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When you enter any Unleash you get a free psi cantrip amp every round.
The baseline Unleashed Focused Intent only works on slot spells.
Therefore you either use the free amp or you get the specific effect of the Unleash. Not both. So to a degree the only thing that keeps this from discouraging use of cantrips is your fewer slots. Though I can agree to an Unleash that makes your fewer spells better I kinda think this is a little clunky this early. Though I have to admit it kinda rounds out your kit decently, having the amps regardless and then a tool to make your fewer slots hit harder.
It just sits a little weird to me. You benefit from casting back to back slotted spells, but you have few spells so doing so punishes you, you can't use this effect much throughout a day, especially the first few levels, because you want to save your big bang for the big threats. Also you are built around cantrips design-wise, but your base Unleash does nothing to boost them beyond the base unleash effect of free amps.
The very next Unleash you can get nerfs your accuracy with spells. You don't get a cantrip augmenting Unleash until 6th level.
Do you think maybe they should shift this to a feat (maybe even just a 1st level one so the first feat unleashes have kinda a mirrored effect where you pick either offense or defense. Then make the base Unleash something that works on cantrips? Maybe give the Conscious Minds their own Unleashes that add something to cantrips, perhaps improving over levels?
Or is the rounding out of your kit by powering up your few slotted spells of vital importance? Would the first Unleash augmenting cantrips too strong for level 1 combined with free amps?
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I agree with Unleash Focused Intent only working with slot spells instead of only working with cantrips feels incredibly backwards.
It should either affect cantrips only *or* all spells. No need to restrict it, especially since it isn't even a power boost, just a consistency change.
Decent point. While needing to use a resource to get that damage is a balancing factor that keeps the power of the ability in check, you technically don't increase the damage the ability itself does. If anything with the cantrip damage you'll do slightly less damage.
The only doubtful thing in my mind is being able to get that bonus damage on AoE cantrips every fight all day makes Telekinetic Rend pretty strong.
Which is a small part of why I suggested making it a (maybe) level 1 feat alongside the defense one and making each subclass even more distinct by giving each one a new bespoke Unleash. That could be neat and explore the design space of the class a little more.
I agree with it being a feat instead of the baseline, but I also want to say that no matter what when you unleash cantrips are amp'd, but you don't have to use one or the other benefit as you'll get this benefit every combat. If it is unwise to use a cantrip, or unwise to use a slotted spell, you don't need to use it and the flexibility exists. This reminds me of Sorcerous Reflex in the new video game for Wrath of the Righteous, the feat let's you cast your first spell every combat as a swift action, it can be a trap that makes you waste spell slots by making you think you must use it every time and use it to it's so-called "full potential" even when it's suboptimal. Having the option or opportunity doesn't mean it has to be used is what I am saying, and that's fine that you have to make a choice. People are probably right it would be too strong if it affected cantrips, at least starting at level one. All that said I still don't think this should be the baseline, it should be either something thematic to the subclasses or universal to the class. I shouldn't be locked into a blasting option if I don't want to blast at all(and often I don't) because then it become a wasted feature
The primary benefit of Unleash is free amp on psi cantrips. The bonus damage on spell slots is the consolation if you need to fall back on using slots.