D&D 5E I Miss Tangents...

[Samloyal23]

I have yet to see a psionics system for any edition of D&D that I like better than the ones in 2E. I don't like psionic spells, I don't think psionics should be magic. So how much of the system in the Psionics Handbook and The Will & The Way can be translated into 5E? I want to see tangents, harbingers, and disciplines, not 9 levels of watered down magic...

 

[NotAYakk]

Do you miss them in play, or do you miss reading the rules?

 

[Samloyal23]

Do you miss them in play, or do you miss reading the rules?

Yes. Psionic combat in 2E, especially in the Dark Sun setting with TW&TW, was like an exciting tactical game within a game. The powers had an air of mysticism combined with a sci-fi flare. The wide difference between psionics and magic made them more mysterious and exotic, and made psionic monsters seem more perilous. Most of that went out the window in 3E and has yet to return.

 

[Krachek]

Yes. Psionic combat in 2E, especially in the Dark Sun setting with TW&TW, was like an exciting tactical game within a game. The powers had an air of mysticism combined with a sci-fi flare. The wide difference between psionics and magic made them more mysterious and exotic, and made psionic monsters seem more perilous. Most of that went out the window in 3E and has yet to return.

Such system is beyond the scope of actual DnD who aim large and casual audience.

 

[Undrave]

Yes. Psionic combat in 2E, especially in the Dark Sun setting with TW&TW, was like an exciting tactical game within a game. The powers had an air of mysticism combined with a sci-fi flare. The wide difference between psionics and magic made them more mysterious and exotic, and made psionic monsters seem more perilous. Most of that went out the window in 3E and has yet to return.

Such system is beyond the scope of actual DnD who aim large and casual audience.

A lot of people don't like when a player character plays a completely different game from everybody else. Look at hacking mechanic in most cyberpunk games for exemple.

 

[Krachek]

A lot of people don't like when a player character plays a completely different game from everybody else. Look at hacking mechanic in most cyberpunk games for exemple.

But some people just dream of being so special from all other characters.
it was the case in ADnD , where you have a very little chance to have psionic on top of your character classe. That’s what I suspect some dream about when they want psionic.

 

[Samloyal23]

Such system is beyond the scope of actual DnD who aim large and casual audience.

Casual players need not be a psionicist. Also, it depends on the setting. If you are playing in Dark Sun, psionics is everywhere, almost every character at least has a wild talent. In other settings, psionics is rare, I can see a gamer group just deciding to pass on it.

 

[Samloyal23]

But some people just dream of being so special from all other characters.
it was the case in ADnD , where you have a very little chance to have psionic on top of your character classe. That’s what I suspect some dream about when they want psionic.

Sure, and part of it is just to do something different from magic. You want a change of pace and want to do things a different way.

 

[Undrave]

Sure, and part of it is just to do something different from magic. You want a change of pace and want to do things a different way.

Different from Magic? DnD’s brand of magic is SO nebulous and it’s scope so absurdly large that anything beyond ‘I whack it with a sharpened stick’ can be labelled ‘Magic’. Especially so in 5e where ‘Magic is Vancian’ is no longer a valid method of classification.

 

[Asisreo]

Sure, and part of it is just to do something different from magic. You want a change of pace and want to do things a different way.

I would much rather have Psionics be a type of magic than have these whole new rules that need to be set up. The problem with psionics in general is that everyone is vulnerable to it in 5e. Counterspell doesn't work even if it's a spell since psionics aren't supposed to be "perceptable," magic resistance kinda works but only if it counts as spellcasting or has the asterisk saying it counts as "magical," Plus I'm having a hard time picturing an acceptable mechanic to justify their inclusion without it being broken