Sorcerous Origin - Psionicist
The psionicist channels power from within by focusing the energies of their mind. By doing so they can harness the power within themselves, manifesting spells psionically bypassing the need for components, and perceiving the world with a broader range of senses. As a psionicist, you might have awoken your psionic potential through the strain of your esoteric studies, or perhaps you joined a scholarly order dedicated to unlocking the power of the mind.
The Psioncist
Psionic power has an infinite number of uses, but few people on Athas develop more than a passing familiarity with their innate talents. Within the psionic schools of the city-states, or with private tutors, noble children are expected to hone their psionic powers. As with any type of study, most students don’t put forth much effort, and therefore don’t learn much. The average noble retains the barest vestiges of psionic training, just enough to overhear gossip from a distance or to telekinetically move a cup a few inches.
While your peers shirked their studies and neglected their psionic gifts, you devoured every piece of lore and technique you could. Fascinated by the capabilities of the mind, you practiced constantly and delved deep into the secrets of the Way. Every time you outmatched another student with your gifts, every time you tricked someone into giving you what you wanted, you felt a thrill you couldn’t find any- where else. The world and your society reward the most cunning and the strongest, and you live up to those ideals.
Psioncist Features
| Sorcerer Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1st | Psionic Manifestation, Missive, Discipline Spells |
| 6th | Psychic Spell |
| 14th | Indomitable Focus |
| 18th | Cerebral Might |
Psionic Manifestation
At 1st-level, all your spells cast from this class are cast without verbal and material components. All your spell effects end if you have no spell slots or die regardless of the remaining durations.
Variant: Psionics & Spell Points
To further differentiate psionics from magic, it is advised to use the spell points variant on page 288 of the DMG.
Missive
At 1st level, you can use a bonus action to communicate telepathically with a single creature that can understand at least one language that you can see within 30 feet of you until the start of your next turn. This communication is one way and does not grant the benefit to understand the creature only its ability to understand you.
Discipline Spells
Psionicist spells are grouped into five major disciplines: Clairsentience (expanded senses), Psychokinesis (moving matter through space), Psychometabolism (altering the body), Psychoportation (psionic travel), and Telepathy (mind-to-mind contact).
At 1st level, you focus on a single discipline to specialize in, and gain access to those spells as shown on the Discipline Spells tables. These spells count as psionicist spells for you, but it doesn't count against the number of psionicist spells you know. These spells can't be replaced when you gain a level in this class.
Clairsentience
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | detect evil and good, detect magic |
| 3rd | locate object, see invisibility |
| 5th | clairvoyance, speak with dead |
| 7th | arcane eye, locate creature |
| 9th | legend lore, scrying |
Psychokinesis
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | magic missile, Tenser's floating disk |
| 3rd | hold person, levitate |
| 5th | fly, slow |
| 7th | fabricate, telekinesis |
| 9th | animate objects, Bigby’s hand |
Psychometabolism
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | alter self, false life |
| 3rd | enhance ability †, lesser restoration † |
| 5th | protection from energy†, vampiric touch |
| 7th | death ward †, stoneskin † |
| 9th | power word heal †, greater restoration † |
Psychokinesis
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | expeditious retreat, feather fall |
| 3rd | blur, misty step |
| 5th | blink, haste † |
| 7th | banishment, dimension door |
| 9th | planar binding, teleportation circle |
Telepathy
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | charm person, command |
| 3rd | enthrall, invisibility † |
| 5th | fear, sending |
| 7th | charm monster, confusion |
| 9th | dominate person, modify memory |
†-range of self only
Psychic Spell
At 6th level, when you cast a psionicist spell with a spell slot and the spell deals psychic or force damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to substitute that damage type to be either psychic or force damage.
Indomitable Focus
Beginning at 14th level, you add your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1) to Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration. Additionally, whenever you fail to maintain concentration, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll it and take the second result (no action required).
Cerebral Might
At 18th level, you can apply two different metamagic options to a single spell when casting a spell from your chosen discipline spell list.
Variant: Intelligent Sorcerer
When selecting this origin you may make Intelligence your primary stat, replacing all references to Charisma in both the class, subclass, and psionic feats.
Psionic Feats
For games using feats, new psionics-themed feats are presented here.
Dual Focused
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one psionic spell
You have trained your mind to maintain focus on concurrent incantations, taxing as the process may be.
• If you attempt to cast a psionic spell requiring concentration while already concentrating on a psionic spell, you can maintain concentration on both spells simultaneously. You must spend a standard action each subsequent round on maintaining this concentration, or lose concentration for both spells.
• At the end of each turn where you are concentrating on two spells, you must make a Constitution saving throw (DC equals 10 + the number of complete rounds you’ve been concentrating on two spells). On a failure, you lose concentration for both spells. You can drop concentration on one of your spells during your turn as a free action to avoid this saving throw.
• Any time you would be forced to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration due to taking damage, the DC equals 10 + both spells’ levels combined, or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. On a failure, you lose concentration on both spells.
Telekinetic
You learn to move things with your mind and gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You learn the mage hand cantrip. You can cast it without verbal or somatic components, and you can make the spectral hand invisible.
• As a bonus action, you can try to shove one creature you can see within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by your mage hand spell. When you do so, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be pushed 5 feet away from you.
Telepathic
You awaken the ability to mentally connect with others. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion.
• You can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. If it understands at least one language, it can respond to you telepathically. If you have Missive or a similar telepathic ability not produced through spellcasting, increase the range of this ability by 10 feet.
Psionicist Spells
Here is a list of psionicist spells that fit with psionic themes and replaces the standard sorcerer spell list. Spells marked a dagger † have a range of self instead of touch.
Cantrips(0 Points)
blade ward
control flames
create bonfire
fire bolt
frostbite
friends
mage Hand
message
mind sliver
produce flame
1st Level(2 Points)
absorb elements
animal friendship
beast bond
catapult
cause fear
compelled duel
disguise self
dissonant whispers
id insinuation
identify (ritual)
shield
speak with animals
unseen servant (ritual)
zephyr strike
2nd Level(3 Points)
beast sense
blindness/deafness
calm emotions
crown of madness
darkvision
detect thoughts
enlarge/reduce †
heat metal
mental barrier
mind spike
mind thrust
mirror image
phantasmal force
protection from poison †
suggestion
spiritual weapon
thought shield
true strike
3rd Level(5 Points)
catnap
enemies abound
gaseous form †
hypnotic pattern
nondetection †
psionic blast
tongues †
4th Level(6 Points)
compulsion
dominate beast
ego whip
freedom of movement †
Otiluke’s resilient sphere
5th Level(7 Points)
dream
far step
geas
hold monster
intellect fortress
mislead
Rary’s telepathic bond (ritual)
seeming
skill empowerment
synaptic static
telekinesis
wall of force
6th Level(9 Points)
arcane gate
contingency
disintegrate
eyebite
globe of invulnerability
mass suggestion
mental prison
psychic crush
scatter
7th Level(10 Points)
etherealness
forcecage
plane shift
power word pain
project image
regenerate †
sequester
teleport
whirlwind
8th Level(11 Points)
antipathy/sympathy
dominate monster
feeblemind
glibness
mind blank
power word stun
telepathy
9th Level(13 Points)
astral projection
foresight
imprisonment
psychic scream
weird
