Chapter 5: Playing With Psionics Skills The following skill has been added to the game: Psionics Your Intelligence (Psionics) check measures your ability to understand and recall lore about psionic expressions, psionic items, eldritch symbols (moved from Arcana), and the interactions between the mind and the world around it. Psionics vs Magic For most effects that specifically name magic or magical effects, also treat psionics as magic for those purposes, such as overcoming damage resistances. "Nonmagical" Most effects that mention the word "nonmagical", such as damage resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, should be changed to say "mundane". Something is mundane if it is neither magical nor psionic in nature. Additional Effects A magical or psionic effect is equally effective against their magical or psionic equivalent, such as the shield spell blocking concussive blast because its psionic equivalent, mental barrier does. In most cases, this equivalence should be obvious, though your DM may rule that psionics and magic are so different that they do not interact with each other at all. Countering Psionics Due to how they are only emitted power from the mind and not manipulated power from the Weave, there's very few ways to counter psionics, unless you can detect a display of an expression and manifest Dissipate on it. Because of this, you could more reliably hope to use an expression against an expression of the same order, such as using a telekinetic expression to pull back a weapon controlled by Steel Betrayal. The most effective counter to psionics is a Psionic Static Field, however they are not always accessible to all psions or, thankfully, their foes. Detecting Psionics While you are within an area of effect of a psionic expression with a sensory display but not actively affected by it or are within 10 feet of an object or creature affected by a psionic expression, you can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to detect the expression. If the expression has a visual, smell, or sound display, you can modify this skill check using any feature you have that affects that kind of Wisdom (Perception) check, such as keen hearing or smell. Depending on the psion, these could manifest as the smell of flowers or an outhouse, the sound of metal colliding with metal or a horse's neighing, or the sight of a lingering green fog or a radiant sunshine. A tactile display can only be detected by touching the affected creature or object or by being within an expression's area of effect. These are often the feeling of dozens of pinpricks, but the feeling of burning, itches, or a tickle are also noted. Because these often also manifest when touching a material display, you are always aware something is happening when you touch a psionic expression's material display or feel a tactile display. 51
Appendices Appendix A: Conditions Although they are mentioned here, potentially for the first time for new readers, two conditions have repeated themselves through my personal homebrew and are shared here for you consumption and use. Bloodied Your current hit points are less than or equal to your hit point maximum, rounded up. Confused Although created by a variety of effects, most notably the Confusion spell, Insanity expression, and certain aberration effects such as a gibbering mouther's Gibbering ability, the confused condition has various limits to the character's behavior based upon its source, and the following benefit. A confused creature can physically see psionic powers. Confused creatures have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see ethereal creatures. Staggered You've taken a blow that has rendered you unsteady Your speeds are reduced by half, rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5. You have disadvantage on weapon attacks and Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks You must succeed a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to cast a spell. Appendix B: Psionic Creatures Although originally printed as magical creatures, the following creatures are truly psionic in nature. Their expression lists are provided where necessary and are listed by their book of printing. Monster Manual Aboleth An Aboleth's Probing Telepathy ability, Enslave action, and Psychic Drain legendary actions are all psionic in nature. It instead manifests figment of imagination instead of casting phantasmal force. Its other lair actions and regional effects are also all psionic. Animated Objects Because psionics can animate objects as easily as magic can, some objects instead of the Psionic Static Susceptibility trait instead of Antimagic Susceptibility. Chuul Chuul can easily learn psionics and their Sense Magic ability is psionic in nature. Psionic Static Susceptibility. The creature is incapacitated while in an area of a psionic static field. If targeted by dissipate, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the psion's expression save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. Doppelganger Although a doppelganger's shapechanger ability is a natural ability, its Read Thoughts action is psionic in nature and they can learn psionics as easily as they can learn magic. Duergar As mentioned in Chapter 2, Duergar are psionic creatures. Their Duergar Resilience extends to expressions as well, their Enlarge action is instead the Expansion of the Compression/Expansion expression, and their Invisibility action is instead the Vanish expression. Gith As noted in Chapter 2, all Gith are inherently psionic. The stat blocks presented in the Monster Manual instead have the following trait and their expression lists are presented here. Innate Psionics. The gith's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Githyanki Warrior At will: telekinetic pulse 3/day each: burst, evasive mind, quick jaunt Githyanki Knight At will: telekinetic pulse 3/day each: burst, evasive mind, tongue of mind, quick jaunt 1/day each: astral caravan, baleful teleport Githzerai Monk At will: telekinetic pulse 3/day each: burst, catfall, mental barrier, third eye Githzerai Zerth At will: telekinetic pulse 3/day each: burst, catfall, mental barrier, third eye 1/day each: astral caravan, figment of imagination Intellect Devourer An intellect devourer is a psionic creature. Perfect Mind blocks its Detect Sentience ability and its Devour Intellect and Body Thief actions are both psionic in nature. Kuo-Toa Kuo-Toa are inherently psionic creatures, although most never learn to harness it. Their god-making abilities are due to this latent potential, however. The Otherworldly Perception ability of the Archpriest and Whip are instead a constant third eye expression. 52
Mind Flayer The perfect picture of a psionic monster, a mind flayer also has resistance to expressions and psionic effects. Its stat block instead has the following trait. Its Mind Blast is also psionic in nature. Innate Psionics. The mind flayer's innate manifestation ability is Intellignece (expression save DC 15). It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: At will: levitate, mind probe 1/day each: astral caravan, puppeteer Otyugh Although few understand why, otyughs are surprisingly psionic, shown chiefly through their limited telepathy ability but also through their ability to sniff out psionics, giving them advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect smell-based psionic displays. Quaggoth Quaggoth have strange ability to absorb psionic ability through the air, leading to the creation of their thonots. Thonots have the following trait: Innate Psionics. The quaggoth's innate manifesting ability is Wisdom (expression save DC 11). The quaggoth can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no displays: At will: catfall, telekinetic pulse 1/day each: adapt body, compression/expansion, concealing amorpha, matter agitation Specter It takes great anger and latent psionic ability to raise a specter. The normal specter's Life Drain attack is an expression attack and its poltergeist variant abilities are all psionic in nature. Thri-Kreen As listed in Chapter 2, Thri-Kreen are inherently psionic in nature. Their psion variant has the following trait: Innate Psionics. The thri-kreen's innate manifesting ability is Intelligence. The thri-kreen can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no displays: At will: telekinetic pulse 2/day: concealing amorpha, claws of energy 1/day: vanish Eberron: Rising From the Last War Inspired The Inspired, like their Quori masters, are inherently psionic. They have the following traits: Innate Psionics. The inspired's innate manifesting ability is Intelligence (expression save DC 13). It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no displays: At will: telekinetic pulse 1/day each: attraction, aversion, mental barrier, puppeteer Its Vicious Mockery is a psionic recreation and not a cantrip. The Hashalaq allows them to manifest intrusive thought three times per day, the Kalaraq allows them to manifest extrasensory perception, and the Tsucora allows them to manifest demoralize. Quori The Quori, like their Inspired servants, are inherently psionic. Their state blocks presented in this book instead have the following trait and their expression lists are presented here. Their other abilities are also psionic in nature. Innate Psionics. The quori's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Hashalaq Quori At will: attraction 3/day each: cloud mind, intrusive thought, mind probe 1/day: dream travel, puppeteer Kalaraq Quori At-will: extrasensory perception 3/day each: brain lock, dream travel, insanity, pan the river Tsucora Quori At will: attraction 1/day: demoralize Fisban's Treasury of Dragons Amethyst Dragons As noted, all gem dragons are psionic, which sets them apart from their chromatic and metallic cousins. An amethyst dragon has the following trait and their expression lists are sorted by age. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature, usually. Innate Psionics. The dragon's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Wyrmling 1/day: decelerate Young 1/day each: correspond, decelerate, exposing grasp Adult 1/day each: correspond, decelerate, dissipate, exposing grasp, hydrokinesis Ancient 1/day each: astral caravan, correspond, decelerate, dissipate, exposing grasp, hydrokinesis, perfect mind Crystal Dragons As noted, all gem dragons are psionic, which sets them apart from their chromatic and metallic cousins. A crystal dragon has the following trait and their expression lists are sorted by age. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature, usually. Innate Psionics. The dragon's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Wyrmling At will: distract 53
Young At will: distract 1/day each: disable, equilibrium Adult At will: distract 1/day each: disable, equilibrium, intrusive thought, pan the river Ancient At will: distract 1/day each: disable, equilibrium, intrusive thought, pan the river, vanish Draconic Shard Draconic shards are inherently psionic, as are all of its abilities. It has the following trait and expression list: Innate Psionics. The dragon shard's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: At will: mind probe, telekinetic pulse, vanish Dragonborn of Sardior As a descendant of the famously psionic Sardior, it has the following trait. Innate Psionics. The dragonborn's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: 1/day each: astral construct, focus burst, frighten Emerald Dragons As noted, all gem dragons are psionic, which sets them apart from their chromatic and metallic cousins. An emerald dragon has the following trait and their expression lists are sorted by age. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature, usually. Innate Psionics. The dragon's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Wyrmling At will: telekinetic pulse Young At will: telekinetic pulse 1/day each: mind probe, vanish Adult At will: telekinetic pulse 1/day each: brain lock, dissipate, mind probe,vanish Ancient At will: telekinetic pulse 1/day each: brain lock, cloud mind, dissipate, ethereal dive, mind probe, vanish Gem Greatwyrm As the pinnacle of gem dragons, a gem greatwyrm has amazing powers that lesser dragons could never aspire to. A gem greatwyrm has the following trait and expression list. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature. Innate Psionics. The greatwyrm's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: 1/day each: astral caravan, crisis of life, death urge, dissipate, fog wave, remove from the river Gem Stalker As a creation of gem dragons, gem stalkers are also psionic. Their crystal dart is an expression attack and its associated effects are all psionic in nature. Sapphire Dragons As noted, all gem dragons are psionic, which sets them apart from their chromatic and metallic cousins. A sapphire dragon has the following trait and their expression lists are sorted by age. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature, usually. Innate Psionics. The dragon's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Wyrmling At will: anchored mind Young At will: anchored mind 1/day each: disable, puppeteer Adult At will: anchored mind, telekinetic pulse 1/day each: concussive blast, disable, puppeteer Ancient At will: anchored mind 1/day each: astral caravan, concussive blast, disable, puppeteer, quick jaunt Topaz Dragons As noted, all gem dragons are psionic, which sets them apart from their chromatic and metallic cousins. A topaz dragon has the following trait and their expression lists are sorted by age. Its other abilities are also psionic in nature, usually. Innate Psionics. The dragon's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: Wyrmling 1/day: exposing grasp Young 1/day each: brain lock, exposing grasp Adult 1/day each: brain lock, death urge, exposing grasp, hydrokinesis Ancient 1/day each: baleful teleport, brain lock, death urge, exposing grasp, hydrokinesis Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes Duergar, Again Duergar in general have vanish and compression/expanation innately. The Duergar Despot has the following trait and expression list. Innate Psionics. The duergar despot's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: At will: telekinetic pulse 1/day each: dissipate, fog cloud, quick jaunt Additionally, the Duergar Soulblade has the same trait and the following list At will: panicked rebuke, prowess 54
3/day each: burst, focus burst Gith, also again The Githyanki presented here all have the same Innate Psionics trait and list of a Githyanki Knight. The Githzerai Anarch also has the perfect mind expression once per day and the Githzerai Enlightened has hustle and quick jaunt once per day. Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft In addition to the God-Brain and most of Bluetspur being psionic in nature, psions might feel a connection to Mordent and its spirits. In addition, the following monsters are natural psions. Brain in a Jar A Brain in a Jar also has advantage on saving throws against psoinic expressions and a perfect mind protects against its Detect Sentience. Additionally, its Chill Touch cantrip is replaced with the Spine Chill expression and it has the following trait and expression list. Innate Psionics. The brain in a jar's innate manifestation ability is Intelligence. It can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no display: At will: mind probe, telekinetic pulse 3/day: attraction 1/day each: disable (overchanneled to 3-cost), intrusive thought, puppeteer Ulmist Inquisitors Because of their inherent psionics, all Ulmist Inquisitors are psionic. The Inquisitor of the Mind Fire's mind fire and inquisitor's command are psionic abilities, the Inquisitor of the Sword's metabolic control and blink step are psionic abilities, and the Inquisitor of the Tome's force bolt is psionic. The Inquisitor of the Tome's implode is replaced by the implosion expression and its telekinetic deflection is replaced by mental barrier. Additionally, they each have the following trait and expression lists. Innate Psionics. The inquisitor's innate manifesting ability is Intelligence. The inquisitor can innately manifest the following expressions, creating no displays: Inquisitor of the Mind Fire At will: correspond, dissipate, empathy, extrasensory perception, intrusive thought, mind probe, third eye 1/day each: gaslight, intrusive thought (targeting up to 12 creatures) Inquisitor of the Sword At will: correspond, dissipate, mind probe, third eye 1/day each: levitate, quick jaunt, vanish Inquisitor of the Tome At will: correspond, dissipate, levitate, mental barrier, telekinetic pulse, third eye 1/day each: leap of faith, perfect mind Appendix C: Image Credits In order of appearance: Cover: Psionic Bomber by Taregh Saber Esper: Furify by Kikicianjur Lurk: Kaya, Geist Hunter Variant by Raymond Swanland Snoop: Jace, Unraveler of Secrets by Tyler Jacobson Psychic: Jace by BillCreative Psicrystal: Master's Class by BGK-Bengiskhan Medium: "Roots of Magic" by theDURRRRIAN Seer: Seer by Offbeat Worlds Wilder: Power Word: Tentacles from Hearthstone Haunted 1: Daze (Eternal Masters) by Min Yum Haunted 2: Spectral Grasp by Tyler Jacobson Page 22: Ancano in The Elder Scrolls: Legends Animate Object: Animate Objects Astral Seed: Prophetic Prism Catfall: Windrunner by Ashley Coad Cloud Mind: Cloud Mind by Matt Forsyth Levitate: The Conquerer by Will O'Brien Steel Betrayal: Telekinesis in the Elder Scrolls: Legends 55
Love and Crits From CupidFaust As a long time lover of psions, my devotion to this document has brought me much satisfaction. And I hope dearly that you can enjoy it as well.
This document was lovingly created using GM Binder. If you would like to support the GM Binder developers, WWW.GMBINDER.COM consider joining our Patreon community.