Wizards of the Coast, the creators of Dungeons & Dragons, has significantly emphasized psychic powers since the release of 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3, which featured adventurers from the Forgotten Realms battling a mind-flayer invasion. Building on this success, the 2024 ruleset introduced a focus on psionics, showcasing aberrant sorcerers, psychic warriors, and soulknives in the Player’s Handbook. The recent Unearthed Arcana released on Thursday marks the first introduction of the psion class since the 4th edition of the game.
The psion has roots that trace back to the earliest editions of D&D, appearing in the first edition Player’s Handbook and being fully realized with the 1991 release of The Complete Psionics Handbook. Although a psion-like class called the mystic was tested for 5th edition in a 2017 Unearthed Arcana, it never transitioned to an official release. The volume of psion-themed artwork featured in a 9-minute video shared with the designers suggests that this class is likely to stay, potentially making its debut in the upcoming Forgotten Realms Players Guide set to release later this year.
The psion functions as a dedicated spellcaster, akin to a wizard, yet they don’t invoke arcane incantations or use material components. Instead, their spells are fueled by an internal energy source that translates into bonus dice, similar to the soulknife and psychic warrior subclasses. At the first level, a psion can use these dice to telekinetically move creatures on the battlefield or enhance their natural telepathic abilities. As they progress in levels, both the quantity and size of these dice increase, along with the diverse ways a psion can attack or defend.
The playtest outlines four subclass options. The telepath represents the quintessential psion, offering strong defensive capabilities while establishing psychic links to empower their allies. Additionally, they can infiltrate thoughts for intel gathering. Psykinetics excel at creating forcefields and unleashing telekinetic blasts, while psi warpers have the ability to manipulate the battlefield by repositioning themselves and their comrades. The metamorph presents a more unconventional option, allowing the psion to transform their body into weaponry by developing bone blades, extending limbs, and launching projectiles of bile.
For players interested in exploring psionics without fully committing to a dedicated class, there are 10 new wild talent feats available. The empath feat grants players the ability to sense emotions and influence others, allowing for the psionic casting of charm person and calm emotions, while the pyrokineticist can shift their attack damage to fire and cast various fire-related spells. Additionally, the playtest introduces several new spells, including the ability to summon a psionic entity.
Players can download the psion rules for free on the D&D Beyond website and provide feedback until June 3.
