In this last of the Psion subclasses, we'll be looking at the subclass that focuses most on the interaction of mind to mind. Telepathy and Telekinesis are kind of the two most "standard" elements of the psionic fantasy, so let's see what this subclass does with the former.
Telepath Spells:
1st level: Bane, Command
2nd level: Detect Thoughts, Mind Spike
3rd level: Counterspell, Speak with Plants
4th level: Compulsion, Confusion
5th level: Awaken, Modify Memory
Command is really good, but I'm not sure that we're looking at a profoundly powerful group of spells - instead leaning much more on utility.
Level 3:
Mind Infiltrator lets you expend two PEDs (Psionic Energy Dice) when you cast Detect Thoughts to remove its spell components and no longer require concentration, and also doesn't alert a target that you're probing their mind when they fail the Wisdom saving throw.
While expensive, this can be very powerful in some tense social encounter. Trying to find some crucial piece of information in the mind of that guy you're pretty sure is working with the evil cult, but who has the social status to make things very bad for you if you aren't careful? This will come in handy.
Telepathic Hub, another 3rd level feature, gives you telepathy to a range of 10 feet (remember that we get a base of 5 feet from the base class). When using a PED with Telepathic Connection to increase the range of the telepathy, for the duration you can simultaneously contact a number of creatures equal to 1 plus the number rolled on the PED.
So, the hub thing is a little DM-dependent. Generally, because talking doesn't require an action, I tend to let players who are able to speak telepathically with others to convey messages as if they were all on one big group call. Granted, that sometimes makes spells like Rary's Telepathic Bond less useful. It's a bit messy.
Level 6:
Empowered Defense Mode lets you add a d4 to your saving throws while in Defense Mode. Also, while Defense Mode is active, you extend this benefit to anyone you are connected to via Telepathic Connection.
So, functionally, you're largely going to be using this feature to boost peoples' saving throws, which is nice. By this level, the average range-extension is 45 feet, which I think is on top of your base of 10, so this should usually (unless you get unlucky with a roll) allow you to keep connected to everyone.
Potent Thoughts lets you add your Intelligence modifier to any damage you deal with a Psion cantrip.
A decent if not huge boost to your damage. Not totally sure why Telepaths get this and others don't.
Level 10:
Telepathic Bolstering gives you telepathy out to 30 feet (which I believe will further increase the range of your Telepathic Hub/Empowered Defense Mode). When a creature you can see within the range of your telepathy fails an ability check or misses with an attack roll, you can use a reaction to expend a PED and roll it, adding the number to the d20 and potentially turn the check or attack into a success. The die is only expended if it becomes a success.
The wording here probably needs clean-up (technically I'd say "you roll the die" at the start and then "it's expended if the check succeeds or the attack hits as a result"). But, I think this is very good, giving you a Flash of Genius-like boost to help your allies (or you) out. Can't work on saving throws, but still pretty good. And I like the bad-luck protection.
Level 14:
Scramble Minds lets you expend 4 PEDs when you cast Confusion to modify the spell so that the radius of the sphere is 30 feet (up from 10). Additionally, creatures under the spell's effects roll two d10s to determine their behavior, and you choose which result affects them.
So, Confusion can be very powerful, but is unpredictable. This is a pretty expensive feature to use (on top of a 4th level spell slot) but it lets you hit a ton of enemies with the spell (30 foot radius is massive. By tripling the radius, you're effectively multiplying the spell's horizontal area by 9) and by letting you choose between two results, you're going to much more frequently get the kind of thing you want. Confusion has a 20% chance to just allow a creature to act as normal on their turn, but this will get that down to 4%.
Overall Thoughts:
I think this subclass is ok, but like the Psykinetic, it feels like maybe it's lacking a little oomph - though perhaps not quite as much so. Unfortunately at this stage I don't really have a sense for how powerful some of the class' base features are going to be, and so it's hard to evaluate subclass features that alter or enhance them.
This concludes the Psion subclasses, meaning that the only stuff left in the UA to examine are the updates to existing spells (we've already covered the brand-new spells) and the set of Wild Talent Feats, which are alternate Origin Feats that will come with new backgrounds, but for the time being are available as alternatives for the Noble or Sage backgrounds.
No comments:
Post a Comment