Thanks for reminding me to create such a list.
D&D (2024) Psionics: What Do You Want?
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Ooof. "SkidAce's campaign takes 10d6 psychic damage to the gut". hehe.
Its important to distinguish between real world and DnD/fiction assumptions.
In fiction, psionics being science is a common trope.
CM
Adventurer
I always liked that bit of unpredictability when it came to rolling your power checks in 2e, but I imagine that wouldn't fly in 5e. I seem to remember getting a powerful ability like disintegrate at level 3 was even a possibility in dark sun, though it was difficult and risky to use.
I do want it to be distinct from magic spells, with powers with point costs. Maybe the option to overcharge the power above your normal ability, but requiring a check to avoid some sort of backfire.
I do want it to be distinct from magic spells, with powers with point costs. Maybe the option to overcharge the power above your normal ability, but requiring a check to avoid some sort of backfire.
Paul Farquhar
Legend
It was for a time, mostly in the 60s and 70s, but not really in modern SF. The last time I saw it used was on Babylon 5 in the 90s, and that show was always fantasy with the numbers filed off.
Surprise! I love Babylon 5. The setting, character development, mythos, all of it.
Agreed. The only real away to differentiate them is in fluff, resource management, or what we allow them to cast. But it's all magic.
Remathilis
Legend
I wouldn't say "science" as much as new age. Most of the well known psionic powers were an attempt to explain eastern mysticism and occultism in scientific language. Extrasensory perception, biofeedback, remote viewing, telepathy, clairsentience were just fancy terms for divination, body control, scrying, and mind reading. A way to explore "magic" without the connection to witchcraft and the Devil. And it was a handy tool for sci-fi writers to add "magic" without sounding medieval. So when Spock or Obi-Wan read someones thoughts, they are using psychic techniques, not space magic.
By the time Gary was adding psionics to the PHB, I'm pretty sure he was aping the New Age mysticism trend of the late 60s and 70s and marrying it to the sci fi magic of the pulp novels that inspired him.
Flights of Fancy
Candy is King
Sidetrack but I used to love Babylon 5 when it aired. I tried watching it just a couple weeks ago--man, it is really bad. I couldn't even get through the first episode. I honestly didn't remember it being that terrible to me.
We must be reading different books, because it's not even close to the only trope .
