Psi Warrior Power Progression

Solid progression of # of uses per day

Gains least benefit from Short Rests of any comparable power suite
Better than BM with 0 Short Rests
Worse than BM with 3+ Short Rests
Campaign-dependent
Assuming 2x Short Rests per day
Slightly inferior to BM progression at level 3-8
Equivalent to BM progression at level 9-12
Superior to BM progression at level 13+
Most games under level 10
Big power bumps at level 15 and 18
New Powers are 1-minute duration and very high impact

Key
PW - proficiency x2/day + 1x/short rest + powers/day + powers/short rest
BM - Maneuvers 4x/short rest, + 1x at 7th and 15th, + 2/day w/ Relentless
RK - Runes variable-x/day + powers/day
AA - Shots 2x/short rest + 2x/day w/ Ever-Ready Shot
Best, Worst
3rd level Abilities

Psionic Power: 2x proficiency/day + 1/short rest Psionic Energy Dice

PED are d6 at 3rd, d8 at 5th, d10 at 11th, d12 at 17th
Save DC 8 + Proficiency + Int modifier

Protective Field - use PED + Reaction to reduce damage taken by PED + Int
to self or ally within 30’
Significant boost to HP defense
Particularly in Tier 1 and 2
Excellent for managing concentration INCLUDING FOR ALLIES
Don’t need to remove all damage but can stay under threshold to keep DC 10
Most optimal for using to support party casters
PW has no concentration options from base class abilities before 18th level
Can acquire via Feats, Items, or Dips but high investment
May be worth it for an obscurement option if playing from range
Excellent for managing effects that end with sufficient damage
e.g. Armor of Agathys, Motivational Speech
Again cannot leverage from Fighter class abilities
Rating: Good****

Psionic Strike - 1x/turn PED + Free Action to add extra force damage (PED + Int)
Must be weapon attack within 30’
Nothing fancy and least impressive ability but thematic offensive option
Extra damage good impact at lower levels
Scales unimpressively with level as PED increases
Can only use once on each of your turns
Applied after hit so good efficiency without wasting PED
Range limit annoying for archery
Though still excellent option which synergizes with other class abilities
Check with DM to see if it will do critical damage
RAW it’s applied “immediately after dealing damage” so ambiguous
However, force damage implies separate from weapon damage despite flavor text
“You can propel your weapons with psionic force”
If considered separate from critical, should trigger multi-attack bumps
e.g. Hex, Spirit Shroud
Rating: Poor**
TK Movement - 1x/day or use PED + Action to move object or willing creature up to 30’
Cannot affect self
Creature must be L or smaller
Tiny object can be moved to/from hand
Requires Action so use must be dramatic and impactful
Excellent for managing front line from range
Can reposition allies in suboptimal positions without incurring OA
Can’t break allies out of Grapple as target must be “loose”
Can take allies out of harmful AOE effects that proc at start of their turn
e.g. Cloudkill, etc.
Can circumvent environmental obstacles in Combat or Exploration Phases
Great synergy with equipment (e.g. ball bearing, caltrops, oil, inhaled poisons)
Great synergy with “drop” abilities
e.g. Disarm Maneuver, Command, Fear
Great synergy with “Bag of Holding Bombs”
Check with DM to see if you can Ready it to safely pull enemy arrow/weapon attack to hand
Rating: Average***

7th level Abilities

Psi-Powered Leap: 1x/short rest or use PED + Bonus Action to gain Fly speed
Fly speed = 2x Move until end of the current turn
1-turn Fly Speed at double movement is an excellent maneuverability option
Can’t stay aloft so be careful of falling at end of turn
Can result in tremendous bursts of speed
Enhances base Move so stacks with enhanced movement
e.g. Dash, Action Surge, Expeditious Retreat, Haste
Excellent at kiting
Excellent at taking advantage of cover
Interesting with Tabaxi Feline Agility to gain base Move 120’
Interesting with Mobile Feat or enhanced Move races (e.g. Centaur, Satyr)
Can create tremendous fall damage by grappling with enemy and flying them into the air
Flight at super high speeds can achieve significant height even at half-speed
Action Surge Dash can double your Move for one round
so even unenhanced PW can Dash 120’ and retain Action to Grapple
Can only take up to third-speed distance to avoid falling damage yourself
e.g. if Move 120’ take up 40’ for 80’ Move so 40’ left to return to ground
Can combo with Monk Slow Fall or Feather Fall spell to expend all movement up
Rating: Good****
Telekinetic Thrust: Psionic Strike also forces Str Save vs. Prone or 10’ Push
TT not stand alone but combined with Psionic Strike
Another elite party support option as Prone and Push are excellent party combo options
Prone gains melee allies attacks at advantage
Ally can Grapple to keep them down
Prone bad for archery from self or allies
Push optimizes caster persistent AOE
e.g. Web, Entangle, Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill, etc.
Can create Disengages and break Grapples
Rating: Good****

10th level Abilities

Guarded Mind: Resistance to Psychic damage + PED to end Charmed or Frightened on self
Fighter Wis Saves are bad, so immunity to Charm/Frighten is excellent defense
Avoid Races with bonuses against Charm/Frighten
e.g. Elf, Githzerai
Requirement to use Action is unimpressive, however

15th level Abilities

Bulwark of Force: 1x/day or use PED + Bonus Action to confers ½-cover to self/allies
Int modifier # of allies within 30’ for 1 min
Amazing defense that lasts for full battle and as many uses as you need
Half-cover so won’t stack with actual cover
Ineffective against Sharpshooter and Arcane Archer Seeking Arrow
Range requirement is bothersome
Don’t overthink it, should always be first bonus action

18th level Abilities

Telekinetic Master: 1x/day or use PED to cast Telekinesis

Bonus Action weapon attack every turn while concentrating on TK
TK has a 10-MINUTE DURATION
Fantastic control option
Will clog concentration but no such abilities in Fighter or archetype abilities
Works well with Prone from TK Thrust to keep them down
Check with DM about ambiguous wording of “restrained” and how it interacts with Prone
If Restrained condition, Prone unnecessary
General Observations
Suited for either tanking or archery
Archery somewhat problematic due to range of some powers
Build relies on Int so some MAD issues
Must have at least 14 to start and ideally 16
Dex-based build appropriate
Psychic Feats intriguing, particularly Telekinetic
May cause clog issues at 18th+ level when Telekinesis comes online
Fantastic party member with multiple abilities that can protect or otherwise aid colleagues
Optimal playstyle seems to be as support, while pumping out mid-level DPR
Most of the abilities that affect allies or enemies require sight
Either avoid Heavy Obscurement or add Blind Fighting to leverage it
Resonance with Wizard/Artificer dip (or as dip) due to Int synergy and Protective Field
Resonance with Monk dip due to enhanced maneuverability options
However Psionic Strike won’t work with unarmed attacks unless natural weapons
No early clog as suite offers only one (excellent) Reaction and requires no Bonus Actions yet
Adds Psi-Powered Leap as Bonus Action at 7th level
Starts to clog at 15th and 18th as gains 2 abilities requiring Bonus Actions