RPGBOT.Podcast

THE PSION REVISITED - Unearthed Arcana, Albuquerque, and the Future of D&D Psionics


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Somewhere between the high deserts of New Mexico and the psychic wastelands of Unearthed Arcana, the RPGBOT crew discovered two great truths: Albuquerque has better tacos than Los Angeles, and psionics might finally make sense in Dungeons & Dragons.

We know some of you thought the Psion episode was lost forever (vanished into the Astral Plane or eaten by a mind flayer), but good news! The missing RPGBOT.Podcast episode on the Psion Unearthed Arcana has been recovered and is now live on your favorite podcatcher. Catch up and join the conversation before your DM rewrites the subclass again.

Show Notes

In this episode, the RPGBOT.Podcast team takes a psychic deep dive into the latest Unearthed Arcana update to the Psion class for Dungeons & Dragons. Between discussions of New Mexico’s high desert climate, Albuquerque’s local cuisine, and Taos skiing, the crew explores how psionics, multiclassing, and new subclass mechanics are reshaping D&D’s design space.

Listeners will hear insights on how Wizards of the Coast reworked the Scion (now Psion) class, making psionic energy and subclass features more flexible and accessible. From the Metamorph’s Fleshweaver feature to the Psychonetic’s telekinesis and the Telepath’s support abilities, the team analyzes gameplay impact, balance, and flavor.

The discussion also touches on the rebalancing of level 20 features, improvements to psionic spellcasting, and how multiclassing interacts with hit dice mechanics. As always, the hosts bring humor, personal stories, and some surprising local insight from their rediscovery of Albuquerque’s food culture—because apparently, “better tacos” is a universal truth worth multiclassing for.

Key Takeaways
  • Unearthed Arcana brings a refined Psion to D&D, improving class balance, subclass diversity, and psionic flavor.
  • Psionic energy mechanics now scale smoothly across levels and subclass paths.
  • The Metamorph subclass gains major survivability boosts with its Fleshweaver feature.
  • The Psychonetic subclass emphasizes mobility, telekinesis, and damage versatility.
  • The Telepath subclass leans into party support, battlefield control, and communication.
  • Level 20 features expand psionic dice and late-game impact without overwhelming balance.
  • Multiclassing with Psion no longer punishes hit dice mechanics, making hybrid builds more viable.
  • New Mexico’s food culture, from Albuquerque green chile to Taos tacos, inspires reflection on community and quality—much like balanced game design.
  • Listener engagement continues to be key: reviews and ratings help keep RPGBOT’s brainwaves strong.
  • Wizards of the Coast’s open development process hints at more innovative subclasses and psionic expansions ahead.

Visit the Land of Enchantment

If this episode left your mind buzzing like a psychic storm, channel that energy into a trip to the beautiful state of New Mexico. Explore the ski slopes of Taos, savor Albuquerque’s legendary tacos, and discover why the Land of Enchantment is the perfect place to rest, recharge, and maybe even roll a few dice under the desert stars.

We invite the State of New Mexico to sponsor the RPGBOT.Podcast and help us share the Land of Enchantment’s stunning landscapes, vibrant food culture, and adventurous spirit with tabletop gamers around the world.

Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you.

Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players.

Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings.

Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community.

Meet the Hosts
  • Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.

  • Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.

  • Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI’s worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.

Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.

How to Find Us:

In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net

Tyler Kamstra
  • BlueSky: @rpgbot.net
  • TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET
Ash Ely
  • Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
  • BlueSky: @GravenAshes
  • YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
  • BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG
  • Amateurjack.com
  • Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link)
Producer Dan
  • @Lzr_illuminati
...more
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