And here is the updated class, complete with spell list. A number of changes, including replacing the Shield level 1 Feats with armor-specific bonuses. Again, let me know what you think. A quick note on the level 7 spells: I learned that there are very few level 7 spells that do not have an item consumption or gold cost associated with them... so that's why there are so few level 7 spells to pick from.
My apologies for the lengthy post.
Psionic Table
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Highest spell level you can cast
Features
1
+2
1
Psionic Feature, Psionic Discipline
2
+2
1
Psionic Feature
3
+2
2
Psionic Feature
4
+2
2
ASI
5
+3
3
6
+3
3
Psionic Discipline Feature
7
+3
4
8
+3
4
ASI
9
+4
5
10
+4
5
Psionic Feature
11
+4
6
12
+4
6
13
+5
7
14
+5
7
Psionic Discipline Feature
15
+5
8
16
+5
8
ASI
17
+6
9
Psionic Feature
18
+6
9
Psionic Discipline Feature
19
+6
9
ASI
20
+6
9
Psionic Feature
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per psionic level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per psionic level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None Weapons: Simple Weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, and Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
Two daggers
Psionic Spellcasting
Psionics have access to a special kind of resource and require a different kind of resource management.
The strain of using your psionic spellcasting places a toll on your body. To use a psionic spell or many abilities you must spend Hit Dice. Not all is lost however, as you possess an ability that will let you recover these spent Hit Dice at a cost.
You gain access to spell levels according to the ability chart above.
When you cast a psionic spell at level 1 or higher, you must discard one hit die per level of the spell. Hit dice discarded this way become “locked”. Locked hit dice are returned to your pool after a short rest to power your psionic spells, however cannot be used to heal yourself or be used for psionic abilities until you finish a long rest, at which point all locked dice become unlocked and available to be used for healing. If you use a locked hit die for spellcasting, you take feedback damage equal to the level of the spell cast x the number of locked hit dice used divided by 2. This damage cannot be reduced by any means.
Casting spells of 6th level or higher take such mental fortitude that the strain they cause to replicate a magic spell begins to burn out your psionic capabilities. When you cast a spell of 6th level or higher, the spent hit dice are removed from your pool can no longer be used for any reason until you finish a long rest. Locked hit dice spent this way still cause feedback damage.
When casting a spell you may ignore any listed verbal, somatic or material components.
Spells Known
As your spellcasting comes from the power of your mind, you are able to train your mind to store a certain number of spells in a given day. While you have access to the entire spell list from level 1, you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Psionic level + your Intelligence modifier.
You may pick from any level of spells without restriction, however you are still only able to cast spells up to a maximum level as defined on the Psionic table. If you desire to possess only cantrips, you can do so just as easily as possessing only first level spells.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your psionic spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to access the deepest recesses of your mind. 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 psionic 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
Psionic Disciplines
At level 1, choose a Psionic Discipline, which describes what area of psionics you became most proficient in. Psionic Assault, Psionic Shield, or Psionic Manipulation.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Psionic Recovery
At level 1, if you spend an action meditating, you may choose to unlock one locked hit die. Forcing your psonic capacity to be restored in this way is painful and takes a toll on your mind’s ability to function. When you unlock hit dice using this ability, subtract from your maximum hit points the highest roll possible from the hit die you just unlocked. If your current hit point level is above this new maximum, reduce your current hit points to this new maximum. The maximum hit points lost from this ability cannot be recovered until the end of a long rest. As this represents the mental, rather than physical, toll, you must lose these hit points, even if another spell or ability would prevent you.
Untapped Potential
At 2nd level, the years of mental discipline required to unlock your psionic abilities has resulted in both physical and mental recovery to occur at an abnormally fast rate.
After a long rest you recover all of your spent hit dice instead of just half your level. Any hit dice that were locked are now unlocked.
You can now speak telepathically to any creature that is within 60 feet of you and once that connection has been established, they can speak to you telepathically in return. You understand each other even if you do not share the same language, but the target creature must know at least one language to be able to communicate telepathically.
Breadth of Training
At level 3, you come to a crossroads in your growth. You are now able to use your psionic powers to mimic the effects of magic. You must choose to excel in a school of magic of your choice.
When you acquire this ability, the focus in a singular school allows you to have a certain benefit when you cast spells from this school.
Abjuration - When you cast an Abjuration spell, you may use your reaction to add to or subtract from (your choice) 1d4 any die roll an Abjuration spell might cause to happen.
Conjuration - When you cast a Conjuration spell, you may extend the duration of the spell by an equivalent unit of time equal to half your intelligence modifier (minutes extended by minutes, hours extended by hours, etc)
Divination - When you cast a Divination spell, if the spell requires you to make a roll, you may use your reaction to make a second roll and use either result.
Enchantment - When you cast an Enchantment spell that charms the target, you may use your reaction when you cast the spell to prevent the target from knowing it was you who cast the spell.
Evocation - When you cast an Evocation spell, if the spell damages a target you may use your bonus action to change the damage type of that spell to psychic damage. If the spell heals a target, you may use your bonus action to heal yourself for hit points equal to the spells level.
Illusion - When you cast an Illusion spell and the target creature is subject to the spells effects, you may learn about your enemy. As you invade the creature's mind to implant the illusion, you may ask for information related to one of it’s Stat Block categories, or one ability score. The target creature then becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Necromancy - When you cast a necromancy spell, you may use a bonus action to add your proficiency bonus plus half your Psionic level as Temporary HP.
Transmutation - When you cast a Transmutation spell, you may use your bonus action to increase the area the spell effects by a number of feet equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
Mental Discipline
At level 10, your continued training now allows you to deal with attacks by others against your mind.
You are able to cast Scrying as a ritual without the use of components once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You must have firsthand or familiar knowledge of the target (firsthand knowledge also includes having communicated telepathically with the target), or the target automatically succeeds on their saving throw.
If you are required to make a saving throw that would result in psychic damage, you take half the psychic damage on a failed saving throw and no psychic damage on a successful saving throw. If the psychic damage is from an attack roll, you take half psychic damage on a successful hit.
Mental Mastery
At level 17 you have unlocked many secrets of your art. As an action at any time, you may unlock 1 locked hit die without taking damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Psionic Supreme
At level 20 Your mental agility and prowess have exceeded those of mere mortals. Your Intelligence score increases by 4 and your maximum for this score is now 24.
You are also now immune to all psychic damage and immune to any spell or ability that forces you to take actions against your will.
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
You also gain a second attack whenever you take the Attack action.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. You may add your intelligence modifier as additional damage to any damage done with your weapon attacks.
Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a Hit Die to add to your weapon’s magic bonus. This hit die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use it. Roll the Hit Die and add half that value (rounded up) as a bonus to hit and to attack. This bonus lasts for one minute.
Improved Compatibility
At level 18, You have discovered the ability to establish a psychic link with your weapons. After a long rest you may touch one or two weapons in your possession to link with. As a bonus action you can either summon both linked weapons to your hand or dismiss them to where they were last stored. There is no range limit to this ability. This link remains as long as you are conscious. You can link with a maximum of two weapons at once. Creating a link with a third weapon cancels the link to the first weapon.
At any point in a round you may now also choose to spend one hit die to take an additional reaction this round. This reaction must be spent to take an opportunity attack. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after you spend it.
When casting a spell that includes making a weapon attack, you may make this attack twice.
Psionic Shield
Psychically Armoured
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
You also gain the following benefit depending on what armor you have equipped:
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, a negative Dexterity modifier can not reduce your AC below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - The extra weight keeps you stable. As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without a saving throw, you nonetheless get a saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 12.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may psychically expand the shield to cover those adjacent to you in a line, providing these allies a +2 bonus to AC.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or an ally. As a reaction, once an attack is declared against yourself or an ally within 60 feet, but before any dice are rolled, roll a hit die. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after you use it. Roll the Hit Die and add half that value (rounded up) as a bonus to the target’s AC and saving throws. The target maintains the shield until the end of the current creature’s turn.
The target has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of the shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, once per round, you can cause an enemy who successfully hits you to take psychic damage equal to your AC.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. You still cannot gain any benefits of equipping more than one shield.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in a tool of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and choose a new tool to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool and choose a new tool to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also become proficient in Wisdom saving throws.
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, you find those around you have trouble hiding their true intentions. You give disadvantage to all rolls used to deceive you and have advantage on all saving throws against charm effects.
Any unsuccessful attempt to deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Also, you can no longer be Surprised. Your mental defenses are so developed that you will wake from sleep, including magical sleep, as soon as combat starts.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed.
The damage taken by a creature under The Mind’s Eye ability is now twice your proficiency modifier and extends to all attempts to magically charm you or control you, even if the spell or ability is unsuccessful.
Short thing about the spell list. Probably don't include Hunter's Mark as that's heavily associated with tracker classes/sub-classes in my opinion (Rangers mainly and Oath of Vengeance paladin). Plus the spell makes survival checks which is off theme here. I didn't see anything else odd sticking out in the list. Features are going to take me a minute to check.
First part about recovery is good as long as it stays at 2nd-level or higher.
The telepathy part needs some clarifications on restrictions as one of your later features mentions it too. Is there a duration? Is there a saving throw for the unwilling? Short rest or long rest to recharge? These things. Because of a higher level feature I recommend having a some form of Spell DC for unwilling creatures, and maybe not work on those immune to mind alterations.
Breadth of Training
I thought you had this at levels 3rd, 10th, and 17th? Since the adjustment to spells I recommend going back to this, and keeping it balanced close to Meta Magic as this feature, and the Sorcerer's effectively change the way a spell is cast. Plus additional choices contribute to the "Breadth of Training" theme. You can then mention the same one cannot be chosen again similar to Fighting Style wording. If this needs uses to keep it balanced then maybe have any uses equal to Psionics level + Intelligence modifier. For now leave it as always on as your spell casts are already limited enough.
Abjuration - Playable although some spells don't make rolls.
Conjuration - Simplify this to double the duration up to a maximum of 24 hours if you're going the duration route (that and it doesn't blow Sorcerer's metamagic out of the water that they have to spend sorcery points on)
Divination - Playable
Enchantment - Playable, and pretty balanced with subtle spell
Evocation - Spell damage conversion is a touchy subject depending, you may have them spend 1 more unlocked hit dice as a bonus action if this gets out of hand. The self heal effect is playable, but might not be used much (which is why you have the first effect I assume).
Illusion - Not all illusion spells deal with the mind plus this one gets wordy for that edge case. I would recommend imposing disadvantage to investigate an illusion spell as a bonus action or for the first saving throw made against the spell.
Necromancy - Playable
Transmutation - Playable
Mental Discipline
At level 10, the flavor text makes it sound defensive like a Warlock's Thought Shield but you differentiate it by giving Scrying as a ritual.
The Scrying part is interesting, but it goes back to your telepathic connection needing a saving throw on the unwilling as mentioned earlier.
The second part you should simplify to psychic damage resistance without needing to make all the dice rolls as it does effectively the same thing.
Mental Mastery
Playable
Psionic Supreme
Playable
And then this will upgrade the psychic resistance you gained earlier.
Sub-classes
Before I go over this do you want your sub-classes to follow a structure from each one? For example 1st levels offer proficiency/flavor, 6th level offer combat, 14th is an exploration/roleplaying feature, and 18th improves a previous feature (this is not saying yours has to be like this or currently is).
Or do you want each sub-class to have it's own structure? This is not usually common.
The Telepathy is supposed to mimic the Great Old One ability from the Warlock. Though reading through it again "any creature" should be specified to "any one creature".
Breadth of Training
The 3rd, 10th and 17th level additions are no longer necessary as the psionic is no longer restricted to singular schools of magic. The additional levels were when they learned additional schools of magic. Though I suppose I can add it back in if learning additional school perks isn't too overpowered.
Abjuration - some not requiring rolls was intended. If you can think of an all-encompassing perk, I will take suggestions.
Conjuration - Done and changed.
Evocation - I removed the bonus action requirement and added the option to spend 1 additional hit die to change the damage to psychic. The healing still costs a bonus action. And yes, there are only a few healing spells available, so I wanted to throw something weak but potentially meaningful should someone want to play a more support focused Psionic
Illusion - this one was going more for a unique feel than a regularly used mechanical feature. The "invade a creatures mind" blurb is more descriptive than mechanical. I've kept the perk the same but removed that wording for clarity. A comparable skill would be the ability of the Cobalt Soul Monk from Critical Role.
Mental Discipline
The original ability was one that allowed you to know the location of someone you were speaking to telepathically. Then I realized that Scrying requires a component with a cost and therefore not usable by a psionic, so I changed this to use a restrictive Scrying instead. Note that the telepathic connection on the part of the Psionic has the same conditions as being familiar with the individual, and still has that 60 foot limitation. However, now you can also Scry on someone who has contacted the Psionic with, say a message or sending spell.
The wording on the psychic damage was to avoid double dipping the "half damage on a saving throw" for quarter damage (half on save, plus half on resistance), but it might be poorly worded. That being said, I'll change it to simple resistance.
Sub-Classes
I'll admit I kept going back and forth on this. As I keep re-reading the abilities, I kind of like how it sits, despite not being a common setup. That being said, I'm always up for suggestions on either content or balance. It intentionally borrows from common psychic tropes. In various media, a psychic individual is usually either strong on attack, strong on defence, or strong at manipulating people and situations, so this is what I tried to go for.
When it comes to the specific subclass abilities I start with a dip into the "coolness" factor for what I think each type should be able to do in regards to fulfilling that trope, then I (attempt) to reduce it to something functional (discarding the concept it if doesn't work, regardless of "cool" it might be) and do a first-glance balance about how it should function and where it fits into the general power scaling of a character. In this instance, I ask myself "What fits someone who pours all his attention into attacking, into defending, or into manipulating his surroundings?". Of course, my intent is not to create some kind of broken super character, but still make a character that seems interesting to play.
As well, the uncommon build also factors into the D6 Hit Die situation. Some of these do go a little beyond the normal, so I cut back in other places.
On a side note: I do have a (currently) poorly designed "psionic spellcaster" that goes more into that specific trope , but that is nowhere near ready to present as it is highly broken. I won't say the hit die limitations presented here are finely tuned, but they are incredibly easy to break once you try to make a subclass that has exceptions to them.
Not assuming their is a matching structure between subclasses for now.
Psionic Assault
At first glance this one is fairly simple (for better or worse), and should be mostly balanced after seeing some Warlock Pact of Blade/Hexblade influence and Eldritch knight I think. To compensate for this subclasses's doubling down on offense I can see them trying to pick more defensive or mobility related spells. Especially when considering the low hit die of this class.
Psychic Weapons
The proficiency are fine
The intelligence mod is fine
This may need one more thing. Maybe a prepared cantrip that makes an attack? Or make a weapon a spell focus until a rest after locking 1 hit dice. Either way this feature is playable as is.
Psionic Coatings
Playable, although the obligatory extra attack not stacking mention might be needed. Usually they put Extra attack as it's own feature then you can have a separate 6th level feature for Psionic Coatings (I understand the convenience here).
Imbued Weapons
First part is playable.
Second part is debatable. Given limitations to casting I don't think it would be beneficial to spend a hit dice in this manner, but it does last a minute. Alternatively you might try expanding critical hit rolls to 19 and 20 for a d20. Hexblades get their improved critical hit on cursed targets at level one, and Champion fighters get their improved critical hit at 3rd level. So making it always on isn't out of the realm of possibilities either.
This level is where I might put a ribbon feature too instead.
Improved Compatibility
The first part you might consider putting in a earlier feature (Eldritch Knight gets something like this at 3rd level if I recall right)
The second part might be a bit weak at 18th level to spend a hit dice on as the opportunity attack doesn't benefit from extra attack either.
The third part seems neat, but it compete's with this class's extra attack.
This feature is technically playable but the three parts don't seem to connect together well in theme or mechanics. However if I were to increase its aggressiveness you give a feature like, After locking a dice, then you can use a bonus action to teleport up 10 feet toward a visible creature in an unoccupied space. You can probably increase the teleportation, but this way you support the aggressive assault theme while using this class's casting mechanics or pairing up with spending the hit dice for an opportunity attack.
Psionic Shield
This one I worry about overloading the AC bonuses.
Psychically Armoured
Proficiency is fine, but due to the shield they may not be able to cast somatic spells if they wield a weapon too (they can have the focus instead, of course).
The second part is a bit front-loaded as if it was a fighting style thing even though fighting styles tend to be given later. However there is an opportunity to use the subclasses namesake item, shield. I would probably drop the others.
Shield - Is the neat one, but need's to clarify range.
Psychic Shield
A little bit of work for a simple shared shield spell (with saving throws). I would commit to only 1d4 or a flat +3 to AC and Saving Throws if you still wanted to keep this (rounding a single d6 is a bit strange but I see you were doing that for balance. The average 1d6 is 3.5 so simply picking +3 reduces effort here). That way it can't go beyond the actual Shield spell (+5), and it doesn't get out of hand with bardic inspiration. If it was only to AC I can see a roll of 1+1d4 instead.
You might combine the second part with your 1st level feature. It could be, while a target is under your Psychically Armored feature or Psychic Shield then they have resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of the effect.
Improved Shielding
First part is playable
The second part is a little situational, but thematic.
Psychic Thorns
This whole feature is playable, and a floating shield is thematic. Although you probably do not want to be hit regardless, so you might consider an effect on miss too in regards to attacks upon yourself.
Psionic Manipulation
This one appeared interesting for utility assuming a DM/Player provides opportunities for tools.
A Mentalist’s Insight
The adaptive toolbelt concept is fascinating, but I would limit the tools to a selection of 3-ish tool types (not counting the specific artisan tools for example) in the first two features. For one I don't think tools for more charisma related uses like Disguise Kit would make sense.
Don't give a third saving throw at level 1 as that is effectively granting a feat like resilient, and it felt out of place. You could try at the 3rd level, but it still doesn't make much thematic sense to me for Wisdom.
If this level feels too bare, then you can consider a utility focused prepared bonus cantrip.
The Mind’s Eye
Playable, and thematic. I'm not sure on the range but I assume it's less than 30 feet for the disadvantage bit.
Psychometry
I like the first two parts.
I'm confused about the last bit of being Alert basically. It might pair with the 6th level feature if you wanted to give up the psychic damage backlash.
Battlefield Manipulation
The first effect is interesting.
I don't understand the fly speed bit, but you could re-flavor with teleport or levitation in the midst of battle.
The improvement to Mind's Eye is strange. Does it increase the damage the affect target takes, while also increasing your resistance to mind affects? Personally I would re-theme it to Battlefield Manipulation's name sake by allowing you to charm or compel them to move in a certain way. Like, As a bonus action you can cast the spell Command at the 1st level once on a creature affected by Mind's Eye by locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Note, Command normally takes a action to cast.
There's my rough pass of subclasses
Abjuration is probably fine as is. Those spells are bit funky to find a unifying trait beyond duration or altering a roll. What you have for it is fine.
I'll definitely refine some things in the morning, but just a few items to point out up front.
Part of the psionic spellcasting is that they do not need to worry about components of any sort, so a focus is not required. But, I will give that some more thought - it might be a balancing fix.
As far as the fly speed for Battlefield Manipulation, that was taking the trope of a psychic using his own energies to fly. I was initially considering just a hover ability, but it seems lacking.
The improvement to Mind's Eye is the entire second part. Increased damage, and that damage extends to the additional situations. But, I'll admit I like the command idea better, with the following changes as Minds Eye is an instant effect: As a reaction you can cast the spell Command at the 1st level once per long rest on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye without locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language.
And here are the new (And hopefully improved) subclasses. Note that some of them that look the same might have had minor edits, such as restrictions, placed on them (See Psychically Armored - now called simply Psychic Armor as an example. They now pick one perk at each long rest instead of having all of them).
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Once per long rest, you may attempt to sap the strength from your target by casting Sapping Sting on them as part of the weapon attack. You must target the creature you attacked, and the range for this spell is the range of your weapon. You do not need to have this spell prepared to cast it using this ability.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 6, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach level 18.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. You may add your intelligence modifier as additional damage to any damage done with your weapon attacks.
Once per long rest, as a bonus action you may spend a Hit Die to increase the critical range to critically hit on a roll of 18-20 for 1 minute. This die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use this ability.
Unending Assault
At level 18 you gain the ability to continue your assault for as long as you have the power to do so. As part of the attack action, you may spend 1 hit die to teleport up to 15 feet and perform one weapon attack against a new creature that you can see. You may repeat this ability within the same turn at the cost of one additional hit die per activation. You cannot target the same creature twice in the same turn using this ability. The spent hit die must not be locked and become locked when you use this ability.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 18, you can attack three times instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Psionic Shield
Psychic Armor
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
Pick one of the following benefits that activate depending on what armor you have equipped. You may pick a different benefit at the end of a long rest.
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, a negative Dexterity modifier can not reduce your AC below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - The extra weight keeps you stable. As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without a saving throw, you nonetheless get a saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 12.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may psychically expand the shield to cover either one ally within 5 feet of you or two allies who flank you, providing these allies a +2 bonus to AC.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or an ally. As a reaction, once an attack is declared against yourself or an ally within 60 feet, but before any dice are rolled, you may spend a hit die to grant yourself or this ally a +3 bonus to AC or saving throws (your choice). The target maintains the shield until the end of the current creature’s turn.
The target has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of this Psychic Shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, enemies who successfully hit you take damage. As a reaction, you may choose to spend 1 hit die to cause any creature who damages you, directly or indirectly, as part of an attack, to take psychic damage equal to your AC, This hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once you use this ability. This ability lasts until the end of the current creature’s turn.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. You still cannot gain any benefits of equipping more than one shield.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in one Artisan’s Tool and one Instrument of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool or Instrument to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also gain proficiency in the following Skills: Sleight of Hand and Performance
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, any unsuccessful attempt to deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier as long as the creature is aware of you.
You also become proficient in Wisdom saving throws.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Also, being Surprised has a lessened effect on you. During the round you are surprised, you may choose to become Slowed instead, as if affected by the Slow spell, until the end of the round.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed. While flying, you must concentrate on this ability as if concentrating on a spell.
Once per long rest, as a reaction, you can cast the spell Command at 1st level on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye without locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language. (edit:) If this ability is used on the creature’s current turn, the creature must immediately follow the Command if it is able to do so. Otherwise the Command spell behaves as normal.
The way Command spell is worded it happens on the target's next turn. So for Battlefield Manipulation if they use a reaction that occurs on the creature's turn it technically won't happen until next time. However if the Psionic uses the reaction on their turn then it will happen more as intended. You can probably clarify the reaction that it has to happen on the Psionic's turn if you wanted Command to behave as written.
Necro'ing my own thread, I know. But... after a couple months of thought and review, I've made some changes and clarified a number of things. Here is, hopefully, the final update for the Psionic class, heh. This also includes updates for multiclassing.
Psionic Table
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Highest spell level you can cast
Features
1
+2
1
Psionic Feature, Psionic Discipline
2
+2
1
Psionic Feature
3
+2
2
Psionic Feature
4
+2
2
Ability Score Increase
5
+3
3
6
+3
3
Psionic Discipline Feature
7
+3
4
8
+3
4
Ability Score Increase
9
+4
5
10
+4
5
Psionic Feature
11
+4
6
12
+4
6
13
+5
7
14
+5
7
Psionic Discipline Feature
15
+5
8
16
+5
8
Ability Score Increase
17
+6
9
Psionic Feature
18
+6
9
Psionic Discipline Feature
19
+6
9
Ability Score Increase
20
+6
9
Psionic Feature
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per psionic level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per psionic level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None Weapons: Simple Weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, and Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
Two daggers
Multiclassing into Psionic
Ability Score Minimum: Constitution 13 and Intelligence 13
Proficiencies Gained: None
Psionic Spellcasting
Psionics have access to a special kind of resource and require a different kind of resource management.
The strain of using your psionic spellcasting places a toll on your body. To use a psionic spell or many of the Psionic’s abilities you must spend Hit Dice. Not all is lost however, as you possess an ability that will let you recover these spent Hit Dice at a cost.
You gain access to spell levels according to the ability chart above.
When you cast a psionic spell at level 1 or higher, you must discard one hit die per level of the spell. Hit dice discarded this way become “locked”. Locked hit dice are returned to your pool after a short rest to power your psionic spells, however these dice continue to be locked. Locked dice cannot be used to heal yourself or be used for psionic abilities until you finish a long rest, at which point you may recover locked hit dice in accordance with your Psionic Recovery ability, to be used as desired.
When casting a spell you may ignore any listed verbal, somatic or material components. A Psionic is unable to cast spells that require a consumed material component or a material component that has a gold cost, unless specifically permitted by a class ability.
Psionic Burn
If you use a locked hit die for spellcasting, you take feedback damage equal to the level of the spell cast x the number of locked hit dice used. This damage cannot be reduced by any means.
High level Casting
Casting spells of 6th level or higher take such mental fortitude that the strain they cause to replicate a magic spell begins to burn out your psionic capabilities. When you cast a spell of 6th level or higher, the spent hit dice are removed from your pool and can no longer be used for any reason until you finish a long rest. Locked hit dice spent this way still cause feedback damage.
Spells Known
As your spellcasting comes from the power of your mind, you are able to train your mind to store a certain number of spells in a given day. While you have access to the entire spell list from level 1, you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Psionic level + your Intelligence modifier.
You may pick from any level of spells from the Psionic Spell List without restriction, however you are still only able to cast spells up to a maximum level as defined on the Psionic table. If you desire to possess only cantrips, you can do so just as easily as possessing only first level spells.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your psionic spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to access the deepest recesses of your mind. 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 psionic 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
Psionic Disciplines
At level 1, choose a Psionic Discipline, which describes what area of psionics you became most proficient in. Psionic Assault, Psionic Shield, or Psionic Manipulation.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Psionic Recovery
At level 1, if you spend an action meditating, you may choose to unlock one locked hit die. Forcing your psonic capacity to be restored in this way is painful and takes a toll on your mind’s ability to function. When you unlock hit dice using this ability, subtract from your maximum hit points the highest roll possible from the hit die you just unlocked. If your current hit point level is above this new maximum, reduce your current hit points to this new maximum. The maximum hit points lost from this ability cannot be recovered until the end of a long rest. As this represents the mental, rather than physical, toll, you must lose these hit points, even if another spell or ability would prevent you.
As well, after completing a long rest you may choose to recover up to a number of hit dice equal to your Psionic level instead of using the standard hit die recovery rules and any recovered hit dice that were locked become unlocked.
Minor Telepathy
At 2nd level, you can now speak telepathically to a willing creature that is within 60 feet of you and once that connection has been established, they can speak to you telepathically in return. The telepathic connection fails if you are ever more than 60 feet away from the target creature. You understand each other even if you do not share the same language, but the target creature must know at least one language to be able to communicate telepathically. You cannot speak to more than one creature at a time using this ability. If the creature is not willing, the encounter is treated as though no contact has taken place.
Breadth of Training
At level 3, you come to a crossroads in your growth. You are now able to use your psionic powers to alter the effects of your spells. You must choose to excel in a school of magic of your choice.
When you acquire this ability, the focus in a singular school allows you to have a certain benefit when you cast spells from this school.
Abjuration - When you cast an Abjuration spell, you may use your reaction to roll 1D4 and choose to add to or subtract from (your choice) any die roll that spell might cause to happen.
Conjuration - When you cast a Conjuration spell, you may double the duration of the spell, as long as that duration does not exceed an additional 24 hours.
Divination - When you cast a Divination spell, if the spell requires you to make a roll, you may use your reaction to make a second roll and use either result.
Enchantment - When you cast an Enchantment spell that charms the target and that spell permits the target to know who cast the spell, you may use your reaction when you cast the spell to prevent the target from knowing it was you who cast the spell.
Evocation - When you cast an Evocation spell, if the spell damages a target you may spend one additional hit die to change the damage type of that spell to psychic damage. If the spell heals a target, you may use your bonus action to heal yourself for hit points equal to the level of the spell.
Illusion - When you cast an Illusion spell and the target creature is subject to the effects of a spell, you may learn about your enemy as you penetrate its mind. You may ask for information related to one of it’s Stat Block categories, or one ability score. The target creature then becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Necromancy - When you cast a necromancy spell that is not a cantrip, you may use a bonus action to add your proficiency bonus plus the level of the spell as Temporary HP.
Transmutation - When you cast a Transmutation spell, you may use your bonus action to increase the area the spell effects by a number of feet equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
Improved Telepathy
At level 10, you are able to cast Scrying as a ritual without the use of components once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You must have firsthand or familiar knowledge of the target (firsthand knowledge also includes having previously communicated telepathically with the target), or the target automatically succeeds on their saving throw.
Mental Discipline
At level 10, you also now have resistance to psychic damage
Mental Mastery
At level 17 you have unlocked many secrets of your art. As an action at any time, you may unlock 1 locked hit die without taking damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Psionic Supreme
At level 20 Your mental agility and prowess have exceeded those of mere mortals. Your Intelligence score increases by 4 and your maximum for this score is now 24.
You are also now immune to all psychic damage and immune to any spell or ability that forces you to take actions against your will.
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Once per long rest, you may attempt to sap the strength from your target by casting Sapping Sting on them as part of a weapon attack. You must target the creature you attacked, and the range for this spell is the range of your weapon. You do not need to have this spell prepared to cast it using this ability.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 6, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach level 18.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. As a bonus action, you may swap any weapons you currently have equipped with any other weapons in your inventory. You may also use your reaction to reload any weapons you have equipped without the use of a free hand.
Also, once per long rest as a bonus action you may spend a Hit Die to increase the critical range of your weapon attacks to critically hit on a roll of 18-20 for 1 minute. This die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use this ability.
Unending Assault
At level 18 you gain the ability to continue your assault for as long as you have the power to do so. As part of the attack action, you may spend 1 hit die to teleport up to 10 feet and perform one additional weapon attack against a new creature that you can see. You may repeat this ability within the same turn at the cost of one additional hit die per activation as long as there is a new creature you can target within 10 feet. You cannot target the same creature twice in the same turn using this ability. The spent hit die must not be locked and become locked when you use this ability. These weapon attacks are in addition to the number of attacks you can make each round.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 18, you can attack three times instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Psionic Shield
Psychic Armor
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
Pick one of the following benefits that activate depending on what armor you have equipped. You may pick a different benefit at the end of a long rest.
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, your AC can never drop below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without being granted a saving throw, you nonetheless get a Strength saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 14 to remain standing.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may use your psionic abilities to expand your shield to cover all allies within 5 feet of you, giving the these allies a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the round as long as they are within 5 feet of you.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or others. As a reaction, you may spend a hit die to place a psychic shield over the mind of a target within 30 feet. During this time, any attempt to magically influence the target with illusions, magically compel information from the target, or otherwise attempt to take control of the target’s mind is more difficult. This psychic shield lasts for 1 hour and grants the target a +5 bonus to all saving throws used to defend against such attacks. The hit die used must not be locked and becomes locked when you use this ability.
The target also has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of this Psychic Shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, enemies who successfully hit you take damage. As a reaction, you may choose to spend 1 hit die to cause the creature who did damage to you to take psychic damage equal to your AC. If you use your reaction to use this ability, you may choose to spend an additional hit die to regain the use of your reaction after the triggering event. You must spend this additional hit die before the event that triggered the reaction ends. The hit dice spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you use this ability.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. This ability does not permit any additional benefits of equipping more than one shield than you would normally have.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in one Artisan’s Tool and one Instrument of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also gain proficiency in the following Skills: Sleight of Hand and Performance. If you are already proficient in either of these skills, you may substitute that skill with a skill of your choice.
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, any unsuccessful attempt to intentionally deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier as long as the creature is aware of you.
Piercing Thoughts
As well, at level 6 your psychic abilities now allow you to briefly your target’s physiology. If a creature hit by a spell you cast is immune to the damage type caused by that spell, you may spend a hit die to cause that creature to instead become resistant to the spell’s damage. After the spell has been cast, that creature regains its immunity status, including immunity from any lingering damage of the same type. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Reading the Wind
As well, at level 14, being Surprised has a lessened effect on you. At the start of the round you are Surprised, you may choose to not be Surprised and instead be Slowed, as if affected by the Slow spell, until the end of the round.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature of your choice one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed. While flying, you must concentrate on this ability as if concentrating on a spell.
Once per short rest as a reaction immediately after the Mind’s Eye effect occurs, you can cast the spell Command at 1st level on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye. You can use this ability without locking a hit die and you do not need to have the spell prepared. When you cast Command using this ability, the range of the spell is the range to your target. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language. If this ability is used on the target creature’s current turn, the creature must immediately follow the Command if it is able to do so. Otherwise the Command spell behaves as normal. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after being used.
Thank you for this now my old school dad can play 5e with us again. Love your work I might tweak it but I hope you don't mind me using it in my new campaign, but I am wondering both how to save it and how or even if you wanted me to let you know suggestions updates and anything else I could use with this forum. I needed to save it for my dad's use but I haven't been able to figure out how and I don't like exporting as PDF's without the original creators permission. I would of course always credit you and I have this saved as proof of word that I agreed to credit and that I intended to with permission export as a pdf for my own personal in game use
And here is the updated class, complete with spell list. A number of changes, including replacing the Shield level 1 Feats with armor-specific bonuses. Again, let me know what you think. A quick note on the level 7 spells: I learned that there are very few level 7 spells that do not have an item consumption or gold cost associated with them... so that's why there are so few level 7 spells to pick from.
My apologies for the lengthy post.
Psionic Table
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Highest spell level you can cast
Features
1
+2
1
Psionic Feature, Psionic Discipline
2
+2
1
Psionic Feature
3
+2
2
Psionic Feature
4
+2
2
ASI
5
+3
3
6
+3
3
Psionic Discipline Feature
7
+3
4
8
+3
4
ASI
9
+4
5
10
+4
5
Psionic Feature
11
+4
6
12
+4
6
13
+5
7
14
+5
7
Psionic Discipline Feature
15
+5
8
16
+5
8
ASI
17
+6
9
Psionic Feature
18
+6
9
Psionic Discipline Feature
19
+6
9
ASI
20
+6
9
Psionic Feature
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per psionic level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per psionic level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, and Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Psionic Spellcasting
Psionics have access to a special kind of resource and require a different kind of resource management.
The strain of using your psionic spellcasting places a toll on your body. To use a psionic spell or many abilities you must spend Hit Dice. Not all is lost however, as you possess an ability that will let you recover these spent Hit Dice at a cost.
You gain access to spell levels according to the ability chart above.
When you cast a psionic spell at level 1 or higher, you must discard one hit die per level of the spell. Hit dice discarded this way become “locked”. Locked hit dice are returned to your pool after a short rest to power your psionic spells, however cannot be used to heal yourself or be used for psionic abilities until you finish a long rest, at which point all locked dice become unlocked and available to be used for healing. If you use a locked hit die for spellcasting, you take feedback damage equal to the level of the spell cast x the number of locked hit dice used divided by 2. This damage cannot be reduced by any means.
Casting spells of 6th level or higher take such mental fortitude that the strain they cause to replicate a magic spell begins to burn out your psionic capabilities. When you cast a spell of 6th level or higher, the spent hit dice are removed from your pool can no longer be used for any reason until you finish a long rest. Locked hit dice spent this way still cause feedback damage.
When casting a spell you may ignore any listed verbal, somatic or material components.
Spells Known
As your spellcasting comes from the power of your mind, you are able to train your mind to store a certain number of spells in a given day. While you have access to the entire spell list from level 1, you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Psionic level + your Intelligence modifier.
You may pick from any level of spells without restriction, however you are still only able to cast spells up to a maximum level as defined on the Psionic table. If you desire to possess only cantrips, you can do so just as easily as possessing only first level spells.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your psionic spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to access the deepest recesses of your mind. 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 psionic 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
Psionic Disciplines
At level 1, choose a Psionic Discipline, which describes what area of psionics you became most proficient in. Psionic Assault, Psionic Shield, or Psionic Manipulation.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Psionic Recovery
At level 1, if you spend an action meditating, you may choose to unlock one locked hit die. Forcing your psonic capacity to be restored in this way is painful and takes a toll on your mind’s ability to function. When you unlock hit dice using this ability, subtract from your maximum hit points the highest roll possible from the hit die you just unlocked. If your current hit point level is above this new maximum, reduce your current hit points to this new maximum. The maximum hit points lost from this ability cannot be recovered until the end of a long rest. As this represents the mental, rather than physical, toll, you must lose these hit points, even if another spell or ability would prevent you.
Untapped Potential
At 2nd level, the years of mental discipline required to unlock your psionic abilities has resulted in both physical and mental recovery to occur at an abnormally fast rate.
After a long rest you recover all of your spent hit dice instead of just half your level. Any hit dice that were locked are now unlocked.
You can now speak telepathically to any creature that is within 60 feet of you and once that connection has been established, they can speak to you telepathically in return. You understand each other even if you do not share the same language, but the target creature must know at least one language to be able to communicate telepathically.
Breadth of Training
At level 3, you come to a crossroads in your growth. You are now able to use your psionic powers to mimic the effects of magic. You must choose to excel in a school of magic of your choice.
When you acquire this ability, the focus in a singular school allows you to have a certain benefit when you cast spells from this school.
Abjuration - When you cast an Abjuration spell, you may use your reaction to add to or subtract from (your choice) 1d4 any die roll an Abjuration spell might cause to happen.
Conjuration - When you cast a Conjuration spell, you may extend the duration of the spell by an equivalent unit of time equal to half your intelligence modifier (minutes extended by minutes, hours extended by hours, etc)
Divination - When you cast a Divination spell, if the spell requires you to make a roll, you may use your reaction to make a second roll and use either result.
Enchantment - When you cast an Enchantment spell that charms the target, you may use your reaction when you cast the spell to prevent the target from knowing it was you who cast the spell.
Evocation - When you cast an Evocation spell, if the spell damages a target you may use your bonus action to change the damage type of that spell to psychic damage. If the spell heals a target, you may use your bonus action to heal yourself for hit points equal to the spells level.
Illusion - When you cast an Illusion spell and the target creature is subject to the spells effects, you may learn about your enemy. As you invade the creature's mind to implant the illusion, you may ask for information related to one of it’s Stat Block categories, or one ability score. The target creature then becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Necromancy - When you cast a necromancy spell, you may use a bonus action to add your proficiency bonus plus half your Psionic level as Temporary HP.
Transmutation - When you cast a Transmutation spell, you may use your bonus action to increase the area the spell effects by a number of feet equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
Mental Discipline
At level 10, your continued training now allows you to deal with attacks by others against your mind.
You are able to cast Scrying as a ritual without the use of components once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You must have firsthand or familiar knowledge of the target (firsthand knowledge also includes having communicated telepathically with the target), or the target automatically succeeds on their saving throw.
If you are required to make a saving throw that would result in psychic damage, you take half the psychic damage on a failed saving throw and no psychic damage on a successful saving throw. If the psychic damage is from an attack roll, you take half psychic damage on a successful hit.
Mental Mastery
At level 17 you have unlocked many secrets of your art. As an action at any time, you may unlock 1 locked hit die without taking damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Psionic Supreme
At level 20 Your mental agility and prowess have exceeded those of mere mortals. Your Intelligence score increases by 4 and your maximum for this score is now 24.
You are also now immune to all psychic damage and immune to any spell or ability that forces you to take actions against your will.
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
You also gain a second attack whenever you take the Attack action.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. You may add your intelligence modifier as additional damage to any damage done with your weapon attacks.
Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a Hit Die to add to your weapon’s magic bonus. This hit die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use it. Roll the Hit Die and add half that value (rounded up) as a bonus to hit and to attack. This bonus lasts for one minute.
Improved Compatibility
At level 18, You have discovered the ability to establish a psychic link with your weapons. After a long rest you may touch one or two weapons in your possession to link with. As a bonus action you can either summon both linked weapons to your hand or dismiss them to where they were last stored. There is no range limit to this ability. This link remains as long as you are conscious. You can link with a maximum of two weapons at once. Creating a link with a third weapon cancels the link to the first weapon.
At any point in a round you may now also choose to spend one hit die to take an additional reaction this round. This reaction must be spent to take an opportunity attack. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after you spend it.
When casting a spell that includes making a weapon attack, you may make this attack twice.
Psionic Shield
Psychically Armoured
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
You also gain the following benefit depending on what armor you have equipped:
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, a negative Dexterity modifier can not reduce your AC below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - The extra weight keeps you stable. As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without a saving throw, you nonetheless get a saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 12.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may psychically expand the shield to cover those adjacent to you in a line, providing these allies a +2 bonus to AC.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or an ally. As a reaction, once an attack is declared against yourself or an ally within 60 feet, but before any dice are rolled, roll a hit die. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after you use it. Roll the Hit Die and add half that value (rounded up) as a bonus to the target’s AC and saving throws. The target maintains the shield until the end of the current creature’s turn.
The target has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of the shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, once per round, you can cause an enemy who successfully hits you to take psychic damage equal to your AC.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. You still cannot gain any benefits of equipping more than one shield.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in a tool of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and choose a new tool to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool and choose a new tool to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also become proficient in Wisdom saving throws.
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, you find those around you have trouble hiding their true intentions. You give disadvantage to all rolls used to deceive you and have advantage on all saving throws against charm effects.
Any unsuccessful attempt to deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Also, you can no longer be Surprised. Your mental defenses are so developed that you will wake from sleep, including magical sleep, as soon as combat starts.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed.
The damage taken by a creature under The Mind’s Eye ability is now twice your proficiency modifier and extends to all attempts to magically charm you or control you, even if the spell or ability is unsuccessful.
SPELL LIST
Cantrip
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Level 8
Level 9
Short thing about the spell list. Probably don't include Hunter's Mark as that's heavily associated with tracker classes/sub-classes in my opinion (Rangers mainly and Oath of Vengeance paladin). Plus the spell makes survival checks which is off theme here. I didn't see anything else odd sticking out in the list. Features are going to take me a minute to check.
Below are my opinions for the base class:
Psionic Recovery
This is playable.
Untapped Potential
First part about recovery is good as long as it stays at 2nd-level or higher.
The telepathy part needs some clarifications on restrictions as one of your later features mentions it too. Is there a duration? Is there a saving throw for the unwilling? Short rest or long rest to recharge? These things. Because of a higher level feature I recommend having a some form of Spell DC for unwilling creatures, and maybe not work on those immune to mind alterations.
Breadth of Training
I thought you had this at levels 3rd, 10th, and 17th? Since the adjustment to spells I recommend going back to this, and keeping it balanced close to Meta Magic as this feature, and the Sorcerer's effectively change the way a spell is cast. Plus additional choices contribute to the "Breadth of Training" theme. You can then mention the same one cannot be chosen again similar to Fighting Style wording. If this needs uses to keep it balanced then maybe have any uses equal to Psionics level + Intelligence modifier. For now leave it as always on as your spell casts are already limited enough.
Abjuration - Playable although some spells don't make rolls.
Conjuration - Simplify this to double the duration up to a maximum of 24 hours if you're going the duration route (that and it doesn't blow Sorcerer's metamagic out of the water that they have to spend sorcery points on)
Divination - Playable
Enchantment - Playable, and pretty balanced with subtle spell
Evocation - Spell damage conversion is a touchy subject depending, you may have them spend 1 more unlocked hit dice as a bonus action if this gets out of hand. The self heal effect is playable, but might not be used much (which is why you have the first effect I assume).
Illusion - Not all illusion spells deal with the mind plus this one gets wordy for that edge case. I would recommend imposing disadvantage to investigate an illusion spell as a bonus action or for the first saving throw made against the spell.
Necromancy - Playable
Transmutation - Playable
Mental Discipline
At level 10, the flavor text makes it sound defensive like a Warlock's Thought Shield but you differentiate it by giving Scrying as a ritual.
The Scrying part is interesting, but it goes back to your telepathic connection needing a saving throw on the unwilling as mentioned earlier.
The second part you should simplify to psychic damage resistance without needing to make all the dice rolls as it does effectively the same thing.
Mental Mastery
Playable
Psionic Supreme
Playable
And then this will upgrade the psychic resistance you gained earlier.
Sub-classes
Before I go over this do you want your sub-classes to follow a structure from each one? For example 1st levels offer proficiency/flavor, 6th level offer combat, 14th is an exploration/roleplaying feature, and 18th improves a previous feature (this is not saying yours has to be like this or currently is).
Or do you want each sub-class to have it's own structure? This is not usually common.
Untapped Potential
The Telepathy is supposed to mimic the Great Old One ability from the Warlock. Though reading through it again "any creature" should be specified to "any one creature".
Breadth of Training
The 3rd, 10th and 17th level additions are no longer necessary as the psionic is no longer restricted to singular schools of magic. The additional levels were when they learned additional schools of magic. Though I suppose I can add it back in if learning additional school perks isn't too overpowered.
Abjuration - some not requiring rolls was intended. If you can think of an all-encompassing perk, I will take suggestions.
Conjuration - Done and changed.
Evocation - I removed the bonus action requirement and added the option to spend 1 additional hit die to change the damage to psychic. The healing still costs a bonus action. And yes, there are only a few healing spells available, so I wanted to throw something weak but potentially meaningful should someone want to play a more support focused Psionic
Illusion - this one was going more for a unique feel than a regularly used mechanical feature. The "invade a creatures mind" blurb is more descriptive than mechanical. I've kept the perk the same but removed that wording for clarity. A comparable skill would be the ability of the Cobalt Soul Monk from Critical Role.
Mental Discipline
The original ability was one that allowed you to know the location of someone you were speaking to telepathically. Then I realized that Scrying requires a component with a cost and therefore not usable by a psionic, so I changed this to use a restrictive Scrying instead. Note that the telepathic connection on the part of the Psionic has the same conditions as being familiar with the individual, and still has that 60 foot limitation. However, now you can also Scry on someone who has contacted the Psionic with, say a message or sending spell.
The wording on the psychic damage was to avoid double dipping the "half damage on a saving throw" for quarter damage (half on save, plus half on resistance), but it might be poorly worded. That being said, I'll change it to simple resistance.
Sub-Classes
I'll admit I kept going back and forth on this. As I keep re-reading the abilities, I kind of like how it sits, despite not being a common setup. That being said, I'm always up for suggestions on either content or balance. It intentionally borrows from common psychic tropes. In various media, a psychic individual is usually either strong on attack, strong on defence, or strong at manipulating people and situations, so this is what I tried to go for.
When it comes to the specific subclass abilities I start with a dip into the "coolness" factor for what I think each type should be able to do in regards to fulfilling that trope, then I (attempt) to reduce it to something functional (discarding the concept it if doesn't work, regardless of "cool" it might be) and do a first-glance balance about how it should function and where it fits into the general power scaling of a character. In this instance, I ask myself "What fits someone who pours all his attention into attacking, into defending, or into manipulating his surroundings?". Of course, my intent is not to create some kind of broken super character, but still make a character that seems interesting to play.
As well, the uncommon build also factors into the D6 Hit Die situation. Some of these do go a little beyond the normal, so I cut back in other places.
On a side note: I do have a (currently) poorly designed "psionic spellcaster" that goes more into that specific trope , but that is nowhere near ready to present as it is highly broken. I won't say the hit die limitations presented here are finely tuned, but they are incredibly easy to break once you try to make a subclass that has exceptions to them.
Psionic Disciplines
Not assuming their is a matching structure between subclasses for now.
Psionic Assault
At first glance this one is fairly simple (for better or worse), and should be mostly balanced after seeing some Warlock Pact of Blade/Hexblade influence and Eldritch knight I think. To compensate for this subclasses's doubling down on offense I can see them trying to pick more defensive or mobility related spells. Especially when considering the low hit die of this class.
Psychic Weapons
The proficiency are fine
The intelligence mod is fine
This may need one more thing. Maybe a prepared cantrip that makes an attack? Or make a weapon a spell focus until a rest after locking 1 hit dice. Either way this feature is playable as is.
Psionic Coatings
Playable, although the obligatory extra attack not stacking mention might be needed. Usually they put Extra attack as it's own feature then you can have a separate 6th level feature for Psionic Coatings (I understand the convenience here).
Imbued Weapons
First part is playable.
Second part is debatable. Given limitations to casting I don't think it would be beneficial to spend a hit dice in this manner, but it does last a minute. Alternatively you might try expanding critical hit rolls to 19 and 20 for a d20. Hexblades get their improved critical hit on cursed targets at level one, and Champion fighters get their improved critical hit at 3rd level. So making it always on isn't out of the realm of possibilities either.
This level is where I might put a ribbon feature too instead.
Improved Compatibility
The first part you might consider putting in a earlier feature (Eldritch Knight gets something like this at 3rd level if I recall right)
The second part might be a bit weak at 18th level to spend a hit dice on as the opportunity attack doesn't benefit from extra attack either.
The third part seems neat, but it compete's with this class's extra attack.
This feature is technically playable but the three parts don't seem to connect together well in theme or mechanics. However if I were to increase its aggressiveness you give a feature like, After locking a dice, then you can use a bonus action to teleport up 10 feet toward a visible creature in an unoccupied space. You can probably increase the teleportation, but this way you support the aggressive assault theme while using this class's casting mechanics or pairing up with spending the hit dice for an opportunity attack.
Psionic Shield
This one I worry about overloading the AC bonuses.
Psychically Armoured
Proficiency is fine, but due to the shield they may not be able to cast somatic spells if they wield a weapon too (they can have the focus instead, of course).
The second part is a bit front-loaded as if it was a fighting style thing even though fighting styles tend to be given later. However there is an opportunity to use the subclasses namesake item, shield. I would probably drop the others.
Shield - Is the neat one, but need's to clarify range.
Psychic Shield
A little bit of work for a simple shared shield spell (with saving throws). I would commit to only 1d4 or a flat +3 to AC and Saving Throws if you still wanted to keep this (rounding a single d6 is a bit strange but I see you were doing that for balance. The average 1d6 is 3.5 so simply picking +3 reduces effort here). That way it can't go beyond the actual Shield spell (+5), and it doesn't get out of hand with bardic inspiration. If it was only to AC I can see a roll of 1+1d4 instead.
You might combine the second part with your 1st level feature. It could be, while a target is under your Psychically Armored feature or Psychic Shield then they have resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of the effect.
Improved Shielding
First part is playable
The second part is a little situational, but thematic.
Psychic Thorns
This whole feature is playable, and a floating shield is thematic. Although you probably do not want to be hit regardless, so you might consider an effect on miss too in regards to attacks upon yourself.
Psionic Manipulation
This one appeared interesting for utility assuming a DM/Player provides opportunities for tools.
A Mentalist’s Insight
The adaptive toolbelt concept is fascinating, but I would limit the tools to a selection of 3-ish tool types (not counting the specific artisan tools for example) in the first two features. For one I don't think tools for more charisma related uses like Disguise Kit would make sense.
Don't give a third saving throw at level 1 as that is effectively granting a feat like resilient, and it felt out of place. You could try at the 3rd level, but it still doesn't make much thematic sense to me for Wisdom.
If this level feels too bare, then you can consider a utility focused prepared bonus cantrip.
The Mind’s Eye
Playable, and thematic. I'm not sure on the range but I assume it's less than 30 feet for the disadvantage bit.
Psychometry
I like the first two parts.
I'm confused about the last bit of being Alert basically. It might pair with the 6th level feature if you wanted to give up the psychic damage backlash.
Battlefield Manipulation
The first effect is interesting.
I don't understand the fly speed bit, but you could re-flavor with teleport or levitation in the midst of battle.
The improvement to Mind's Eye is strange. Does it increase the damage the affect target takes, while also increasing your resistance to mind affects? Personally I would re-theme it to Battlefield Manipulation's name sake by allowing you to charm or compel them to move in a certain way. Like, As a bonus action you can cast the spell Command at the 1st level once on a creature affected by Mind's Eye by locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Note, Command normally takes a action to cast.
There's my rough pass of subclasses
Abjuration is probably fine as is. Those spells are bit funky to find a unifying trait beyond duration or altering a roll. What you have for it is fine.
I'll definitely refine some things in the morning, but just a few items to point out up front.
Part of the psionic spellcasting is that they do not need to worry about components of any sort, so a focus is not required. But, I will give that some more thought - it might be a balancing fix.
As far as the fly speed for Battlefield Manipulation, that was taking the trope of a psychic using his own energies to fly. I was initially considering just a hover ability, but it seems lacking.
The improvement to Mind's Eye is the entire second part. Increased damage, and that damage extends to the additional situations. But, I'll admit I like the command idea better, with the following changes as Minds Eye is an instant effect: As a reaction you can cast the spell Command at the 1st level once per long rest on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye without locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language.
I think that it is much better, and you have done well with these improvements.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
And here are the new (And hopefully improved) subclasses. Note that some of them that look the same might have had minor edits, such as restrictions, placed on them (See Psychically Armored - now called simply Psychic Armor as an example. They now pick one perk at each long rest instead of having all of them).
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Once per long rest, you may attempt to sap the strength from your target by casting Sapping Sting on them as part of the weapon attack. You must target the creature you attacked, and the range for this spell is the range of your weapon. You do not need to have this spell prepared to cast it using this ability.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 6, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach level 18.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. You may add your intelligence modifier as additional damage to any damage done with your weapon attacks.
Once per long rest, as a bonus action you may spend a Hit Die to increase the critical range to critically hit on a roll of 18-20 for 1 minute. This die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use this ability.
Unending Assault
At level 18 you gain the ability to continue your assault for as long as you have the power to do so. As part of the attack action, you may spend 1 hit die to teleport up to 15 feet and perform one weapon attack against a new creature that you can see. You may repeat this ability within the same turn at the cost of one additional hit die per activation. You cannot target the same creature twice in the same turn using this ability. The spent hit die must not be locked and become locked when you use this ability.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 18, you can attack three times instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Psionic Shield
Psychic Armor
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
Pick one of the following benefits that activate depending on what armor you have equipped. You may pick a different benefit at the end of a long rest.
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, a negative Dexterity modifier can not reduce your AC below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - The extra weight keeps you stable. As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without a saving throw, you nonetheless get a saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 12.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may psychically expand the shield to cover either one ally within 5 feet of you or two allies who flank you, providing these allies a +2 bonus to AC.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or an ally. As a reaction, once an attack is declared against yourself or an ally within 60 feet, but before any dice are rolled, you may spend a hit die to grant yourself or this ally a +3 bonus to AC or saving throws (your choice). The target maintains the shield until the end of the current creature’s turn.
The target has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of this Psychic Shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, enemies who successfully hit you take damage. As a reaction, you may choose to spend 1 hit die to cause any creature who damages you, directly or indirectly, as part of an attack, to take psychic damage equal to your AC, This hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once you use this ability. This ability lasts until the end of the current creature’s turn.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. You still cannot gain any benefits of equipping more than one shield.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in one Artisan’s Tool and one Instrument of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool or Instrument to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also gain proficiency in the following Skills: Sleight of Hand and Performance
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, any unsuccessful attempt to deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier as long as the creature is aware of you.
You also become proficient in Wisdom saving throws.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Also, being Surprised has a lessened effect on you. During the round you are surprised, you may choose to become Slowed instead, as if affected by the Slow spell, until the end of the round.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed. While flying, you must concentrate on this ability as if concentrating on a spell.
Once per long rest, as a reaction, you can cast the spell Command at 1st level on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye without locking a hit die regardless if you have the spell prepared or not. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language. (edit:) If this ability is used on the creature’s current turn, the creature must immediately follow the Command if it is able to do so. Otherwise the Command spell behaves as normal.
One small thing.
The way Command spell is worded it happens on the target's next turn. So for Battlefield Manipulation if they use a reaction that occurs on the creature's turn it technically won't happen until next time. However if the Psionic uses the reaction on their turn then it will happen more as intended. You can probably clarify the reaction that it has to happen on the Psionic's turn if you wanted Command to behave as written.
Good catch, I'll clarify when it happens.
Necro'ing my own thread, I know. But... after a couple months of thought and review, I've made some changes and clarified a number of things. Here is, hopefully, the final update for the Psionic class, heh. This also includes updates for multiclassing.
Psionic Table
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Highest spell level you can cast
Features
1
+2
1
Psionic Feature, Psionic Discipline
2
+2
1
Psionic Feature
3
+2
2
Psionic Feature
4
+2
2
Ability Score Increase
5
+3
3
6
+3
3
Psionic Discipline Feature
7
+3
4
8
+3
4
Ability Score Increase
9
+4
5
10
+4
5
Psionic Feature
11
+4
6
12
+4
6
13
+5
7
14
+5
7
Psionic Discipline Feature
15
+5
8
16
+5
8
Ability Score Increase
17
+6
9
Psionic Feature
18
+6
9
Psionic Discipline Feature
19
+6
9
Ability Score Increase
20
+6
9
Psionic Feature
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per psionic level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per psionic level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, and Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Multiclassing into Psionic
Ability Score Minimum: Constitution 13 and Intelligence 13
Proficiencies Gained: None
Psionic Spellcasting
Psionics have access to a special kind of resource and require a different kind of resource management.
The strain of using your psionic spellcasting places a toll on your body. To use a psionic spell or many of the Psionic’s abilities you must spend Hit Dice. Not all is lost however, as you possess an ability that will let you recover these spent Hit Dice at a cost.
You gain access to spell levels according to the ability chart above.
When you cast a psionic spell at level 1 or higher, you must discard one hit die per level of the spell. Hit dice discarded this way become “locked”. Locked hit dice are returned to your pool after a short rest to power your psionic spells, however these dice continue to be locked. Locked dice cannot be used to heal yourself or be used for psionic abilities until you finish a long rest, at which point you may recover locked hit dice in accordance with your Psionic Recovery ability, to be used as desired.
When casting a spell you may ignore any listed verbal, somatic or material components. A Psionic is unable to cast spells that require a consumed material component or a material component that has a gold cost, unless specifically permitted by a class ability.
Psionic Burn
If you use a locked hit die for spellcasting, you take feedback damage equal to the level of the spell cast x the number of locked hit dice used. This damage cannot be reduced by any means.
High level Casting
Casting spells of 6th level or higher take such mental fortitude that the strain they cause to replicate a magic spell begins to burn out your psionic capabilities. When you cast a spell of 6th level or higher, the spent hit dice are removed from your pool and can no longer be used for any reason until you finish a long rest. Locked hit dice spent this way still cause feedback damage.
Spells Known
As your spellcasting comes from the power of your mind, you are able to train your mind to store a certain number of spells in a given day. While you have access to the entire spell list from level 1, you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Psionic level + your Intelligence modifier.
You may pick from any level of spells from the Psionic Spell List without restriction, however you are still only able to cast spells up to a maximum level as defined on the Psionic table. If you desire to possess only cantrips, you can do so just as easily as possessing only first level spells.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your psionic spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to access the deepest recesses of your mind. 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 psionic 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
Psionic Disciplines
At level 1, choose a Psionic Discipline, which describes what area of psionics you became most proficient in. Psionic Assault, Psionic Shield, or Psionic Manipulation.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Psionic Recovery
At level 1, if you spend an action meditating, you may choose to unlock one locked hit die. Forcing your psonic capacity to be restored in this way is painful and takes a toll on your mind’s ability to function. When you unlock hit dice using this ability, subtract from your maximum hit points the highest roll possible from the hit die you just unlocked. If your current hit point level is above this new maximum, reduce your current hit points to this new maximum. The maximum hit points lost from this ability cannot be recovered until the end of a long rest. As this represents the mental, rather than physical, toll, you must lose these hit points, even if another spell or ability would prevent you.
As well, after completing a long rest you may choose to recover up to a number of hit dice equal to your Psionic level instead of using the standard hit die recovery rules and any recovered hit dice that were locked become unlocked.
Minor Telepathy
At 2nd level, you can now speak telepathically to a willing creature that is within 60 feet of you and once that connection has been established, they can speak to you telepathically in return. The telepathic connection fails if you are ever more than 60 feet away from the target creature. You understand each other even if you do not share the same language, but the target creature must know at least one language to be able to communicate telepathically. You cannot speak to more than one creature at a time using this ability. If the creature is not willing, the encounter is treated as though no contact has taken place.
Breadth of Training
At level 3, you come to a crossroads in your growth. You are now able to use your psionic powers to alter the effects of your spells. You must choose to excel in a school of magic of your choice.
When you acquire this ability, the focus in a singular school allows you to have a certain benefit when you cast spells from this school.
Abjuration - When you cast an Abjuration spell, you may use your reaction to roll 1D4 and choose to add to or subtract from (your choice) any die roll that spell might cause to happen.
Conjuration - When you cast a Conjuration spell, you may double the duration of the spell, as long as that duration does not exceed an additional 24 hours.
Divination - When you cast a Divination spell, if the spell requires you to make a roll, you may use your reaction to make a second roll and use either result.
Enchantment - When you cast an Enchantment spell that charms the target and that spell permits the target to know who cast the spell, you may use your reaction when you cast the spell to prevent the target from knowing it was you who cast the spell.
Evocation - When you cast an Evocation spell, if the spell damages a target you may spend one additional hit die to change the damage type of that spell to psychic damage. If the spell heals a target, you may use your bonus action to heal yourself for hit points equal to the level of the spell.
Illusion - When you cast an Illusion spell and the target creature is subject to the effects of a spell, you may learn about your enemy as you penetrate its mind. You may ask for information related to one of it’s Stat Block categories, or one ability score. The target creature then becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Necromancy - When you cast a necromancy spell that is not a cantrip, you may use a bonus action to add your proficiency bonus plus the level of the spell as Temporary HP.
Transmutation - When you cast a Transmutation spell, you may use your bonus action to increase the area the spell effects by a number of feet equal to your Intelligence Modifier.
Improved Telepathy
At level 10, you are able to cast Scrying as a ritual without the use of components once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You must have firsthand or familiar knowledge of the target (firsthand knowledge also includes having previously communicated telepathically with the target), or the target automatically succeeds on their saving throw.
Mental Discipline
At level 10, you also now have resistance to psychic damage
Mental Mastery
At level 17 you have unlocked many secrets of your art. As an action at any time, you may unlock 1 locked hit die without taking damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Psionic Supreme
At level 20 Your mental agility and prowess have exceeded those of mere mortals. Your Intelligence score increases by 4 and your maximum for this score is now 24.
You are also now immune to all psychic damage and immune to any spell or ability that forces you to take actions against your will.
Psionic Disciplines
Psionic Assault
Psychic Weapons
At level 1 you become proficient in all martial weapons.
You may also use your intelligence modifier for your attack and damage rolls instead of your strength or dexterity modifiers.
Once per long rest, you may attempt to sap the strength from your target by casting Sapping Sting on them as part of a weapon attack. You must target the creature you attacked, and the range for this spell is the range of your weapon. You do not need to have this spell prepared to cast it using this ability.
Psionic Coatings
At level 6, you learn how to coat your weapons in psionic energy. Any weapon you equip now counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 6, you can attack twice instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach level 18.
Imbued Weapons
At level 14 your coated weapons become imbued with psychic energy. As a bonus action, you may swap any weapons you currently have equipped with any other weapons in your inventory. You may also use your reaction to reload any weapons you have equipped without the use of a free hand.
Also, once per long rest as a bonus action you may spend a Hit Die to increase the critical range of your weapon attacks to critically hit on a roll of 18-20 for 1 minute. This die must not be locked and becomes locked after you use this ability.
Unending Assault
At level 18 you gain the ability to continue your assault for as long as you have the power to do so. As part of the attack action, you may spend 1 hit die to teleport up to 10 feet and perform one additional weapon attack against a new creature that you can see. You may repeat this ability within the same turn at the cost of one additional hit die per activation as long as there is a new creature you can target within 10 feet. You cannot target the same creature twice in the same turn using this ability. The spent hit die must not be locked and become locked when you use this ability. These weapon attacks are in addition to the number of attacks you can make each round.
Extra Attack
Beginning at level 18, you can attack three times instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Psionic Shield
Psychic Armor
At level 1, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, heavy armour, and shields.
Pick one of the following benefits that activate depending on what armor you have equipped. You may pick a different benefit at the end of a long rest.
Light Armor - Your armor does not hinder you as you move around. As long as you have light armor equipped, you may add half your proficiency modifier (rounded up) to all Dexterity saving throws.
Medium Armor - As long as you have medium armor equipped, when you take the Dodge action, you can add the Dexterity Bonus of the armour you are wearing to any Dexterity saving throw the Dodge action allows you to make. Also while you have medium armor equipped, your AC can never drop below the armor’s base AC.
Heavy Armor - As long as you have heavy armor equipped, if you would be knocked prone without being granted a saving throw, you nonetheless get a Strength saving throw at a Difficulty Challenge of 14 to remain standing.
Shield - As long as you have a shield equipped, as an action you may use your psionic abilities to expand your shield to cover all allies within 5 feet of you, giving the these allies a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the round as long as they are within 5 feet of you.
Psychic Shield
At level 6 you gain the ability to project a protective barrier over yourself or others. As a reaction, you may spend a hit die to place a psychic shield over the mind of a target within 30 feet. During this time, any attempt to magically influence the target with illusions, magically compel information from the target, or otherwise attempt to take control of the target’s mind is more difficult. This psychic shield lasts for 1 hour and grants the target a +5 bonus to all saving throws used to defend against such attacks. The hit die used must not be locked and becomes locked when you use this ability.
The target also has resistance to Psychic damage for the duration of this Psychic Shield.
Improved Shielding
At level 14, your talent for imbuing your armor with psychic power is complete. Once per long rest, as an action you may spend a hit die. The spent hit die must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent. For the next minute, you have resistance to all non-magical damage.
You are also able to use your psychic powers to equip your armor. As an action, you may don or doff both your armor and your shield. You do not require a free hand to take these actions.
Psychic Thorns
At level 18, enemies who successfully hit you take damage. As a reaction, you may choose to spend 1 hit die to cause the creature who did damage to you to take psychic damage equal to your AC. If you use your reaction to use this ability, you may choose to spend an additional hit die to regain the use of your reaction after the triggering event. You must spend this additional hit die before the event that triggered the reaction ends. The hit dice spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you use this ability.
You can no longer be pushed or pulled involuntarily.
Also, as long as you are conscious, your psionic proficiency with your shield allows you to no longer require a free hand to gain the benefit of an equipped shield as your psionic powers will hold a shield for you. This ability does not permit any additional benefits of equipping more than one shield than you would normally have.
Psionic Manipulation
A Mentalist’s Insight
At level 1, you gain proficiency in one Artisan’s Tool and one Instrument of your choice. At the end of a long rest, you may choose to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to be proficient in.
At any time you may spend a hit die to give up the proficiency in your current tool and/or instrument and choose a new Artisan’s Tool and/or Instrument to become proficient in. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after it is spent.
You also gain proficiency in the following Skills: Sleight of Hand and Performance. If you are already proficient in either of these skills, you may substitute that skill with a skill of your choice.
The Mind’s Eye
At level 6, any unsuccessful attempt to intentionally deceive you or successful saving throw against a magical charm effect causes the deceiver, spellcaster or ability user to take psychic damage equal to your proficiency modifier as long as the creature is aware of you.
Piercing Thoughts
As well, at level 6 your psychic abilities now allow you to briefly your target’s physiology. If a creature hit by a spell you cast is immune to the damage type caused by that spell, you may spend a hit die to cause that creature to instead become resistant to the spell’s damage. After the spell has been cast, that creature regains its immunity status, including immunity from any lingering damage of the same type. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
Psychometry
At level 14 you gain the ability to cast Legend Lore as a ritual a number of times a day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You do not require any components to cast this spell as a ritual. This spell does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a long rest.
At any time during the effect of the spell, you may also choose to spend one hit die to learn additional details at the DMs discretion that are above and beyond what a normal Legend Lore spell might currently tell you. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once you spend it. These details might be specific information about the object or information otherwise unavailable to you. This will also cause Legend Lore to apply to objects that are not of legendary importance, although the information you learn may not be very interesting.
Reading the Wind
As well, at level 14, being Surprised has a lessened effect on you. At the start of the round you are Surprised, you may choose to not be Surprised and instead be Slowed, as if affected by the Slow spell, until the end of the round.
Battlefield Manipulation
At level 18 your skills in psychic manipulation now extend to the battlefield. As a reaction at the end of the initiative order, you may spend one hit die to move one creature of your choice one space up or one space down in initiative order. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked once it is spent.
You gain a flying speed equal to half your movement speed. While flying, you must concentrate on this ability as if concentrating on a spell.
Once per short rest as a reaction immediately after the Mind’s Eye effect occurs, you can cast the spell Command at 1st level on a creature damaged by Mind's Eye. You can use this ability without locking a hit die and you do not need to have the spell prepared. When you cast Command using this ability, the range of the spell is the range to your target. Before the spell is cast, you may choose to lock a hit die in order for this spell to affect a creature that does not understand your language. If this ability is used on the target creature’s current turn, the creature must immediately follow the Command if it is able to do so. Otherwise the Command spell behaves as normal. The hit die spent must not be locked and becomes locked after being used.
SPELL LIST
Cantrip
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Level 8
Level 9
Thank you for this now my old school dad can play 5e with us again. Love your work I might tweak it but I hope you don't mind me using it in my new campaign, but I am wondering both how to save it and how or even if you wanted me to let you know suggestions updates and anything else I could use with this forum. I needed to save it for my dad's use but I haven't been able to figure out how and I don't like exporting as PDF's without the original creators permission. I would of course always credit you and I have this saved as proof of word that I agreed to credit and that I intended to with permission export as a pdf for my own personal in game use