D&D 5E 5E psionics

[doctorhook]

I haven't seen anyone mention it yet, but: 5E psionics. Psionics have a long history in D&D, and a lot of fans as well as detractors. It's likely just a matter of time until we see them in 5E, but the question is when and how.

My guesses:

• It won't be given a full treatment in either the Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide. 5E is supposed to avoid splatbloat, but even then psionics is probably best suited to being an optional subsystem presented in its own book;
• By December 2015, we'll either have psionics rules or know when they'll be published;
• It'll appear prior to or alongside the launch of a setting like 5E Eberron or 5E Dark Sun (because those are two settings that include psionics more heavily than most);
• The psion class will still use power points;
• "Psychic warrior" and "soulknife" will be new subclasses for existing classes (fighter and rogue, probably);

Speculate away!

 

[Nebulous]

I haven't seen anyone mention it yet, but: 5E psionics. Psionics have a long history in D&D, and a lot of fans as well as detractors. It's likely just a matter of time until we see them in 5E, but the question is when and how.

My guesses:

• It won't be given a full treatment in either the Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide. 5E is supposed to avoid splatbloat, but even then psionics is probably best suited to being an optional subsystem presented in its own book;
• By December 2015, we'll either have psionics rules or know when they'll be published;
• It'll appear prior to or alongside the launch of a setting like 5E Eberron or 5E Dark Sun (because those are two settings that include psionics more heavily than most);
• The psion class will still use power points;
• "Psychic warrior" and "soulknife" will be new subclasses for existing classes (fighter and rogue, probably);

Speculate away!

A synergistic release of a Psionics core book and a Dark Sun setting is very likely. Power points will be used as well, and the designers can go nuts with the rules and not worry about "breaking" core D&D.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Psionics have been deleted from 5E. They will reappear in 6E. The rationale is apparently that there will be enough alternate magic systems in the PHB and DMG -- point-based, spell-based, encounter-based -- that psionics are redundant.

Speculating, though, I'd expect a 5E Psionics Handbook (or equivalent) at some future point, perhaps concurrent with a 5E Dark Sun campaign setting book.

 

[thexar]

I really want to see 2e psionics over 3rd.

 

[Nagol]

Psionics have been deleted from 5E. They will reappear in 6E. The rationale is apparently that there will be enough alternate magic systems in the PHB and DMG -- point-based, spell-based, encounter-based -- that psionics are redundant.

Speculating, though, I'd expect a 5E Psionics Handbook (or equivalent) at some future point, perhaps concurrent with a 5E Dark Sun campaign setting book.

I'm not sure where the link is supposed to go. It brings me back to your post!

 

[Thaumaturge]

My assumption is psionics will be rolled out after a 1 year playtest of the mechanics. There have been enough problems over the years, that a playtest makes sense, and Mearls has indicated they want to use the playtest method for more subsystems.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm not sure where the link is supposed to go. It brings me back to your post!

I think that'skinda the point...

 

[Li Shenron]

Mearls definitely said psionics is not in the game at launch, i.e. not in Basic/PHB/MM/DMG, but he made is sounds like almost certainly they will deal with it later and devote a whole product to support it.

 

[sidonunspa]

After seeing nectomancer's kickstarter...

I have a feeling we will see a 3rd party spit out a psionics book before WoTC...

Hell, we (PCI) may just convert and republish 'psionics unbound' (our 200+ page psionics book fr
The d20 days)

 

[caudor]

The Basic Rules do mention the Mindflayers and psychic damage, so the roots are in place.