D&D 5E Psionics in Tasha

[Maxperson]

We understand magic in D&D 5e - it's whatever the people who wrote the rules say it is.

Look up all the psionic creatures and all UA psionic attempts. It's clear that in 5e Psionics doesn't require components. Even the non-psionic classes that dabble in psionic energy can turn their spells into psionics, with say a sorcery point, and then not need components.

 

[Gadget]

Quite frankly, I'm shocked at the bitter recriminations and outraged surprise registered here. It has been apparent for quite a while that the mystic is dead. Anyone who has been keeping up with Unearthed Arcana for the past year should not be the least bit surprised by this route. I get that this is not the preferred design by many, but the writing has been on the wall for some time now.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the whole "Psionics should be a totally separate mechanic and system for doing mystical stuff that has most of the limitations of regular spellcasting removed, can't be dispelled or countered; and--oh yeah--magic resistance has no effect! Mindblanked? Too bad, you're my puppet bitch!" attitude that seems to pop up around psionics in some circles. Especially since 5e has used the base spell system to represent virtually every other mystical concept or class so far. I mean, why does my divine miracle working cleric need to use the same system as the eye of newt using wizard?

From a business perspective, WOTC does have a system of discrete, pre-packaged, super-natural abilities that can be parceled out to PCs as they rise in levels that most of the customer base is familiar with. I would have hoped they might have labeled the new 'spells' as psionic, thereby giving a means of partitioning them off a little more, but I'll wait and see what the final psionic (sub)classes look like. For me, take a Sorcercer, swap CHA with INT and give them Subtle Spell on "psionic" spells and you would be close. But who knows what we'll get in the final product.

 

[Mistwell]

Augh... I LOVED the Psionic Dice concept... but people are complaining about 'learning a new system' really disappoint me in ways I struggle to put into word. It really sucks that anything adventurous is shot down for being 'too complicated' when it was literally just a DICE you keep in front of you! BLEH.

I liked it too.

We're just not in the majority on this one. Ah well. Fortunately, I can just use that system in my game.

 

[Mistwell]

Designer A: So, the people didn't like what we designed.

Designer B: Hmmm... could the fault be in our design?

A&B Together: Peals of laughter.

Designer A: Good one! As if we can design poorly. They're probably holding it wrong.

Designer B: So, spells?

No man, that's again not what happened. It wasn't like the got feedback of "If you just tweak it this way it will work better!" nor is it like they didn't try other systems. The designs of those systems they tried were pretty good actually. Like Undrave said, some people liked the die idea they tried last. It's just that not enough people liked any of it. And they did react positively to treating it like spells. So they listened.

 

[the Jester]

I don't drink either, as a general rule, but I've tried a few things from time to time. Tequila is probably the worse thing I've ever drank so I would avoid it at all cost. I don't know how people can drink that crap! It tastes like turpentine!

I do drink, but I think tequila tastes like alcohol that was distilled from dirty socks.

 

[Minigiant]

We already knew this. Since every attempt to make a psionicist was rejected, WotC decided their only option was to go with the simplest, least hated option - psionic spells.

I wouldn't say "less hated" but "most apathetic to"

Psionic spell got the fewest strongly dislike and strongly like I think. All the other options got strong responses with mutually exclusive desires "Both more and less ooze".

 

[NaturalZero]

Remember when they made powers from every class work the same in 4e and the community flipped their naughty word over everything working the same way? Even in 4e, psionics worked differently from the rest of the classes.

The fact that literally every class in the game goes back to the same spell list in the PHB and uses the same spell slots is my least favorite feature of 5e, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they're designing psionics with the least amount of innovation humanly possible.

 

[grimslade]

This is WotC punting on psionics. If enough people complain, they might revisit a new system, but I doubt it. I don't see a Dark Sun conversion coming to 5E. Maybe it will be opened to DMs Guild for development.
Also the 'design' for psionics has been :
Redesign the entire class system as psionic themed and call it the Mystic
Make some subclasses that have a lot of flavor but little crunch and a funky extra die roll.
Screw it. Psionics are a spell descriptor. Check it off the list and on to something easier, like another mega-adventure on the Sword Coast!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I do drink, but I think tequila tastes like alcohol that was distilled from dirty socks.

Thats where the lemon and salt comes in...

No, I actually do like tequila.

 

[glass]

What I do not understand about this is why they felt the need to call it "psionics".

In 1e-2e (despite being something that was supernatural from a real-world perspective), it was flavoured from something other than magic. A counterpoint. A rival. This is my preferred model, although I acknowledge it is extremely difficult to do in a way that is both streamlined and balanced.

In 3e, 3.5, and 4e, it was basically just another branch of magic, but it was mechanically distinct. And the points-based casting mechanics had their fans (especially the 3.5 take).

Making a few spells with a "psionic" tag on them and maybe a couple of is not going to please either of those groups. And the people who wanted neither of those and who are grave dancing now are probably not terribly attached to the name "psionics" either, so if they had called it "psychic magic" or "mentalist magic", everyone would have been a little happier.

EDIT: Also, add me to the list of strongly disliking tequila.

_
glass.