Psionics before 2022-03-24

You are able to manifest supernatural abilities with the power of your mind.

Psionic Skills

Choose one:

Skill	Stat	Description
Intellect	Int
Discipline	Wis
Willpower	Cha

Differences TBD. Current thinking:

• Intellect has more power knowledge
• Discipline has more max Focus
• Willpower hits harder

Powers known: 1 per level

Powers

Each Power has three tiers. When you learn a new power, you can either gain a new power at tier 1, or advance a known power by 1 tier.

• Tier 2 requires level 5+
• Tier 3 requires level 10+

Focus

You have an attribute called Focus. Its value is between 0 and your Max Focus (determined by your Psion level).

Powers interact with Focus in one of three ways:

• Free effect do not cost anything.
• Some powers Reserve your Focus, explained below.
• Some powers Expend Focus, reducing your current (but not maximum) value.

Reserving Focus

Reservable powers take effect based on how much Focus you "slot" into them. Here is an example:

• Xanthor the Psion is level 7, and has a Max Focus of 4.
• Xanthor has the following powers:
  • Gravity, tier 2
  • Combat Precognition, tier 2
  • Empathy, tier 1
• Xanthor has recently Expended 1 Focus, and is currently at 3 Focus.
• On each turn, as a free action, Xanthor can Reserve his remaining 3 Focus between his powers at will.
  • One option might be to slot 2 into Gravity, 1 into Combat Precognition, and 0 into Empathy.
  • Another option might be to slot 1 into each power.

Generally speaking, Reservable powers allow 1 point of Focus to be reserved per tier.

Restoring Focus

When you Expend or otherwise lose Focus, you can regain it in a number of ways:

• As a move or bonus action, once/rd, you may restore 1 Focus.
• Depending on your Path, you will have other ways to restore Focus.

Out of combat, you can assume your Focus returns to maximum.

Fatigue

Some powers may mention Fatigue. Fatigue expends Focus, and reduces Max Focus by the same amount until a long rest.

Powers

Biometabolism

Autokinesis

Move thyself

Tier 1

• Reserve: move faster, spider climb
• Expend: move super fast?

Tier 2

• Reserve: lesser flight
• Expend: ?

Biofeedback

Self-healing.

Tier 1

• Reserve 1: gain DR 1.
• Expend 1: reaction, gain Resist to one attack as it happens.
• Fatigue 1: bonus action, heal self for medium or remove a harmful effect (tbd).

Kinetic Conversion

Tier 1

• Reserve 1: create a shield allowing you to Block (roll your casting skill against attack DCs coming from the front; on success, half damage). Tally all damage reduced.
• Expend 1: add all tallied damage to one kinetic attack.
• Expend 1: reaction to falling damage; roll casting skill vs DC 10 + 1 per 10 ft fallen. Success: damage negated, add to tally.

Tier 2

• Reserve 2: shield covers nearby allies.
• Expend 2: rotate your momentum (e.g. falling down becomes flying sideways).

Metamorphosis

• Tier 1: alter self, disguise
• Tier 2: polymorph, custom features
• Tier 3: ?

Psychokinesis

Cryokinesis

Electrokinesis

Pyrokinesis

Telekinesis

You know what this does.

Tier 1

• Reserve 1 Focus: wield a force as dextrous as your hand and as strong as your chosen mental stat within range.
• Expend 1 Focus: cause heavy damage with a crush or a forceful thrust.

Tier 2

• Reserve 2: grab a bunch of stuff, or larger stuff.
• Expend 2: throw many things or cause severe damage.

Tier 3

tbd

Metacreativity

Light Bending

• Free, bonus, conc, em1-3; obscure light emanating from area, granting disadvantage to perceive what lies inside, and making its form undiscernable. Cost, std, conc, em1-3; nullify the appearance of chosen subjects within area.
• Reserve: invis (tier 1), mass invis (tier 2)

Sound Bending

• Free, bonus, concentration, emanation 1-3; muffle sound emanating from area (and entering it), causing disadvantage to perceive the sound, and making it unintelligible. Cost, std, concentration, em1-3; completely nullify all sound entering or exiting.
• Reserve: silence
• Expend: shatter

Space

Blink, dimension door, teleport, etc.

Time

Blink? Time hop? Time compression? Time stop?

Clairsentience

Combat Precognition

With this power, you sense attacks and hazards before they happen, enhancing your ability to defend, and improving your ability to capitalize on your enemy's openings.

Tier 1

• Combat Insight: By reserving 1 Focus, you gain +2 to AC and Dexterity saving throws. When enemies provoke opportunity attacks, you gain advantage to attack rolls.
• Speed of Thought: By expending 1 Focus, you can take a move action as a reaction to any hostile action affecting you.

• See the Unseen: Expends focus; as a reaction, you become aware of an enemy you were previously unaware of (within the encounter).

Tier 2

• By reserving 2 Focus, you gain +4 to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and advantage to all attack rolls.
• By expending 2 Focus, you can make a single attack or use a psionic power (that does not itself expend Focus) as a reaction to any enemy's action.

Tier 3

• Mulligan: Expends focus; you can re-take a single action after seeing all of its immediate consequences. This undoes the action, and gives you another action in its place.

Telepathy

Empathy

With this power, you become sensitive to emotions, feelings, and psychic impressions.

Tier 1

• By reserving 1 Focus, you can sense the presence of psychic impressions, and make skill checks to interpret them. You can sense the emotional state of nearby creatures, and, if you make bodily contact with them, you can read their thoughts and experience their feelings (can be resisted using Cha saves or by breaking contact).
• By expending 1 Focus, you can project a desired emotional state or physical sensation onto a single target by touch (Cha ends).

Tier 2

• By reserving 2 Focus, you can sense the thoughts and feelings of those within range and eye contact.
• By expending 2 Focus, you can project emotions or feelings within a small radius or at long range via eye contact.

Tier 3

tbd

Ignore below this line

Powers are organized into three disciplines: Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Each power has three tiers of ability. For each level of Psion, you may learn a new power at tier 1, or advance an existing power by 1 tier. Tier 2 requires level 5+, and Tier 3 requires level 10+.

You do not use slots, mana, or energy to manifest psionic powers. Instead, you achieve a state of Focus, enabling you to use your powers. Some powers require that you are in a Focused state, others expend your Focus.

Each time you expend Focus, you accumulate 1 Fatigue. Achieving focus is a move action that requires a successful Concentration check, DC 10 + Fatigue. Fatigue is removed only during long rest, although during a short rest, you automatically achieve Focus.

Powers that require Focus are generally exclusive; that is, if you have several powers requiring Focus, only one may be active at a time.

List:

• Mind
  • Astral Construct
  • Autohypnosis
  • Empathy
  • Hypercognition
• Body
  • Biofeedback
  • Homeostasis etc...

Assorted

Gravity

• Tier 1: slow fall, cancel flight, leap, push/pull
• Tier 2: gravity bind, crush, wall walk
• Tier 3: subjective gravity, warp space, black hole

Pyrokinesis

• Tier 1: flaming fist/fireballs, flame bending
• Tier 2: flame on!, fire lazor
• Tier 3: phoenix

Telekinesis

• Tier 1: classic tk (focused), big ol' blast o' TK (expends focus)
• Tier 2: moar

Tier 1

• Telekinetic Grasp: Focused, bonus; you can lift and manipulate a single object within range with an effective strength equal to your Charisma and an effective dexterity equal to your Intelligence. You can move the object within range once per round as a free action. Using the object has the same action cost as it would with your own body--thus, for example, attacking someone with the object would be a single action. If the target is a creature or magic item, they are allowed a Charisma save each round to escape your grasp.
• Telekinetic Blast: Expends focus, single action; you cause an object you already have in your telekinetic grasp to suddenly and forceful fly in a particular direction, up to 10 squares (unless stopped by a collision). If it strikes anything, both it and what it strikes suffer heavy physical damage of an appropriate type given the object's makeup.

Tier 2

• Grab a bunch of stuff with one focus
• Self-TK
• Crush

Tier 3

• Size matters not

Body

Biomancy

• Tier 1: stabilize injury, resist/purge toxins, suppress pain, improve long-term healing, speak with plants/animals, etc
• Tier 2: rapid healing, rapid growth (verdigris, small scale), necrosis (kinda)
• Tier 3: hmm

Combat Precognition

Tier 1

• Combat Insight: Focused; you gain advantage to one attack roll or damage roll, or impose disadvantage on one enemy's attack roll against you, each round.
• Speed of Thought: Expends focus; you take a single combat action (weapon attack or maneuver) as a reaction.

Tier 2

• When using Combat Insight, you may choose a number up to your proficiency bonus to add to your attack and damage rolls and subtract from your AC and saving throws, or vice versa, changeable once/rd as a free action.
• Mulligan: Expends focus; you can re-take a single action after seeing all of its immediate consequences. This undoes the action, and gives you another action in its place.

Metamorphosis

• Tier 1: alter self, disguise
• Tier 2: polymorph, custom features
• Tier 3: ?

Momentum

Tier 1

• Kinetic Absorption: focused; whenever you suffer kinetic damage, you reduce it by an amount up to your proficiency bonus or half the damage suffered, whichever is lower. Tally the damage absorbed; it can be added to a single attack within 3 rds of the last absorption.
• Mass Effect: expends Focus, reaction; your mass increases by a factor of 10 for a brief moment, rendering you immune to push/pull/slide effects, bull rush or trip attempts, etc.

Tier 2

• Redirect Momentum: expends Focus, free, ranged; you instantly change the direction of the subject's current momentum. For instance, you could turn a fall into a leap or into rapid sideways motion.
• Reflection: expends 10 points of damage from Kinetic Absorption, reaction; you reflect all kinetic attacks back on their attackers (roll your own attacks to determine if you hit them). Lasts until the end of your turn, or until you've deflected a number of attacks equal to your proficiency bonus. Only usable against attacks you're aware of that do not have advantage to hit you.

Tier 3

tbd

Relativity

Move so fast, you stretch the laws of space and time.

• Tier 1: blink, time hop
• Tier 2: dimension door, time compression/expansion
• Tier 3: teleportation, time stop?

Notes

Design Philosophy

Paths should have abilities to rapidly achieve Focus, or Focus on more than one thing, etc. Powers should not.

Ideas

• Focus goes to 3? Secret of Mana style

Powers, take 2

Just write them down, categorize later.

Rank 1

• Force Displacement: Free, bonus, conc, ranged; displace the force of your hand to a location within range, allowing telekinesis.
  • Cost, std, ranged; amplify hand power to push, pull, slide, strike, crush, disarm, etc at range. (Damage is medium bludgeoning if used to damage)
  • Advanced use: cost, reaction vs melee or projectile; displace the force of the attack so that it misses you.
• Thermal Radiance: Free, bonus, emanation 3; change ambient temperature up to 30 degrees F. Cost, std, burst 3; medium thermal damage (hot or cold).
• Kinetic Charge: Free, bonus; held weapon or fist gains +1 damage and strikes as "magical". Cost, melee augment; add heavy force damage to one strike.
• Sound Bending: Free, bonus, concentration, emanation 1-3; muffle sound emanating from area (and entering it), causing disadvantage to perceive the sound, and making it unintelligible. Cost, std, concentration, em1-3; completely nullify all sound entering or exiting.
• Quantum Sight: Free, bonus, conc; you sense the quantum probability field pervading the Universe. You can easily disinguish between objects in a low-energy rest state (i.e. most things in the Universe) and objects in flux (e.g. a die in the process of rolling). In the latter case, you can attempt Intelligence checks to predict the outcome, if it is sufficiently simply and depends only on factors within your perception (e.g. a die roll). You can also determine if the probability field has been locally altered--in other words, you can detect magic. (Cost effect ideas: decode an alteration or predict a complex outcome)
• Potential Difference: Free: ?. Cost, std, touch; you cause medium electromagnetic damage to target, potentially overloading electronic devices. (Ideas for free powers: magnetize/demagnetize, static cling, etc)
• Energy Sink: Free, bonus, conc; you arm one of your extremities to absorb damage. Thereafter, you may either ready it to absorb attacks, or use it with the Block skill; when used in such a way, it reduces damage from kinetic, thermal, or electromagnetic attacks by a medium damage roll. If you instead expend Focus, it can negate up to a critical heavy damage roll.
• Adjust Friction: Free, bonus, conc, em1-3; you adjust the friction of surfaces within the area, either turning slippery into solid or vice versa. (Cost ideas: turn dirt into quicksand, water into goo, etc; maybe enemies get stuck in their own clothes/armor)
• Jubilation: Adjust the local quantum foam, causing temporal displacement between spontaneous generation and annihilation of particle/antiparticle pairs. At this level, creates nifty firework effects and can cause minor explosive damage.
• Photonic Emission: Convert psychic energy into photons. Light up a room or blast people with lazors.

Rank 2

• Light Bending: Free, bonus, conc, em1-3; obscure light emanating from area, granting disadvantage to perceive what lies inside, and making its form undiscernable. Cost, std, conc, em1-3; nullify the appearance of chosen subjects within area.
• Energy Cache: Tally the energy you absorb with Energy Sink; you can use that to power a cost-effect Kinetic Charge without losing Focus.
• Translation: Various uses:
  • Free, bonus, conc; you enhance your own movement, doubling your speed, or, if desired, allowing you to "fly" up to your normal movement during a move action (after which gravity swiftly resumes).
  • Cost, std, ranged; teleport a creature or object within range.
  • Advanced used: teleport weapon or projectile as reaction.
• Rotate Force: Change the vector a force is acting on. Can instantly redirect a moving object/creature, incoming attack, etc. TBI
• Transform Energy: Exchange thermal, kinetic, or electromagnetic energy for an equal quantity of one of the others, in the same place with the same vector.
• Greater Jubilation: At this level, you can start to create nasty chain reactions, causing large explosions dealing radiation damage.
• Quantum Field Adjustment: Requires active Quantum Sight. Cost effect: you can tweak the quantum field, either changing the outcome of unresolved probabilistic states, or modifiying or nullifying others' changes to the field, i.e. dispel magic (or modify magic).

Rank 3

• Coherent Force: Start with a simple input momentum--say, your own punch--and causes all matter intercepted by it to "stick" to it rather than combining vectors. In other words, turn a force effect into a line, cone, etc.