Unearthed Arcana Why UA Psionics are never going to work in 5e.

[Maxperson]

Which goes back to the original point. People will NOT be satisfied with Euros, they want Dollars or nothing at all. For every option that can get 30% in favour there will be 70% against.

No. That's wrong. You left out "A few" before "people" in the second sentence. The majority will be okay with psionics as some sort of spellcaster, just like 3e proved when it became the most accepted psionic system to date.

 

[dave2008]

..., just like 3e proved when it became the most accepted psionic system to date.

I haven't heard this before, how do we know this? Did WotC release some psionic historical data in an earlier UA that I missed?

 

[Maxperson]

I haven't heard this before, how do we know this? Did WotC release some psionic historical data in an earlier UA that I missed?

I'm going by what I've experienced and heard by others. 1e and 2e psionics were rarely used. People found them strange and tended to leave it out of their fantasy. 3e, though, by making them more spellcaster like, got a lot of groups to allow them. I was able to play a lot more 3e psionic PCs and saw tons more in the various games that I played in, than I did in 1e and 2e games. I've seen many posters over the years echo that, and nobody say otherwise. It seems very highly unlikely that I'm wrong on this.

 

[Mecheon]

Yup. 3E and 4E had simpler psionics, and most of the psionic stuff I saw came from those two editions

Some people want to go all in for the crazy subsystems, and, hey, more power to you. But, there's a reason the psionic homebrews I point at are more like 3E or 4E and that's where they should be aiming

 

[Aldarc]

I haven't heard this before, how do we know this? Did WotC release some psionic historical data in an earlier UA that I missed?

Not sure, but 3.5 psionics did get an additional Complete Psionics supplement, though I don't think it was anywhere as good as Expanded Psionics Handbook. And the 3.5 psionic system did continue with no small degree of praise for Pathfinder under the guidance of Dreamscarred Press. Plus, when you look at what's being replicated for psionics in 5e - the psychic warrior and the soulknife - these are classes that came out of 3era psionics.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I'm going by what I've experienced and heard by others. 1e and 2e psionics were rarely used. People found them strange and tended to leave it out of their fantasy. 3e, though, by making them more spellcaster like, got a lot of groups to allow them. I was able to play a lot more 3e psionic PCs and saw tons more in the various games that I played in, than I did in 1e and 2e games. I've seen many posters over the years echo that, and nobody say otherwise. It seems very highly unlikely that I'm wrong on this.

The first and last sentences of that paragraph are kind of at odds.

As we have seen repeatedly, the people who hang out on forums like this are a minority. A very small minority.

The majority of 5e players don't post here, and (more importantly) have never played 3rd edition.

So, sure, you have an opinion based on your experience. That's great. But your experience really cannot be taken as representative.

 

[dave2008]

I'm going by what I've experienced and heard by others. 1e and 2e psionics were rarely used. People found them strange and tended to leave it out of their fantasy. 3e, though, by making them more spellcaster like, got a lot of groups to allow them. I was able to play a lot more 3e psionic PCs and saw tons more in the various games that I played in, than I did in 1e and 2e games. I've seen many posters over the years echo that, and nobody say otherwise. It seems very highly unlikely that I'm wrong on this.

However, everything you note is anecdotal from an extremely limited viewpoint. We already know that forum posters don't have the same preferences as the general D&D populace, so conversely it seems based on your anecdotes you are indeed likely wrong. Of course my own anecdotal evidence is about 180 degrees from yours. So they balance each other out and probably mean we really don't know anything at all. Best to run with that I think.

However, if we simply apply logic, it makes sense that a system based on spell casting is more likely to be used and approved by DMs as it is easier to understand. And what you said was "most accepted," not best or most popular. So, from that viewpoint I can concede you are likely correct, but I still prefer not to make declarations without real evidence. But I know you feel otherwise - it is good to have all types at the table!

 

[Maxperson]

The first and last sentences of that paragraph are kind of at odds.

As we have seen repeatedly, the people who hang out on forums like this are a minority. A very small minority.

I am also going by game conventions I attended. Talking with people who play in multiple home groups, like myself. And who also experienced game conventions and other people who interact with players from all over.

The majority of 5e players don't post here, and (more importantly) have never played 3rd edition.

Then they don't count for this particular discussion. We're talking about people who want psionics to be a certain way based on prior editions.

So, sure, you have an opinion based on your experience. That's great. But your experience really cannot be taken as representative.

And the experiences of many other posters from around the world who all experienced the same thing.

 

[Fenris-77]

If we're going to dive into anecdotal evidence (always a dodgy proposition) my wider gaming community used 2e Psionics a lot, mostly when Dark Sun was new, and very rarely used it otherwise. I can't speak to 4E as I mostly took 4E off as a D&D player and DM. Anecdotal evidence makes for a good story, but doesn't stand as proof or evidence of anything hobby-wide.

 

[Maxperson]

If we're going to dive into anecdotal evidence (always a dodgy proposition) my wider gaming community used 2e Psionics a lot, mostly when Dark Sun was new, and very rarely used it otherwise. I can't speak to 4E as I mostly took 4E off as a D&D player and DM. Anecdotal evidence makes for a good story, but doesn't stand as proof or evidence of anything hobby-wide.

Yep. Dark Sun was the beacon that allowed psionics to be okay. If you had a group that would play it, you had psionics everywhere, because that was the setting for it. In 3e it became a general class that more closely resembled the other classes, and it gained more general acceptance.