The Talent and Psionics – An MCDM Class for D&D5e – Breakdown Part 2

Having already created 2 classes (The Illriger and the Beastheart), MCDM went to create what will probably be their last MCDM class before they go all in with their own RPG. The talent and psionics was something MCDM has been promising since the very beginning of their company. I can assume that it took this long to come out due to how it makes sure to create new mechanics for their spellcasting-like powers. They needed to feel special, and different enough to be their own thing, while not being either OP or underwhelming.

Due to how complex and lengthy the document is, we are going to divide this analysis into three parts:

Psionics and The Talent | Talent Psionic Specializations | Powers, items, and more

Psionic Specializations

Chronopath

• 2nd level – Chronopathy Adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a chronopathy power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a chronopathy power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
  • Simple and effective. Similar to how wizards treat their subclasses that are oriented to schools of spells.
• 2nd level – Rapid Manifestations: You are able to short the length of your manifestations, up to a maximum of Int modifier times.
  • This works similarly to how sorcerers’ quickened spell does. I can see this class may have overlapped the sorcerer with some of the things it wanted to accomplish. I do like this approach though just as much.
• 6th level – Decay: You advance the age of an object with your mind, possibly causing it to disintegrate. It can be used on Constructs as well, who must make a Con save or take damage.
  • This is exactly why we needed a chronopath on top of just a sorcerer, and the divination wizard. Thematically it is extremely cool. Is it useful? I believe it is highly situational, but those times you get to use it it is going to be extremely cool.
  • It could have been cool to have creatures get old with this spell as well, but that sounds WAY too powerful for a 6th level PC to have.
• 10th level – Fickle Readiness:  You can’t get surprised when combat starts, you can gain strain to make allies not surprised as well. Lastly, you can change the initiative of two creatures.
  • I absolutely love being able to change the initiative of others. Being able to change the extremely fast enemy’s initiative with the one of the low dex heavy armored tank in our team seems like it can be a ton of fun.
• 14th level – Time Pocket: In exchange for some heavy strain, you can make someone disappear for 1d4+1 rounds, and have them take a bunch of damage.
  • In addition to being able to remove an enemy from combat, I can see this being useful to have a bloodied ally disappear for the entirety of combat (they may end up unconscious, but they will still be safe from being murdered), or to remove an enemy, have all PCs pile up where the enemy is going to appear, and prepare an action to quickly eliminate them.

Metamorph

• 2nd level – Metamorphosis adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a metamorphosis power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a metamorphosis power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
  • Pretty much the same thing as the Chronopath. Now I’m starting to believe all subclasses might have this.
• 2nd level – Psionic Toughness: As an action, you can get extra max hp, get healed a little, and gain advantage on death saves. You can do this up to Int mod times.
  • This power boost can end up being super useful. Maybe enough for this class to go melee?
• 6th level – Mind Surgeon: You can take an amount of strain up to to your proficiency modifier, and for each taken heal 1d10 damage to a creature you touch. You can also do this to remove poison or a disease.
  • So… like force healing in Star Wars. Cool! (the actual thing, not the way it was used in the movie)
• 6th level – Super Senses: You get +Int mod on Perception checks
  • So your eyes improve a little. I like it because even though you are getting 2 things at level 6 this one is not game changing for the character (but can be thematic if roleplayed)
• 10th level – Death Foiled: You can spend 8 strain to revive someone who died within the past 8 hours, by touching their remains. Additionally, if you die and have 8 strain to spend, you can revive as well.
  • The idea of resurrecting someone with the power of your mind is extremely cool!
  • I like that this is a mixture between a normal resurrection spell, and a true resurrection one. It makes the subclass feel very special.
• 14th level – Psionic Evolution: Make psionic toughness better by granting immunities to the target, increasing their speed, and allowing them to deal a bonus psychic damage on their attacks.
  • I would have preferred something that was not passive for the highest level ability, but some of these boons can be quite scary if used at the appropriate time. That extra 10ft speed can be quite scary.

Pyrokinetic

• 2nd level – Flame On: Create balls of fire in your location that don’t damage you and follow you everywhere. You can make melee and ranged attacks with them, dealing 1d6 + Int mod fire damage, and burning any flammable objects in the way. As you gain more levels, you can create more fire balls, allowing you to do more attacks
  • This is a great way to become the human torch in D&D. You may not fly, but everything else about that fantasy is here.
  • You can end up doing 4 attacks with it. It sounds like a lot, especially considering the fighter gets its 4th attack at level 20. However, the fact that these attacks just deal 1d6 damage balances it out.
• 2nd level – Pyrokinesis adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a pyrokinesis power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a pyrokinesis power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
  • Pretty much the same thing as the others.
• 6th level – Bend Flame: You can now transform  your pyrokinesis manifestations from fire damage to force damage. Additionally, you can make a number of creatures equal to the power’s order automatically make the saving throw, receiving no damage on powers that would have them take half damage anyway.
  • Similar to the Sculpt Spell feature from the college of evocation wizard, but I believe it is very thematic, and can create absolutely dramatic moments by burning EVERYTHING except your friends
  • That force damage sounds nasty! However, considering fire damage is the type of damage most enemies are resistant to, it’s a great way to make the subclass more powerful.
• 10th level – Heat Seeking: The range of your ranged attacks is increased to 120 feet and ignores all types of cover except total cover. Additionally, the damage is increased to 1d8 + Int mod.
  • Fire balls that go after you no matter how covered you are is scary af. I really dig that
  • 1d8 damage is possibly a bit too much in my opinion considering a ranged fighter can only get up to 1d8 + Dex in damage with their longbow, and this class gets the extra attacks earlier. However, it is not big enough to say the subclass is unbalanced.
  • I believe the best thing to compare the damage with is eldritch blast, which deals 1d10 damage (+Cha with the appropriate eldritch invocation) and deal the same amount of attacks at the same levels. I’m pretty sure this spell is what the designers used to compare the damage, which makes it weird it doesn’t scale up to 1d10 like eldritch blast does.
• 14th level – Immolate: When making Flame On attacks, once per turn you can decide to set enemies ablaze. This does continuous 2x proficiency bonus fire damage until they make the save on one of their turns.
  • Keeping track of attacks that deals continuous damage is not something I like… but the fantasy of immolating someone is amazing, so I’m going to let this one pass.

Resopath

• • 2nd level – Manipulate terrain: Make a 20ft square of ground difficult terrain as a bonus action for 1 minute. You can use your bonus action after that to move the terrain, or move willing creatures within it.
    • I really like it that it is a bonus action. Personally, I’ve never found much use to spells that create a small area of difficult terrain. However, making it a bonus action makes me want to use it every single turn.
    • I would have really liked for this to be able to move enemies as well within the terrain. I assume this was tested though and there surely is a good reason why it is this way.
  • 2nd level – Resopathy adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a resopathy power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a resopathy power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
    • Pretty much the same thing as the others.
  • 6th level – Manifest ally: You create a creature with the stats of a Beast of your choice with a CR of up to your Talent level / 3. You accumulate strain equals to the invoked Beast stat block’s CR. It behaves like any usual summoned creature.
    • In a way I can see this subclass being similar in theme to the ranger. I really like that you can invoke an ally out of thin air. I would totally make it out of dirt.
  • 10th level – Imagination creation: You can create an exact replica of anything you have touched that is Large or smaller in size (except a spell component). It dissapears after 5 minutes of you not touching it.
    • This is a great way to create replicas of keys in order to infiltrate a place without the guards ever noticing. You only need to have the talent touch the key and that’s it. This can create all sort of shenanigans.
  • 14th level – Nightmare Terrain: Transform your difficult terrain you created with the Manipulate Terrain ability into weapons to deal damage to up to 3 enemies within it. They must succeed on Dex saves or take damage equal to your talent level.
    • Still weird you can’t move enemies within the terrain, but I like it that you can at least use it for damage.
    • In a way, it is similar to a spiritual weapon spell, except it is an aoe attack. I like it

Telekinetic

• 2nd level – Invisible armor: As a reaction, give your Intelligence mod as a bonus to AC to an ally (or yourself) being attacked, lasting until the start of your next turn. You can repeat this Int mod amount of times per long rest.
  • Similar to the Shield spell, except you can give it to other people as well! If described in a cool way I can see this feeling extremely cool.
• 2nd level – Telekinesis adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a telekinesis power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a telekinesis power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
  • Pretty much the same thing as the others.
• 6th level – Strong mind: When you manifest a power to move a creature or object, you can decide to move it 10 additional feet. Additionally, whenever you have to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw you can replace it with an Intelligence saving throw.
  • I absolutely love this thing about changing the strength or dex save for intelligence. It pretty much means that if a boulder is about to fall on you you can telekinetically yeet it to another direction, avoiding harm.
  • Moving creatures or objects 10 whole additional feet is fantastic for crowd control!
• 10th level – Reflective armor: When using invisible armor, if the attack misses, you can make an attack roll to redirect the attack toward the creature that triggered the reaction. This attack deals an additional Int mod damage.
  • The icing of the cake. Was kind of curious why invisible armor couldn’t do this. I wish you were able to do it earlier.
• 14th level – Mind Wings: You get a flying speed of 60 feet. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can move a willing creature you can see up to 15 feet in any direction (even upwards).
  • I absolutely love how this makes the character look and feel.
  • 60 feet flying speed might be a bit too much maybe?

Telepath

• 2nd level – Greater Telepathy: You can communicate with creatures telepathically, even those you share no language with or have low Intelligence. Additionally, you can decide to create a telepathic link with creatures close to you, which is not cut no matter the distance (unless you are on a different plane) for 1 hour.
  • It is a mixture of the warlock’s eldritch invocation to use telepathy and the 5th level Telepathic Bond spell. A bit strong, but won’t probably break the game.
  • Telepathy is weird because you need to find a way to indicate when you are speaking telepathically and when you aren’t. In my games, we usually put a finger to our right ear when doing this.
• 2nd level – Telepathy adept: You roll the die twice when attempting to learn a telepathy power, and you can use either roll. You can also reroll manifestation tests to manifest a telepathy power, once per manifestation test, a number of times equal to your Int modifier.
  • Pretty much the same thing as the others.
• 6th level – Emotional Intelligence: When you make an Insight, Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation check, you add + Int mod to it.
  • A very elegant way to indicate that you are not always reading minds, but twisting other people’s minds to your will.
• 6th level – Not in the Face: When a target of your power manifestation fails a save you can charm them so they can’t attack you until the end of your next turn.
  • I was assuming there would be charms involved with this subclass. I like it that you are sending the enemy conflicting emotions, instead of just forcing them not to hit you.
• 10th level – Shared Connection: Make it so that creatures that are part of the telepathic link can decide to see, hear, and smell things other linked creatures experience, or use a bonus action to use the Help action on other linked creatures even when farther than 5 feet away.
  • Being able to use the Help action from any distance is extremely powerful, but I wouldn’t call it overpowered. I really like this effect, but have a hard time imagining how it would work narratively.
• 14th level – Truth Hurts: When a creature fails a save against a power you manifest, you can decide to deal 2d8 psychic damage to them for every strain you spend, or force a truthful answer to a question you make out of the enemy
  • Both options feel amazing, unleashing your full telepathic damage to burrow inside the enemy’s brain!

Maverick

• 2nd level – Raw Power: Add your Int mod to one damage roll of any 1st order power you manifest.
  • So you are just stronger mentally. Simple, clear.
• 2nd level – Reduce stress: Once per rest you can reduce to half the amount of strain you spend.
  • Again, you are just a more trained Talent.
• 6th level – Energy Unleashed: When you gain strain, you can decide to have another creature make a Wisdom save, or take 1d6 psychic damage per string you get.
  • So apart of being able to reduce the strain you get, you can also share it with enemy. That seems really cool. It’s like you are able to redirect stress.
• 10th level – Shock absorption: When you take damage you can decide to gain 1 strain to reduce the damage to half.
  • At first it may not seem as much, but if you are taking a powerful attack of like 60 damage, being able to reduce it to 30 gaining only 1 strain sounds like crazy strong. I find it weird there is no scaling like 1 strain per 10 damage you reduce or something like that.
• 14th level – Full Force: Once per rest you can decide to deal maximum damage when manifesting a power.
  • This definitely makes this subclass feel like an extremely powerful psionic, like when Eleven from Stranger Things goes all in. I really dig that.