Soulknife/Psychic Warrior Multiclass? How many PED?

[Damon_Tor]

So it isn't clear in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything how a character with Psychic Energy Dice from two sources is supposed to determine how many they have. The features both say "You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus" not "you gain a number of these dice equal to you twice your proficiency bonus" so I would think a strict reading would imply that a multiclassed Soulknife/Psychic Warrior would still only have 2xPB, not 4xPB. But I'm wondering if Crawford has weighed in on this issue.

I'm trying to like the Soulknife, I really am. It's been my favorite character concept for years and years, but I can't think of a single reason I wouldn't be much better off making an Arcane Trickster with a Shadowblade.

[Civis Mundi]

Per Jeremy Crawford, you would treat them as separate pools (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/1331690537791803394). Not that his word is law, but there you go.


The D&D Psi Warrior and Soulknife each get their own pool of Psionic Energy dice, which (quoting the class feature) "fuel various psionic powers you have, which are detailed below." Here "below" refers to the powers in the subclass, not powers you might get elsewhere.

[Damon_Tor]

Per Jeremy Crawford, you would treat them as separate pools (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/1331690537791803394). Not that his word is law, but there you go.

Blah. I hate that.

Arcane Trickster it is then. I tried.

[Civis Mundi]

Blah. I hate that.

Arcane Trickster it is then. I tried.

To be fair, Arcane Trickster sets a high bar. IMO, it’s the strongest Rogue subclass. I’d feel the same way about EK for Fighters, if not for Battle Master, but EK does give it a run for its money. Spellcasting is just that good.

[Dork_Forge]

So it isn't clear in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything how a character with Psychic Energy Dice from two sources is supposed to determine how many they have. The features both say "You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus" not "you gain a number of these dice equal to you twice your proficiency bonus" so I would think a strict reading would imply that a multiclassed Soulknife/Psychic Warrior would still only have 2xPB, not 4xPB. But I'm wondering if Crawford has weighed in on this issue.

I'm trying to like the Soulknife, I really am. It's been my favorite character concept for years and years, but I can't think of a single reason I wouldn't be much better off making an Arcane Trickster with a Shadowblade.

What is it about two separate pools that you don't like?

And what is it about the Soulknife that you feel that you would be better off being an AT with a SB?

[Arkhios]

What is it about two separate pools that you don't like?

And what is it about the Soulknife that you feel that you would be better off being an AT with a SB?

My guess is that they had hoped they would get effectively twice the amount of PED that they might use interchangeably between the classes. Which would be broken AF.

[Galithar]

My guess is that they had hoped they would get effectively twice the amount if PED that they might use interchangeably between the classes. Which would be broken AF.

Honestly it's pretty powerful even separated between the classes because the number scales off proficiency instead of class level. Only the size changes on class level.

A mixed you get prof×2 dice that go up to d8 d10 etc. When your combined class level hits the next mark would probably be a better balance in my opinion. Also it would mirror multicaster slots a bit better than keeping them completely separate does. You get more powerful and more dice, but your limited to the lower level abilities exactly like a multiclass caster with spellslots compared to their spells known.

[ZRN]

Honestly it's pretty powerful even separated between the classes because the number scales off proficiency instead of class level. Only the size changes on class level.

A mixed you get prof×2 dice that go up to d8 d10 etc. When your combined class level hits the next mark would probably be a better balance in my opinion. Also it would mirror multicaster slots a bit better than keeping them completely separate does. You get more powerful and more dice, but your limited to the lower level abilities exactly like a multiclass caster with spellslots compared to their spells known.

Yeah, Crawford's recommended way is significantly more powerful than any other likely option.

I feel like a three-level dip in SK is pretty impactful for making a well-rounded "psychic warrior" character: psi-bolstered knack seems like it'd be more impactful on a character who doesn't already succeed on 90% of skill checks due to Reliable Talent, and psychic whispers is just cool. Annoyingly, the psychic blades don't work very well with Extra Attack.

[Arkhios]

Annoyingly, the psychic blades don't work very well with Extra Attack.

Care to elaborate why wouldn't?

[Galithar]

Care to elaborate why wouldn't?

Not who you were quoting but:

The blade disappears as soon as you hit or miss. It has built in dual wielding in that it allows you to make another psychic blade attack with a bonus action as long as your other hand is also free. Though the damage die is a d4 on this bonus action attack.

Since it disappears as soon as you make the attack you don't have the blade to make a followup extra attack unless you are also holding another weapon in your other hand. Any bonus action attack by this method would use the normal two weapon fighting rules and could not be made with the psychic blade.