Fiend Factory 5E. White Dwarf 33: The Psitan

Issue 33 The Psitan

This time, the Fiend Factory is called All In The Mind, and features a collection of psionic creatures.

First up, an oddity from Phil Masters, the Psi Mule.

This is a flesh-eating, intelligent evil mule that pretends to be a regular pack mule in order to lure victims. It can use a mind blast, can take over regular mules, and has a collection of other psionic abilities, mostly ones that allow it to manipulate matter. One thought – if it can “breed true”, it’s not really a mule any longer, surely? I think this would make an interesting one-off encounter, part of the classic “evil horse” line of monsters.

 

But if that one was odd, our other old pal Roger E Moore goes one better, with the Giant Mole.

 

One assumes that Roger took the Brain Mole as his inspiration, because otherwise the concept of giant intelligent psionic moles is well out of left field. And, indeed, giant mole colonies will often keep brain moles as guard animals. Not as rife with psionic abilities as the psi-mule, the giant moles use Mind Thrust and one to three other minor psionic powers.

 

Charles Stross, the man that gave us the Githyanki  Product Identity Protected Astral Plane Emaciated Psychic Warriors, brings us Zytra, Lord of the Mind Flayers Product Identity Protected Tentacle-Faced Brain Eaters.

 

Aside from product identity concerns, it feels un-like the mind flayers to have a demon lord; they ought, really, to come from beyond the concerns of the Outer Planes and have no gods or masters. However, one could use Zytra as some super-powerful mind flayer with a collection of psionic and magical powers, as well as a powerful and unique magic item, the Rod of Zytra. Not as well thought-out as the githyanki, in my opinion.

 

The Grimp, by L Barton (which makes me think of “Go wake up the grimp”) is a small imp/gargoyle like creature that emanates a magical field that causes spells to go awry, and can also affect objects sometimes (so they are a kind of gremlin creature). They can also absorb magic, and they like luring creatures into fights with other creatures.

They are mildly psionic, with a few of the matter-affecting abilities, hence their inclusion here.

Which means that this week I’ve chosen the Psitan, by Andy Wouldham. These were once humans, modified by the mind flayers to be a servitor race, except that they broke free of their masters. I like them as they’re the classic “big head psionic creature” archetype, with feeble bodies and massive minds, and yet nothing exactly like that exists in D&D. Sure, there are psionic races like Kalashtar, Maenads, etc., but none of them have a massive head. We want a psionic creature with a massive head.

 

I went somewhere in the middle of the 5-10 range for Hit Dice. Psionic Mastery, in 1^st Edition, is based on character level but only affects the level of effect of some powers, not how many powers a character has in the first place (which is based on a random roll, basically). But in lieu of any specific 5^th Edition psionic system [NB I wrote these before getting my hands on Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, but here psionics are folded into the regular game system; there isn't a point-based variant as in 3.5], I basically went with the spellcasting of a 9^th level wizard. And I wasn’t too careful about how many spells that the psitan knows per level, but kept the slots per level on par with a standard wizard. Selection-wise they’re all pretty much psi-type, mind-affecting spells, with a few that influence matter and energy. To make them psionic in feel, the psitan doesn't need any components to cast them (although if you want a 3rd Edition feel, give them a crystal of some kind as a focus).

 The only thing I added was the kinetic shield effect for armour, which, well, seemed somehow apropos and makes up for their otherwise physical weakness. Andy’s psitan has no weapons – I gave it a staff which they probably use more for support and as a status symbol, and only for combat in extremis. This may also double as the “energy rod” (let’s be honest, laser gun) that I gave them, but you could remove this for most psitans and leave them to rely on their psionic powers.

Psitan

Medium humanoid (psitan), neutral evil

Armour Class 13 (kinetic shield) Hit Points 28 (8d8 - 8) Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 5 (-3) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Proficiency Bonus +3 Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +5, Cha +4 Skills Arcana +8, History +8, Insight +5 Senses passive Perception 12

Languages telepathy 120 ft., Common, Illithid

Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Kinetic Shield. As long as it is conscious, a psitan is able to automatically project a shield of psionic energy around itself. It adds its Intelligence modifier (if any) to its Armour Class. Psionic Recovery. When a psitan finishes a short rest, it can choose to restore expended spellcasting slots, as long as the total levels add up to no more than four. It may only do this once per day. Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the psitan has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Spellcasting (Psionics). The psitan is a 9th level spellcaster. The psitan’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (save DC 16). It can cast the following spells without the need for components.  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, mending, minor illusion 1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, false life, floating disk, magic missile, unseen servant 2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, detect thoughts, enlarge/reduce. levitate, suggestion 3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, fear, hypnotic pattern, major image, protection from energy 4th level (3 slots): confusion, dimension door, fabricate, phantasmal killer, resilient sphere 5th level (1 slot): dominate person, modify memory, telekinesis, telepathic bond ACTIONS

Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 1 (1d6 – 3) bludgeoning damage. Energy Rod. Ranged Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, range 100/300 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) radiant damage.