D&D (2024) We have Arcane, Divine, and Primal lists now. Why not Psionic?

[Yaarel]

I'm starting to realize you're actually using 'magical' to mean 'fictional'. Like bigfoot, reptilians and datable billionares.

I use "magic" to mean "superhuman" in the sense of beyond typical limits.

At a certain point in reallife, when technology can produce results in response to mental intentions (via wetware neural implants), I would call that "magic" too, at least defacto magic.

Reallife "telepathy" via technology is already happening at a rudimentary level in lab experiments.

 

[Incenjucar]

I use "magic" to mean "superhuman" in the sense of beyond typical limits.

At a certain point in reallife, when technology can produce effects in response to mental intentions (via wetware neural implants), I would call that "magic" too, at least defacto magic.

Is this like a steamed hams thing.

 

[Shardstone]

Trying to make EVERYTHING magic is exactly what is preventing innovation because it's an excuse to not give anything to the non-magical.

Disagreed. We get so wrapped up in trying to distinguish impossible super strength from casting fireball that we forget we are interfacing with a game whose mechanics are designed to be reflavored.

Explain to me why it matters if 8d6 fire damage on a failed dex save is a spell, a bomb, or a burst of heat vision.

 

[Shardstone]

I don't see how.

Superman is resistant to space lasers but not magic lasers. He can be taken out by magic punches when he would shrug off superhuman punches. Superpowers and magic are different in DC.

Edit: Superman being weak to magic was established in 1964, though why that matters is unclear.

You have fundamentally misunderstood everything I said.

 

[Incenjucar]

Disagreed. We get so wrapped up in trying to distinguish impossible super strength from casting fireball that we forget we are interfacing with a game whose mechanics are designed to be reflavored.

Explain to me why it matters if 8d6 fire damage on a failed dex save is a spell, a bomb, or a burst of heat vision.

Interactions with other rules and abilities, and determining interactions with the fiction.

 

[Yaarel]

Is this like a steamed hams thing.

"steamed hams"?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Disagreed. We get so wrapped up in trying to distinguish impossible super strength from casting fireball that we forget we are interfacing with a game whose mechanics are designed to be reflavored.

Used to be.

Because the 'lol everyone is a caster now' crowd was just as terrified of refluffing or attempts at being flavor agnostic. Or even basic keywording.

That's why you can counterspell everything.

 

[Shardstone]

Used to be.

Because the 'lol everyone is a caster now' crowd was just as terrified of refluffing or attempts at being flavor agnostic. Or even basic keywording.

That's why you can counterspell everything.

Now this is very true. If only wotc formalized their half-baked tag/category ideas.

 

[Incenjucar]

"steamed hams"?

Simpsons meme where one character makes up a colloquial term on the spot.

Basically, you are using "magic" in a way that does not match common usage in any English dialect I'm deeply familiar with, and also not using it in the way it's used in D&D, so the word has little to no communication value.

 

[Yaarel]

Simpsons meme where one character makes up a colloquial term on the spot.

Basically, you are using "magic" in a way that does not match common usage in any English dialect I'm deeply familiar with, and also not using it in the way it's used in D&D, so the word has little to no communication value.

Where I am, I am using the meanings of "magic" in a typical way. It means anything that fulfills an intention in a wondrous way. Miracles and wonders, including technological marvels.

My earlier point is, the word "magic" is and has always been vague. It is pointless to try to reduce its meanings.

On the other hand, if D&D describes specific "sources" of magic, it can describe each source unambiguously.

Consider that Greek mythic warriors are often "Divine". Norse mythic warriors are often "Psionic". And perhaps a hi-tech supersoldier could be understood as "Arcane".

The boundaries between "magic" and "not-magic" are fluid.