D&D 5E (2014) 5e has everything it needs for Dark Sun

[Cap'n Kobold]

The thing is, the spells of slots 1 and 2 are so powerful, there is no detectable gap between slots 2 and 3.

I consider the formula, "points = slot level + 1", to be simpler, more accurate, and more balanced.

Level 2 to level 3 spells are where Shatter becomes Fireball, Levitate becomes Fly, Enlarge becomes Haste. Let alone the level 3 spells that allow you to do things with no parallel at levels 1 or 2 like Counterspell etc.

. . . I see a much larger gap in what a level 3 spell can achieve compared to a level 2.

In any case, the Wizard and the Warlock are being measured by the same metric. Thus relative to each other, the results are accurate.

Finally, the ratio between Wizard spell points and Warlock spell points, is highly inconsistent from level to level, no matter how one measures it.

No matter how one measures it, the result is, level 10 sucks for Warlock.

I can understand that, if those are the metrics that you have chosen to use, the warlock would indeed appear to be lacking compared to the wizard.

They've also gone out of their way to separate psionics and magic, though. They said very specifically that the psionic wizard subclass wasn't psionic, but rather a wizard that uses magic to access psionic power to augment his spells.

On the other hand, Tashas is very clear that the Aberrant Mind Sorceror is psionic: Out of all the given origin options, only one does not explicitly mention your psionic powers.

 

[Yaarel]

Level 2 to level 3 spells are where Shatter becomes Fireball, Levitate becomes Fly, Enlarge becomes Haste. Let alone the level 3 spells that allow you to do things with no parallel at levels 1 or 2 like Counterspell etc.

. . . I see a much larger gap in what a level 3 spell can achieve compared to a level 2.

I can understand that, if those are the metrics that you have chosen to use, the warlock would indeed appear to be lacking compared to the wizard.

On the other hand, Tashas is very clear that the Aberrant Mind Sorceror is psionic: Out of all the given origin options, only one does not explicitly mention your psionic powers.

Sure but slot 3 also includes many subpar spells. And even Fly which is superpowerful seems ok at level 1 with certain races − where I am concerned about it being overpowered but dont hear any complaints about it.

S2 Invisibility is very powerful. S1 Magic Missile, Shield (!), Bless (!!!), and so on are extremely powerful spells. Relative to other bonus-granting spells, Bless could easily be a S4 spell.

S2 Tashas Hideous Laughter is extremely powerful and is comparable to S8 Ottos Irresistable Dance.

S2 Suggestion, Phantasmal Force, Spiritual Weapon, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere are also game-changingly powerful spells.

There is simply no gap between 2 and 3.

Fireball itself is artificial, intentionally buffed up by designers for D&D trope plot protection, and is nonrepresentative for what S3 offers. (And the anomalous Fireball damage confuses the expectations for what every other damage-dealing spell should be dealing.)

 

[Maxperson]

I feel references to UA are useless. If a UA said something that failed to appear in Tashas, it can even mean that designers have rejected that approach.

The only texts that are relevant for psionics are the MM and Tashas.

I don't think they're useless. They certainly cannot be used as anything official, but they can and do show the intent behind WotC's design. In every incarnation of any psionic class or subclass, a few things have been common to them all. 1) psionics don't need components. 2) psionics can do/interact with magic, but it doesn't say that they ARE magic. Those are consistent themes through all the UA's and indicate their mindset as to what psionics represent.

 

[Maxperson]

On the other hand, Tashas is very clear that the Aberrant Mind Sorceror is psionic: Out of all the given origin options, only one does not explicitly mention your psionic powers.

It's not psionic as it's very explicitly a sorcerer class and sorcerers are arcane. Like the wizard that uses magic to access and merge with psionic power, the Aberrant Mind uses psionic power to access it's magic. They're both hybrids, not psionic classes/subclasses.

 

[Yaarel]

I don't think they're useless. They certainly cannot be used as anything official, but they can and do show the intent behind WotC's design. In every incarnation of any psionic class or subclass, a few things have been common to them all. 1) psionics don't need components. 2) psionics can do/interact with magic, but it doesn't say that they ARE magic. Those are consistent themes through all the UA's and indicate their mindset as to what psionics represent.

5e surprises me. One might have thought that psionics is magical but isnt spells. So far, 5e says psionics is spells but might be nonmagical.

 

[Maxperson]

5e surprises me. One might have thought that psionics is magical but isnt spells. So far, 5e says psionics is spells but might be nonmagical.

Yeah. I figure I'll wait and see what comes and make homebrewed modifications(if necessary) to fit how I envision it.

 

[Steampunkette]

I feel similar, Max... though I think I'm just gonna straight up do the KibblesTasty stuff for the foreseeable future, and then swap -if- the 5e Psionics are at least as innovative and clean.

If they're not... I might adapt 5e stuff to Kibbles!

 

[Yaarel]

In Tashas 66, Sorcerer Aberrant Mind:
"
Psionic power ... can ... alter the world around you by using it to control the magical energy of the multiverse.

"

Tashas pretty much says: psionics manipulates the Weave to create magical effects.

 

[Sithlord]

Magic is just what more primitive people call psionics. Humans aren’t good at it that’s why they use verbal, somatic, and material components to focus the energy. Other races vary. That’s why I liked sorcerer as the psionics. They have bloodline allowing them to not need components (if they would give that ability to sorcerers).

 

[Yaarel]

Magic is just what more primitive people call psionics. Humans aren’t good at it that’s why they use verbal, somatic, and material components to focus the energy. Other races vary. That’s why I liked sorcerer as the psionics. They have bloodline allowing them to not need components (if they would give that ability to sorcerers).

Heh, I think it is the other way around.

"Psionics" is just what technological people call magic.

Socalled "primitive people" (a highly problematic term), namely "animists", are well aware of the power of ones own mind. The power of a mind is a central sacred concept. Animists likewise are aware that even rocks and trees have minds and psionic powers.