D&D 5E D&D Mystic: How to handle Psionic flavor?

[SailorNash]

Random thought: What would people think if the next UA Mystic update added Psionic Ideals/Flaws/Traits, similar to the playtests for Light Warlock or Shadow Sorcerer?

The biggest complaint forever for Psionics has been that the flavor doesn't fit. The UA Mystic tries to address this even so much as changing the name, but instead adds a different unwanted flavor in tying things to the Far Realms. Plus any change they make results in unhappy players who liked it better before.

These Background pieces are largely unnecessary, as gamers have been adding their own fluff to characters for years. But would something like this be an improvement over the permanent text in the preface, allowing the base class to be a bit more bland as the power source is explained elsewhere, or would that muddy the waters/open the can of worms further?

I do think that a more neutral base class would appease the greatest number of folks, making it easier to work into the greatest number of campaigns. And while the origin isn't as closely tied to the class as the Warlock Patrons or Sorcerous Origins, maybe it would be a start?

Alternatively, they could model things more closely to Warlock or Sorcerer and add subclasses for pseudoscience or the occult, tying the backstory to the class directly. Their base powers would be the ones most problematic to fit in elsewhere, whether those are subclass abilities or favored school. "Classic" abilities are easily picked up via talents or from the general list. Old-school fans get their scientists, fantasy purists get their psychics and diviners, and Cthuluoids get their corruption if they so desire.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I never saw psionic said as a good fit for a magic based game, myself, but i wonder if you couldn't have psionics be divorced from Class entirely as it was in AD&D? Maybe treat it like a version of Magic Initiate (warning: off the top of my head idea below)?

Start with 2 psionic 'cantrips' and one psionic 'spell slot', knowing 1 psionic 'spell'.

Scale as adding a 'spell slot' and a 'spell' at level 3, and then either a slot or a spell (player choice) at level 5, 8, 12, 16, 20.

Something like that?

 

[Xeviat]

I always thought Psionics could be reflavored as Ki. We almost got that in 4E when the Monk was made a psionic class. Psionic powers are the powers of the self; this is similar to the sorcerer's power, but the sorcerer's power is explicitly magical. In a world with Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards (half the core classes), and a few other classes and subclasses, I think there's room for another "spellcaster". Divine, Primal, Arcane, Psionic.

 

[Gradine]

I always thought Psionics could be reflavored as Ki. We almost got that in 4E when the Monk was made a psionic class. Psionic powers are the powers of the self; this is similar to the sorcerer's power, but the sorcerer's power is explicitly magical. In a world with Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards (half the core classes), and a few other classes and subclasses, I think there's room for another "spellcaster". Divine, Primal, Arcane, Psionic.

This. I often used the 5e Monk when creating 5e psionic PCs and NPCs and just re flavored the Ki a bit. That said I do really like what we've seen of the Mystic so far and I'm looking forward to the full class with more levels/options and a "Wild Talent" feat a la "Magic Initiate"

 

[lowkey13]

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