D&D: A Deep Dive Into the Updated Psion Class – Brains Really Do Win Out Over Brawn

The updated new Psion class Unearthed Arcana has me excited for whatever book it ends up in. This version feels pretty good.

WotC released an updated version of the Psion class in a new Unearthed Arcana. Along with the core class, we get revised versions of three of the four psionic subclasses, as well as a suite of new spells. All of which are very mindful—I leave it to you to decide if they are also demure. But today we’re going to take a look at the core Psion class.

The Unearthed Arcana update leaves the Psion on fairly sturdy ground. It gets buffs overall, and while I’m sad to see the “Psionic Modes” feature gone completely, there’s nothing that feels like it really hampers the class. This is an amazing example of the kind of fine tuning possible when designers listen to the feedback they’re getting. So, with that in mind, let’s dive on in to the depths of the mind.

The Updated Psion Class – Now With More Mind, Less Matter

Psionics and D&D go way back. All the way to the first edition Player’s Handbook when any character had a chance of having some sort of psionic talent. Of course, over the years psionics have taken many forms. Currently, psionic power comes in the form of psionic power dice and being able to cast spells without components.

You see the psionic power dice in subclasses like the Soulknife Rogue and Psi Warrior Fighter, while subclasses like the Great Old One Warlock or the Aberrant Mind Sorcerer can cast spells without needing to be obvious about it.

The Psion class exemplifies both of these things. They are spellcasters first and foremost, but they can empower their magic (and themselves) with the powers of the mind. And in the updated Psion we get a better glimpse of how that can work.

As a Psion, at 1st level, you gain psychic power right away. There are two core features of the class: Psionic Power and of course, Spellcasting. Psionic power gives you a reserve of 4d6 (to start with) psionic power dice that you can spend on psionic abilities. You also get two abilities: Telekinetic Propel and Telepathic Connection.

Both have been improved from their previous iteration. Telekinetic Propel lets you potentially move a creature telekinetically as a Bonus Action. It used to cost you a single power die, but now you can push or pull someone for free, or you can spend a power die to move them further.

Likewise Telepathic Connection now gives you Telepathy out to 30 feet and you can spend a power die to increase the range. Both of these are extremely nice improvements, they don’t necessarily compete for your limited power dice usage, but it’s nice to have the option to spend more.

Then of course, there’s the Spellcasting feature. Like Wizards and Clerics and Sorcerers, much of the updated Psion’s class identity comes from the spells you pick. And the Psion now has an updated class-specific spell list with many improvements. You can pick from a bigger selection of spells now, including spells like Shield and Thunderwave on top of the new Psion spells, just to pick an example of 1st-level gains.

And whenever you cast a spell from that list you can cast it without aa Verbal or Material component. Also your Mage Hand is invisible, which is nice.

Beyond 1st Level

At higher levels, the updated Psion has some reworked tricks. First though, the bad news. Psionic modes are gone—that’s not too bad of a plan. But it means your only level 2 feature is Psionic Discipline. But that feature has been tweaked—now you gain one new discipline at levels 5, 10, 13, and 17 instead of gaining two at level 10 and two at level 17. I like the progression much better.

We’ll talk more about the revised disciplines in a moment. But for now there are still a few other core class features to deal with. The revised Psionic Restoration means you can now regain all your expended Psionic Dice once per Long Rest, which is a nice change and better for the class’ sustainability overall. And at level 18 Psionic Reserves gives you four psionic dice any time you roll Initiative, which is cool.

Updated Psion Disciplines

The last big class feature for the updated Psion is the updated Psionic Disciplines. Many have been tweaked, at least a little, though there are two big changes with mentioning. First is Ego Whip has been redesigned as a spell, and replacing it is the new Sharpened Mind discipline.

With Sharpened Mind, you can decide to give your destructive psionic powers a boost. At the start of your turn, you can spend a power die, roll it, and for 10 rounds you ignore resistance to psychic damage. Also whenever you deal psychic damage, you can swap out one of your die rolls for whatever number you rolled when using Sharpened Mind, which can be pretty strong at higher levels.

Here are some of the other discipline cjanges:

• Biofeedback and Destructive Thoughts now let you spend more power dice – up to your Intelligence modifier
• Devilish Tongue, Expanded Awareness, and Observant Mind (renamed from tactical mind) now only spend your power dice if you succeed with them, so you can keep them on a failure
• Bolstering Precognition now let’s you benefit an Ally’s next d20 test

All of which adds up to a pretty good looking class. But that’s just my opinion. You should definitely be testing this out if you want a say in how the final version looks. WotC is clearly listening to the feedback, so keep an eye out for that survey.

Check out the Psion below!

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]

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