LibraryOgre
2020-04-02, 11:29 PM
Psionicists will tell you that they master themselves, first, and that their powers, though wondrous, are not precisely magical. There seems to be some truth to that, as the powers they enact, though they may mechanically resemble spells, seem to shrug off countermeasures made to disable spellcasting; a psionicist does not "cast spells", they "use powers". Masters of the psychic, psionicists weave flexible magic without spell slots, often needing neither word nor gesture.
1st level
Psionicists are unique in that they do not receive spell slots, as standard sorcerers do. Instead, they receive an allotment of sorcery points beginning at 1st level, and may create the spell slots they need as they adventure. Unlike other sorcerers, creating spell slots does not require a bonus action, and they are able to create spell slots up to 9th level, though they are still limited in the maximum level of their spell slot according to their psionicist level (so, they cannot create 2nd level spell slots until 3rd level, 3rd until 5th, 4th until 7th, and so on).
Spell Slot Cost:
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 5
4th 6
5th 7
6th 9
7th 10
8th 11
9th 13
Sorcery points per level
1st 4
2nd 8
3rd 17
4th 21
5th 32
6th 38
7th 45
8th 52
9th 66
10th 74
11th 84
12th 85
13th 96
14th 97
15th 109
16th 110
17th 124
18th 132
19th 142
20th 153
Additionally, psionics are not exactly magic. Effects that would counter, dispel, or suppress psionics always force an ability check against a DC of 10 + the spell slot used by the psychic + the psychic's proficiency bonus. So, for example, a 5th level wizard attempting to dispel the Charm Person of a 1st level psionicist would require an Intelligence test against 10 + 1 (1st level spell slot) + 2 (proficiency bonus at 1st level), despite the fact that Dispel Magic will normally automatically dispel 1st level spells. Likewise, the charmed person entering an Antimagic Field might remain charmed. Likewise, at 1st level, all psionicists begin with the Subtle Spell metamagic, which they know and may use in addition to other metamagics, at normal cost.
Psionicists know spells and cantrips with the same restrictions as other sorcerers. All psionicists know the Mage Hand and Message cantrips; these are NOT bonus cantrips, but count as cantrips known. A psionicst's Message cantrip resists magical silence, as above; their Mage Hand is invisible.
6th Level
Masters of mental combat, psionicists add their Charisma modifier to all psychic damage. They may, when using a power that causes damage, spend 1 additional sorcery point to change the damage to psychic damage. Additionally, they may spend 1 power point to erect psychic defenses, and gain resistance against psychic damage for 1 hour.
14th level
Psionicists rely on their sorcery points far more than other sorcerers, and may, with meditation, tap a further well of sorcery points. After a short rest, they may regain up to one fourth (1/4) of their normal sorcery points, subject to their usual maximum. They may only do this once per long rest. When they reach 20th level, this is in addition to the 4 points recovered by Sorcerous Restoration. Additionally, Subtle Spell no longer requires sorcery points; all a psionicist's spells may be subtle, at their discretion.
18th level
Psionicists are masters of their minds, and able to maintain several delicate states of mind at one time. They may maintain concentration on a spell, and cast and concentrate on another spell at the same time. They may do this a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier; e.g. a psionicist with a 20 Charisma may maintain concentration on two spells at once five times in a day. These uses reset with a long rest.
***
Design notes:
So, psychics in D&D have long been point-based; 1e, two different ways in 2e, 3e, and I think 4e had some psychic points; this takes an existing semi-point-based caster (the sorcerer) and makes them fully point-based. The number of sorcery points provided at each level should be equal to the amount a standard sorcerer would have, if all of their spell slots were created from sorcery points. They get bonus, 1st level, metamagic, since psionics can be silent and gestureless, but don't have to be... even Master Yoda lifts his hand and hums to lift an X-wing. To make psionics somewhat unique from magic, I threw in a bit of resistance to dispel, counterspell, and anti-magic shell... these are not precisely magic, and may escape countermeasures to magic. It's a very useful ability, so I threw in a slight cost... you don't get to choose two of your cantrips. The two chosen for you aren't bad ones to have, but it's a touch less flexibility, while being a call-out to traditional psychic powers or telepathy and telekinesis.
At 6th level, I'll be honest, I just cribbed from the Draconic Sorcerer, and changed it to Psychic. You know, I know it, I have not shame. I gave them the ability to make any damage psychic, which is a bit potent, but I think it works without being too crazy, especially as I tossed a cost on doing so.
14th level gives them something similar to the wizard's Arcane Recovery, and hearkens to psionicists of older editions getting to recharge their powers throughout the day, not just at sleep. Again, there's a two-fold cost here... you have to do it after a short rest, and you can only do it once per long rest. It's a great ability, but not sovereign.
18th level was a fun one; I wanted something that would really set them apart, and the ability to concentrate on two things at once seemed like a good, psychic sort of power. It's limited by their Charisma bonus, just to prevent them from having carte blanche to double-cast.
1st level
Psionicists are unique in that they do not receive spell slots, as standard sorcerers do. Instead, they receive an allotment of sorcery points beginning at 1st level, and may create the spell slots they need as they adventure. Unlike other sorcerers, creating spell slots does not require a bonus action, and they are able to create spell slots up to 9th level, though they are still limited in the maximum level of their spell slot according to their psionicist level (so, they cannot create 2nd level spell slots until 3rd level, 3rd until 5th, 4th until 7th, and so on).
Spell Slot Cost:
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 5
4th 6
5th 7
6th 9
7th 10
8th 11
9th 13
Sorcery points per level
1st 4
2nd 8
3rd 17
4th 21
5th 32
6th 38
7th 45
8th 52
9th 66
10th 74
11th 84
12th 85
13th 96
14th 97
15th 109
16th 110
17th 124
18th 132
19th 142
20th 153
Additionally, psionics are not exactly magic. Effects that would counter, dispel, or suppress psionics always force an ability check against a DC of 10 + the spell slot used by the psychic + the psychic's proficiency bonus. So, for example, a 5th level wizard attempting to dispel the Charm Person of a 1st level psionicist would require an Intelligence test against 10 + 1 (1st level spell slot) + 2 (proficiency bonus at 1st level), despite the fact that Dispel Magic will normally automatically dispel 1st level spells. Likewise, the charmed person entering an Antimagic Field might remain charmed. Likewise, at 1st level, all psionicists begin with the Subtle Spell metamagic, which they know and may use in addition to other metamagics, at normal cost.
Psionicists know spells and cantrips with the same restrictions as other sorcerers. All psionicists know the Mage Hand and Message cantrips; these are NOT bonus cantrips, but count as cantrips known. A psionicst's Message cantrip resists magical silence, as above; their Mage Hand is invisible.
6th Level
Masters of mental combat, psionicists add their Charisma modifier to all psychic damage. They may, when using a power that causes damage, spend 1 additional sorcery point to change the damage to psychic damage. Additionally, they may spend 1 power point to erect psychic defenses, and gain resistance against psychic damage for 1 hour.
14th level
Psionicists rely on their sorcery points far more than other sorcerers, and may, with meditation, tap a further well of sorcery points. After a short rest, they may regain up to one fourth (1/4) of their normal sorcery points, subject to their usual maximum. They may only do this once per long rest. When they reach 20th level, this is in addition to the 4 points recovered by Sorcerous Restoration. Additionally, Subtle Spell no longer requires sorcery points; all a psionicist's spells may be subtle, at their discretion.
18th level
Psionicists are masters of their minds, and able to maintain several delicate states of mind at one time. They may maintain concentration on a spell, and cast and concentrate on another spell at the same time. They may do this a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier; e.g. a psionicist with a 20 Charisma may maintain concentration on two spells at once five times in a day. These uses reset with a long rest.
***
Design notes:
So, psychics in D&D have long been point-based; 1e, two different ways in 2e, 3e, and I think 4e had some psychic points; this takes an existing semi-point-based caster (the sorcerer) and makes them fully point-based. The number of sorcery points provided at each level should be equal to the amount a standard sorcerer would have, if all of their spell slots were created from sorcery points. They get bonus, 1st level, metamagic, since psionics can be silent and gestureless, but don't have to be... even Master Yoda lifts his hand and hums to lift an X-wing. To make psionics somewhat unique from magic, I threw in a bit of resistance to dispel, counterspell, and anti-magic shell... these are not precisely magic, and may escape countermeasures to magic. It's a very useful ability, so I threw in a slight cost... you don't get to choose two of your cantrips. The two chosen for you aren't bad ones to have, but it's a touch less flexibility, while being a call-out to traditional psychic powers or telepathy and telekinesis.
At 6th level, I'll be honest, I just cribbed from the Draconic Sorcerer, and changed it to Psychic. You know, I know it, I have not shame. I gave them the ability to make any damage psychic, which is a bit potent, but I think it works without being too crazy, especially as I tossed a cost on doing so.
14th level gives them something similar to the wizard's Arcane Recovery, and hearkens to psionicists of older editions getting to recharge their powers throughout the day, not just at sleep. Again, there's a two-fold cost here... you have to do it after a short rest, and you can only do it once per long rest. It's a great ability, but not sovereign.
18th level was a fun one; I wanted something that would really set them apart, and the ability to concentrate on two things at once seemed like a good, psychic sort of power. It's limited by their Charisma bonus, just to prevent them from having carte blanche to double-cast.