require Vocal or Somatic Components for this spell. In addition, if this is an enchantment spell to charm one or more creature, you can alter one creature’s understanding so that it remains unaware of being charmed.
Psychic Attacker
Starting at 9th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one Psychic Force Attack as a bonus action.
Mystic Mastery
Beginning at 15th level, select one first level spell from the Sorcerer Spell List with a casting time of one action. You learn that spell, which does not count against your number of spells known, and can cast it at first level without expending a spell slot.
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this mental part here above, i hate this. and yet, as someone who played a psion in AD&D regular and also Dark Sun, i have to say the old brain-brain attack / defense stuff was nuts. completely complex and butter-nut broken and nuts. defining as a class skill? yes, but way way nuts. psionics can't fit into these worlds if they can just go around dominating everyone else who hasn't taken a level in their class. that's pay-to-win-app-expansion levels of nuts. chuck all the mind-taker stuff.
keep the kinetic powers though. there are worse things in this world than paralleling sorcerers by replacing 'fireball' with 'throws a big rock' instead. add in some spoon bending, sketchy remote seeing, and force-jumps and we're good. although, honestly, given the metamorphosis body altering powers (dhalsim arms!) i can't see how this isn't already a monk subclass.
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It's worth considering that the quintessential attack power for a psion must either be a direct mental blast or throwing stuff with telekinesis. And if it's the latter, then you should always carry a bunch of alchemist's fire and acid, or magic knives if you have em. So what you're kinda designing is actually an alchemist or a rogue. Tricky.
The psionic attack was what made the old psionic class totally broken. That and the fact that nothing short of another psionic was able to defend against anything psionic.
A character had to know of and about pcionics to be able to find the few spells and or magic items that could possibly defend against its attacks.
If normal characters/npc's have no way or no magic to defend themselves then the system will be broke.