Naturally, the giant headliner of the most recent Unearthed Arcana post by WotC was the introduction of a full new class, which, if it sees publication, would be the only the second full-fledged class to be added to the game outside of the PHB for all of 5th Edition, joining the Artificer.
There are some new spells, which I detailed in the initial Psion post (though I didn't go over reprinted/revised spells to see how they might have changed). However, what we're going to touch on here are the Wild Talent feats.
My understanding is that in earlier editions, playing in setting with Psionics like Dark Sun, you'd roll at character creation to see if you got Psionic abilities as a separate thing from your class, representing the in-born ability to use such powers.
Here, Wild Talents are effectively new Origin Feats, but with a rule that you can only take one (normally I'd avoid spending an ASI on getting a second Origin Feat, but if you're, say, a Human who gets two anyway, that might be relevant). These feats will be connected with new, as-yet-unpublished Backgrounds, but for now are considered alternative options to the Sage and Noble.
Let's go through them and see what I think!
Atomkinesis:
You gain the following benefits:
Lightning Jolt: once per turn when you cast a spell or hit with an attack roll and deal bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, or psychic damage, you can change the damage type to Lightning.
Given how resistance to normal weapon damage has become far, far rarer (and I don't think anything's immune to all three) the value of this is somewhat questionable, though clutch in the right circumstance, but probably useless most of the time.
Psionic Talent: You know the Shocking Grasp cantrip. You also have Fog Cloud prepared and can cast it once per long rest for free, or use spell slots you have for it. These spells require no Verbal or Material components, and you can choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for them. When you hit level 3, you get Gust of Wind, which you can cast in a similar way.
Well, as someone whose longest-running character is a Triton, this is all quite familiar, and thus this feat would be useless to him (other than, I guess, getting Shocking Grasp. Or I guess a second free cast of those two spells). (Actually, my other current character is an Air Genasi, who gets Shocking Grasp and never has a reason to use it).
Much as I like Lightning damage as an elemental theme, I don't know that this is all that good.
Biokinesis:
You gain the following benefits:
Bend Life Energy: When you cast a spell that restores HP to a creature, you can roll 1d4 and add the number rolled to the total HP restored. You can use this benefit a number of times equal to your PB per long rest.
Ok, it's not huge, but for an Origin Feat, that's a decent amount of extra healing. Notably, a Battle Smith Artificer's Steel Defender is technically a creature, so you could theoretically use this when casting Mending on it (though it's still limited in uses per day).
Psionic Talent: You know Spare the Dying, and you always have Healing Word prepared, which you can cast once for free per long rest and also spend spell slots on, and you ignore verbal and material components, and choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for the spell.
At level 3, you also get Arcane Vigor in a similar way.
Ok, this is actually really good. Healing Word, especially buffed as it is in 2024, is a very good spell, and being able to take this on any spellcaster is awesome. Genuinely a really good feat.
Clairsentience:
You gain the following benefits:
Minor Foreknowledge: When you take the Search action (as in, any Wisdom skill other than Animal Handling) you can give yourself advantage as part of the action a number of times equal to your PB per long rest.
With Perception and Insight checks often being really important ones, this is a nice benefit.
Psionic Talent: You know Guidance, and, as in the previous examples, you get Detect Evil and Good, and then at level 3, See Invisibility.
Yeah, I think these are both good spells to have when you need them. Thumbs up on the feat as a whole.
Cryokinesis:
You gain the following benefits:
Ice Manipulation: this is like Atomkinesis' Lightning Jolt but for Cold damage.
Again, I don't know that this will be all that good, and arguably not as good as Atomkinesis as more monsters have Cold resistance or immunity.
Psionic Talent: You get Ray of Frost, and then Armor of Agathys and Ice Knife both from the get-go, the latter of two can be cast each once for free per long rest.
So, Armor of Agathys is very good if you can upcast it (and especially if you can replenish temp HP frequently, as it can now be "recharged" in this way). Ice Knife is decent, though always remember it's a save-for-none spell. And Ray of Frost is a fine ranged cantrip option. So, I think the latter half of this is probably better than Atomkinesis.
Empath:
You gain the following benefits:
Emotional Sense: when you take the Influence Action (which is most Charisma skills as well as Animal Handling) you can give yourself advantage PB times per long rest.
Ok, sure. Good for a party "face."
Psionic Talent: You get Charm Person, and at level 3, get Calm Emotions, working like other Psionic Talent features.
Interestingly you don't get a cantrip with this one - I'd think Friends was a pretty obvious choice. Again, both spells can be quite useful, so it's a reasonable feat option.
Flesh Morpher:
You gain the following:
Flexible Flesh: When you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand) check, you can gain a bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier PB times per long rest.
Interesting that it's those two but not Stealth, which I guess makes sense thematically. Acrobatics comes up less often than you'd think it would, but this could be good for lockpicking. It can make your Intelligence-based character decent at these checks, which is nice (especially if you also have a decent Dex modifier).
Psionic Talent: You get Longstrider and at level 3, Alter Self
Again, no cantrip. Alter Self is arguably not as good as you'd want it to be, though I think it can be very useful if you have to fight underwater. Overall I think this feat's a bit more niche than some of the others.
Mind Whisperer:
You gain:
Limited Telepathy: As a Magic action, you can choose a creatuer you can see within 120 feet of yourself, gaining a telepathic connection with them for 1 hour, where you can communicate if you're still within 120 feet. You have to share a language. You can use this once per short or long rest.
Naturally, we're going to need to compare this with the Telepathic feat, which is a General Feat, which gives half the range, but unlimited use of Telepathy and no action required. But, you know, a General Feat.
Psionic Talent: You get Mind Sliver and Dissonant Whispers, as with other Psionic Talent features.
Both strong spells. The Limited Telepathy is going to be good to keep communication with a party member while scouting, though not terribly far. Yeah, I'm going to say this is a decent feat, though we don't get a 2nd level spell at level 3.
Psi Trickster:
You gain:
Cunning Mind: When you make a Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check, you can gain a bonus to your check equal to your Intelligence modifier PB times per long rest.
Again, helps your Intelligence-based character go outside their wheelhouse a bit. These checks can be pretty important ones, depending on the campaign.
Psionic Talent: You get Minor Illusion and Disguise Self.
Actually this all comes together pretty well thematically, and both of these are popular spells, which might make up for the lack of a 2nd level spell there. Decent feat if you really need to be the one to talk your way into places for the group.
Psykineticist:
You gain:
Psi Boost: When you take the Dash action, you can increase your speed by 10 feet until the start of your next turn (so probably Dash before using regular movement) PB times per long rest.
Naturally will be better on a class that can Dash as a bonus action, or a Sorcerer with Quickened Spell.
Psionic Talent: You get Telekinetic Fling (as seen in my initial Psion post) and Thunderwave.
Telekinetic Fling is interesting, though it's a cantrip you'll need to keep buying ammo for (though ammo is also pretty cheap). Thunderwave is decent as a low-level AoE, though of course it doesn't scale amazingly. I'm not sold on this feat.
Pyrokinesis:
You gain:
Firestarter (was just going to make a reference to that Stephen King book, but they beat me to it): Like Atomkinesis and Cryokinesis, this lets you change a spell or attack that deals Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing, or Psychic damage to Fire. (Punctuation here is a little unclear, but I assume the damage types refer just to the attack, but it might also mean that the spell has to deal that kind of damage).
Now, while Fire is among the most resisted damage types in the game, it's also a damage type that you see vulnerability to, and also sometimes affects creatures in specific ways, like shutting down a Troll's regeneration or activating a Flesh Golem's aversion to fire. So this is actually probably useful, especially because you can choose when to use it.
Psionic Talent: You gain Produce Flame, Burning Hands, and at level 3, Scorching Ray
Obviously Fire Bolt is a better cantrip in most cases, but these are some decent and rather straightforward options. Yeah, I mean, this feat overall might not be amazing, but it sure lets you thematically work with one of the true classic Psionic archetypes.
And there we have it!
That's all the feats in the Psion UA. While somewhat limited in power, one must remember that these are replacements for Origin Feats, not General Feats, and thus need to be judged accordingly. In a lot of ways, they act similarly to the Magic Initiate feat, but balance the lack of choice for which spells you learn by giving you some additional features along with the psionic spellcasting part of it, where you only need to provide somatic components.
Essentially, I think these are pretty good overall.
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