Wizard: Order of the Skilled (Gish) PEACH

[Jervis]

I heard someone calling some elves "Gish", ain't nothing skilled about dancing around like a Githzerai with ice in his boots.

Wizard: Order of the Skilled

Drawing it's name from the Githyanki word for skilled, Gish is a term those in the material plane typically apply to spellcasters skilled with weaponry, or skilled warriors with magical abilities. The term is often applied in Githyanki culture to those that train their bodies and mind's simultaneously. Many of them serve as high ranking soldiers in the Githyanki army or mindflayer hunters, with many of them in the service of their people having red dragon mounts due to a pact formed between the first queen Gith and Tiamat.

Much like the elven Bladesinger this class might be restricted to Githyanki in the forgotten realms, though this class can reasonably be used by any society or individual with a psychic connection and marital background

Spoiler: Design Theory n' Ranting

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I'm not going to lie this was made almost entirely because i feel that Githyanki deserve the same subclass treatment that elven favoritism created with bladesinger. Yes i know they aren't as popular but i like them.

Also the reasoning for medium armor comes entirely from the (relatively) recent changes to Githyanki to remove medium armor from their kit. They use to be custom built for brut forcing a strength based bladesinger and with that option removed i wanted to make something for it. Yes i know you can just use the old version but potatoes. This still works well for Githyanki because their floating weapon proficiency lets them grab greatswords.

Arcane Assault exists as a balance feature for Bladesinger extra attack. In a low op enviornment, they're identical, but it removes the option to use Pam,Ce,TWF, and the other typical bonus action attacks, as well as encouraging the second level feature's action economy use. Not quite as good for damage but some forced movement and possible advantage generation. I was somewhat worried about this one but it should hopefully work out without much of a balance issue because of the range.

Martial Tradition

At 2nd level when you adopt this subclass, you gain proficiency in medium armor, as well as short swords and longswords. Furthermore you can use any sword you are proficient with as a arcane focus for your Wizard spells.

Additionally you gain proficiency in your choice of the Athletics or Intimidation skill.

Psychic Tradition

Also at 2nd level you gain some awakened psychic potential. You learn the Mage Hand cantrip if you didn't know it already. You can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and make the hand created by the spell invisible. It's maximum carry weight increases by 10 pounds times your intelligence modifier, also you can command the hand as a bonus action. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Additionally you gain the ability to assert your mental energy from a distance. As a bonus action while a mage hand spell you cast is active, you can attempt to telekinetically shove a creature that is no larger than one size category larger than you and is within half of your mage hand spell's range from you. Doing so moves your mage hand to that creatures position and requires you to make a Intelligence (Athletics) check contested by that creatures Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (Their choice). If you succeed this contest, you can either move the creature 5 feet in any direction or knock it prone. A creature can intentionally fail this contest.

Spoiler: Dev Commentary

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Basically a normal mage hand means you can shove a creature from 15 feet away. The telekinetic feat doubles this to 30 feet. The fact that this is a check instead of a saving throw makes this better than the feat but I would still argue it's possibly worth picking up by virtue of doubling your shove range and the range of your mage hand. I'm somewhat worried about a BA shove but seeing as taking advantage of it personally means you need to be in melee and can't use BA damage buff spells like flaming sphere, i think it's somewhat reasonable.

Arcane Assault

At 6th level you gain the ability to weave magic and martial abilities together seamlessly. When you use your action to cast a Wizard cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as part of the same action.

Psychic Supremacy

At 10th level your psychic powers sharpen. The range of your Mage Hand cantrip as well as the maximum weight it can carry are doubled, and the hand created by the spell can be a number of feat away from you equal to the spells range. When you successfully use a bonus action to shove a creature with your Psychic Tradition feature, you can have the creature move 10 feet in any direction.

Additionally, as a bonus action on your turn you can fling any object your mage hand is holding towards a creature you can see within the spells range and within 30 feet of the mage hand. If you do, make a spell attack roll against the creature. On a hit the creature takes 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier bludgeoning damage. Regardless of if the object hit or not your mage hand moves to that creature's location and drops the object it was previously holding.

Psychic Slash

At 14th level, you gain the ability to deal additional psychic damage to any creature you hit with a weapon. Your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d8 psychic damage.

[Garfunion]

I’ve made some changes to these features

Martial Tradition

At 2nd level when you adopt this subclass, you gain proficiency in light and medium armor, as well as rapiers, scimitars, shortswords, and longswords.

Additionally you gain proficiency in your choice of the Athletics or Intimidation skill.

Psychic Tradition

Also at 2nd level you gain some awakened psychic potential.
You can use your action to concentrate your focus on an object (as if you’re concentrating on a spell) to move the object. The object can not weigh no more than 5 x your proficiency bonus in pounds. If the object isn’t being worn or carried, you automatically move it up to 30 feet in any direction, but not beyond the 60ft of you.
You can exert fine control on the object with your telekinetic grip, such as manipulating a simple tool, opening a door or a container, stowing or retrieving an item from an open container, or pouring the contents from a vial.

[Jervis]

I’ve made some changes to these features

Martial Tradition

At 2nd level when you adopt this subclass, you gain proficiency in light and medium armor, as well as rapiers, scimitars, shortswords, and longswords.

Additionally you gain proficiency in your choice of the Athletics or Intimidation skill.

Psychic Tradition

Also at 2nd level you gain some awakened psychic potential.
You can use your action to concentrate your focus on an object (as if you’re concentrating on a spell) to move the object. The object can not weigh no more than 5 x your proficiency bonus in pounds. If the object isn’t being worn or carried, you automatically move it up to 30 feet in any direction, but not beyond the 60ft of you.
You can exert fine control on the object with your telekinetic grip, such as manipulating a simple tool, opening a door or a container, stowing or retrieving an item from an open container, or pouring the contents from a vial.

Yeah I should probably add a few swords and light armor to the proficiencies section. Though i’m curious as to the change to psychic tradition. I was somewhat worried about the BA shove so I could understand removing it if that was your intention. Though without that it’s more or less a slightly mage hand that requires concentration. Either way thanks for the input, I always appreciate it.

Edit: Oh and as a side note. I was rereading the equipment section and realized silver weapons actually have a price tag attached unlike magical weapons. Does anyone think changing the clause for allowing you to use a sword as a focus to letting you use silvered weapons as a focus would be a bad idea? Using weapons as a focus is something I do with homebrew occasionally but i’m not 100% sold on it design wise since it lets you pick up any old club as use it as a focus. I’ve been looking at other approaches and for this specifically the lore connection to silver swords makes me think using silver weapons could be a good idea. Makes disarming still a problem but almost means you don’t need to beg your DM for a Ruby of the Warmage. You could also afford it with wizard starting gold if you roll a smidge above average.

[Garfunion]

Yeah I should probably add a few swords and light armor to the proficiencies section. Though i’m curious as to the change to psychic tradition. I was somewhat worried about the BA shove so I could understand removing it if that was your intention. Though without that it’s more or less a slightly mage hand that requires concentration. Either way thanks for the input, I always appreciate it.

Edit: Oh and as a side note. I was rereading the equipment section and realized silver weapons actually have a price tag attached unlike magical weapons. Does anyone think changing the clause for allowing you to use a sword as a focus to letting you use silvered weapons as a focus would be a bad idea? Using weapons as a focus is something I do with homebrew occasionally but i’m not 100% sold on it design wise since it lets you pick up any old club as use it as a focus. I’ve been looking at other approaches and for this specifically the lore connection to silver swords makes me think using silver weapons could be a good idea. Makes disarming still a problem but almost means you don’t need to beg your DM for a Ruby of the Warmage. You could also afford it with wizard starting gold if you roll a smidge above average.

I just felt that the amount of modifications that you were doing to mage hand cantrip was to much. So I copied and paste the telekinesis spell and did some modifications to it to simplify the feature you were trying to create.

As for the weapon arcane focus I don’t think it’s necessary seeing as how they are one-handed weapons. Even if you are wielding it with two hands you can remove one hand to cast a spell.

[Jervis]

I just felt that the amount of modifications that you were doing to mage hand cantrip was to much. So I copied and paste the telekinesis spell and did some modifications to it to simplify the feature you were trying to create.

As for the weapon arcane focus I don’t think it’s necessary seeing as how they are one-handed weapons. Even if you are wielding it with two hands you can remove one hand to cast a spell.

Fair enough. I’m not sure how I feel about the bonus action level 2 as is anyway. I’m trying to hone into the design space of increasing survivability without increasing AC or boosting Concentration, I don’t want to infringe too much onto Bladesinger. Wizards also have trouble with BAs unless they’re gishes, in which case they’re probably using CBE or PAM which I also want to avoid. So I want to find something that increases survivability as a BA. Repositioning was my first thought but that leans a bit too much into the Telekinetic feat.

Maybe something that deals with temp hp or something, or maybe a self shove. I’m gonna need to do some work on this. Thanks btw

Edit: An idea for what i was thinking about.

Psychic Tradition
At 2nd level you gain the ability to enhance the powers of your mind with psychic ferocity. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can use a bonus action to heighten your psychic abilities. This effect lasts for 1 minute or until you fall unconscious or die. Immediately after you activate this effect, and as a bonus action on your turn during the duration of this effect immediately after hitting a creature with a melee attack you can activate one of the following effects,

• Mind Strike Target one creature you can see within your reach. That creature takes 1d6 psychic damage.
• Telekinetic Shove Target one creature you can see within your reach. Move that creature to an unoccupied space within 5 feet, provided that creature is no larger than one size category larger than you.
• Psychic Warding You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + half your wizard level. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute or until you use this feature to gain temporary hit points again.

You can use this feature a maximum number of times equal to your proficiency bonus before you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to use this feature again.

Psychic Mastery
At 10th level your psychic abilities are enhanced. The effects of your Psychic Tradition class feature are improved in the following ways.

• Mind Strike Your Mind Strike ability now deals 2d6 psychic damage.
• Telekinetic Shove Your telekinetic now moves a creature up to 10 feet away.
• Psychic Warding Your Psychic Warding now grants 2d6 + half your wizard level temporary hit points.

I'm no where near certain on those numbers but it's a start i suppose.