Where does the Psion leave the Monk?

[Jhaelen]

Particularly given that that form of fantasy story pre-dates western "psionics" by centuries, if not millenia.

Well, maybe they should have dropped psionics as a power source and called everything ki then?

I also question the wisdom of a taking psionics and removing the anachronisms. There's been mental magic in myth and legend for a long, long time, but "psionics" in any sense of the term was a revision created relatively recently and set in direct opposition to regular superstition and magic. It was a "sciency" vision of magic that was supposed to be "actually real" by those who pretended to practice it, or who popularized it. Taking it and then returning it to the medieval age just doesn't quite work for me.

...mhm, I'm not sure I agree. It depends a lot on what you think 'relatively recently' means. Compared to Illiad and Beowulf? Then, I agree.

The line between fantasy and science-fiction is not well defined. Many authors don't even make that distinction, simply calling both speculative fiction. Magic and psionics were often used synonymously.

Imho, psionics in D&D always covered a lot more than the sci-fi/new-agey concept of psionics. Imho, monks fit well into the psionic power source if you look at the less flashy psychometabolism powers and maybe some of the psychokinetic and personal telepathic powers.

Then again, I don't quite see why monks couldn't simply have been a martial class. Many of the martial powers have a strong supernatural feeling to them, anyway.

 

[Wepwawet]

Well, maybe they should have dropped psionics as a power source and called everything ki then?

Why not? (Apart from all the people arguing about the loss of psionics)

Back to OP:
Maybe they will all get [Psionic Focus] feats that only Psionicists can pick?
It's just speculation, but Focusing is very Monk-ey, and was present in all 3.5 psionic classes.

 

[Dice4Hire]

After hearing of the psion, I would not be surprised if the monk go a significant workover before PHBIII, even though it has movement augments to many of its powers.

But if you look at augmenting, they both seem to have that in their powers, must be the psionic/ki whatever power source special ability.

 

[Somebloke]

I have to agree that the Monk seems a little jarring if the Psion is the default example of the power source. Only time will tell.

The real issue here of course is- will I finally be able to play a character based on Kaneda from Akira? If so, then the rest is utterly unimportant.

 

[SpydersWebbing]

Monks are about the closest thing to a psionic class I can think of. Ever since kung fu was first invented it's been about bringing the mind into harmony with the body. Not the spirit, but the mind. Some martial artists even said that visualization was just as important as practicing, so they meditated!

If this doesn't say psionic nothin does.

Now the Japanese martial arts, that's a completely different matter. They were more about getting the energy around them right. I'm not sure if that's primal or arcane..

Regardless, the current set up does not allow for a ki power source at all, and never will.

 

[hexgrid]

The real issue here of course is- will I finally be able to play a character based on Kaneda from Akira? If so, then the rest is utterly unimportant.

I think you mean Tetsuo.

 

[Estlor]

Don't look for a firm mechanical connection across a power source. That's not how WotC is doing it. There is a thematic connection. Take primal for example. Barbarians, druids, shaman, and wardens all behave very differently. But the thematic connection is aspects of their abilities all represent change or transformation. The barbarian's rages, the warden's aspects, the druid's wildshape.

The common theme thus far with the psionic power source seems to be personal flexibility of choice in powers. A psion chooses when and how many power points to augment their powers, shifting them from basic attacks to stronger, more damaging effects. A monk chooses what aspects of a power they wish to use, given the option to take a standard action version, a move action version, or both at once. Like the psion, their powers are flexible and change as the monk sees fit - just not around a point-based augmentation mechanic.

Power sources in 4E are tied to themes, not mechanics. Really, if you focus on the mechanics alone, there's no difference between martial, arcane, and divine power sources at all.

 

[TDarien]

In the Design and Development article for the Monk, Mearls stated that the Ki power source was untenable and that the Psionic power source was the best fit for what they wanted the monk to be. He goes on to say that the monk is intentionally different from the rest of the Psionic classes, so I doubt will see any significant mechanical change to the monk.
Nor, do I think should we. I think the monk should feel different from the rest of the psionic classes, as the the concepts they're based on function very differently.

 

[Somebloke]

I think you mean Tetsuo.

Dammit.