BendKing's Baffling Builds Bundle

[bendking]

Psychic Master



I've seen numerous people asking for an Aberrant Mind build/guide, so I decided to step up to the plate. However, I usually try to make my builds capitalize on the strengths of a certain mechanic and theme, instead of being just generally strong.
In this case, I'll be making the Aberrant Mind the ultimate social manipulator, capable of destroying nations in a heartbeat without batting an eye, while not forgoing combat effectiveness.

Stats
Race: Custom Lineage (+2 CHA, Actor)
Classes: Aberrant Mind Sorcerer 20
Stats (Point Buy): 8 STR / 14 DEX / 14 CON / 8 INT / 12 WIS / 18 CHA
ASIs: Fey Touched (+1 CHA, Gift of Alacrity), Skill Expert (+1 CHA, Deception), Resilient (WIS), Eldritch Adept: Mask of Many Faces, X
Metamagics: Careful, Subtle, [10th Sorcerer - Quickened Spell)

Starting with 18 CHA is always great. The downside is starting with 14 DEX / 14 CON, but it's worth it. This will allow our CHA progression to be on-time as we take Skill Expert and Fey Touched to make ourselves even better at cajoling our way through life.
Fey Touched gives us Misty Step for when we're in a bind, and Gift of Alacrity is an incredibly potent spell.

Spell Progression
As opposed to the Clockwork Soul we can't get two of the three 1st level spell taxes (Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements) as a part of our bonus spell list, but that's just how it is.

Cantrips
Fire Bolt, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Mold Earth [Prestidigitation, Chill Touch]

Spells
1 - Mage Armor, Shield, [Sleep, Dissonant Whispers]
2 - Mage Armor, Shield, Disguise Self [Sleep, Dissonant Whispers]
3 - Mage Armor, Shield, Disguise Self | Phantasmal Force [Sleep, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion]
4 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | Phantasmal Force [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion]
5 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Fireball [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance]
6 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Fireball, Counterspell [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance]
7 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance, Black Tentacles, Charm Monster]
8 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance, Black Tentacles, Charm Monster]
9 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Tidal Wave, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door | Synaptic Static [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance, Black Tentacles, Charm Monster, Modify Memory, Telekinesis]
10- Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements, Disguise Self | - | Hypnotic Pattern, Tidal Wave, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door | Synaptic Static, Animate Objects [Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Hunger of Hadar, Clairvoyance, Black Tentacles, Charm Monster, Modify Memory, Telekinesis]

Highlights
1. Disguise Self in concert with Actor is going to be extremely useful in deception and manipulation. Just imagine the possibilities.
You can even use it while hiding behind cover in combat: appear a few inches shorter, and use that to peek above the cover you're using to be able to Counterspell even while in full-cover. You can also create your own cover for ambushes with Mold Earth (thanks to TheUser for this trick).
2. Careful Spell pulls its weight. Careful Hypnotic Pattern is your bread and butter in combat. Hypnotic Pattern is a bit of an overtuned spell, and being able to cast it on your allies without repercussions is great. For Charmed immune enemies, you have Careful Sickening Radiance or Hunger of Hadar and Black Tentacles.
3. You can cast Suggestion without any verbal, somatic, or even material components using Psionic Sorcery. This is an upgrade over Subtle Spell, which still requires material components and thus can still give you away. Casting Suggestion completely unnoticed is one hell of a trick.
4. Completely subtle Modify Memory. Mother of God. This is the big one. In conjunction with Telepathic Speech (which will allow you to speak to the target without talking out loud), you can literally walk up to anyone, and plant/erase any memory you like. This is how nations are unmade. Play out your wildest Inception dreams.
5. A plethora of ways to screw with people. Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Detect Thoughts, Telekinesis... What more could you ask for?

Notes:
1. Make sure to take Disguise Kit as one of your proficiencies.
2. You can replace Detect Thoughts with Calm Emotions. One is better for social manipulation, the other for combat.

Variants:
1. If you don't care about social manipulation, Goblin is a fantastic choice for almost any caster. Bonus Action Hide every turn to keep yourself hidden while manipulating the battlefield is highly effective. The reasons I didn't go with Goblin are that being small and a Goblin are going to be obstacles to social engineering.
2. By the same token, Skill Expert (Deception) isn't absolutely mandatory either. You could simply take +2 CHA instead of Skill Expert and Fey Touched.
3. Finally, you can instead start with Half-Elf if you're concerned about starting with 16 DEX and 16 CON, but you would be forgoing Fey Touched and Skill Expert in return, and dumping WIS.

This build was posted on the 4th of January, 2021