D&D 5E (2024) Githzerai Psion? Thri-kreen Psion? Where's My Psion?

[LuisCarlos17f]

In Spanish languange I only found the word "psionic" in D&D books. I would rather to use the term psionic for those D&D powers to mark their special trait.

* I have got other idea for a Dark Sun spin-off. Do you remember the 1991 "Hook" movie? Now let's imagine the lost boys with a Athasian/Hyrborean-punk clothing style. This is a demiplane (a domain of delight within the "Witchlight" future setting) used as refugee during the cleasing war. Some survivors suffered so traumatic events the solution was an "age regression" and then they couldn't remember the pain or feel the survivor's guilt. The original intention was to recreate the Athasian blue age but the plans had to be changed.

* In Dragonlance during the age of despair the dragons were only a legend, like the Krynian deities.

* Let's remember we are now in the digital age. WotC doen't need to print more books when some titles can be sold in D&D-Beyond and then the economic risk should be lower.

* Other way to promote the psionic powers could be a space for homemade settings with tags to look for according your preferences. Later a contest would be held and the prize for the winner would be digital content in D&D-Beyond and the setting unlocked in DM-Guild.

* Maybe the psionic powers are too linked to the Dark Sun setting and this now could be a serious handicap. We may need a new setting with a reason where psionic is more used than "Western" magic.

* With the experience in Baldur's Gate 3 I guess the strategy for the future psionic powers is these to be relatively easy to be translated to a videogame.

* Should the fraals(d20 Future) and the synads(complete psionic) appear with the rest of psionic PC species?

I imagine the maenads like survivors of a planar raid from the Far Realm. Their within rage is a remain of a previous taint.

The xephs need something more than only be psionic elves.

I imagine dromites and fraals with a mutual antipathy.

* The psion's psycristal could work like a "chest" of "psionic tatoos". Let's say a psion can craft a "seal" like a magic-scroll and this is "stored" within the psycristal. This power hasn't to be in the list. Maybe the psion only needs to use it in an unforeseen emergency, for example the power catfall.

 

[TwoSix]

I have an issue with people's refusal to explain what it is for the benefit of anyone who is not trapped in a 1970s geek culture bubble.

I'm not against psionics. I'm just trying to tell people the world has moved on, which means they need to start explaining it from scratch, not relying on fading tropes.

When my now-18 year old son originally got into D&D, we had this conversation (paraphrased, of course, it was a few years ago):

"I saw this word psionics in one of the books, that sounds like psychic, is that what it means?"
"Pretty much, yea. It's like Professor X in the X-Men."
"Ok, got it."

 

[Paul Farquhar]

When my now-18 year old son originally got into D&D, we had this conversation (paraphrased, of course, it was a few years ago):

"I saw this word psionics in one of the books, that sounds like psychic, is that what it means?"
"Pretty much, yea. It's like Professor X in the X-Men."
"Ok, got it."

So, why not use “psychic”, like Pathfinder does? As you say, you had to explain it a couple of years ago.

 

[Steampunkette]

So, why not use “psychic”, like Pathfinder does? As you say, you had to explain it a couple of years ago.

Why not use Biffle, instead? Or Psy-Power? Or The Schwartz?

'Cause we like this word and the history of it.

Which is why the Psi-Knight and Soulknife archetypes get "Psionic Power" at level 3.

If your opposition is entirely based on the particular nomenclature of Psionics rather than Psychic Powers or something similar I just don't know what to say other than "People like the word"

 

[TwoSix]

So, why not use “psychic”, like Pathfinder does? As you say, you had to explain it a couple of years ago.

I don't have a problem with that. My issue is more the exclusion of the tropes, not the specific word use.

 

[Micah Sweet]

People like psionics. I liked a number of WotC's incarnations. As did a lot of the folks in various psionics threads that I asked about it. If they had asked the proper questions, we would likely have a psion now.

As for being cool to teens, it's just as cool as fighting, clericing or wizarding. Mental powers are cool and interesting in and of themselves.

I liked psionics when I was a teen (I was 14 when the Complete Psionicists's Handbook for 2e was released), and I like psionics now.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The Blue also happen to be a heritage gift for the Goblinoid heritage in the Manual of Adventurous Resources: Complete. Here the gift is called Azure Mind.

Azure Mind

You come from a line of goblins called "the blue," which are known for their psionic powers. You gain the following benefits:

Blue Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip, and when you cast it, the hand is invisible, replaced by a faint blue aura. You can use this trait once between long rests to cast one spell, chosen from Charm Person, mage armor, or arcane riposte, dealing psychic damage. Your spellcasting ability for these is your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Since this gift is for MoAR: Complete's goblinoid heritage, it can be picked up those of the Hobgoblin or Bugbear lineages as well. Hmm...a blue-furred Bugbear named Hank McCoy.

Well I love everything about this!

 

[Micah Sweet]

Who has been around for 60 years and has aged well?

And appeared in film far more recently than the '60s?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I have an issue with people's refusal to explain what it is for the benefit of anyone who is not trapped in a 1970s geek culture bubble.

I'm not against psionics. I'm just trying to tell people the world has moved on, which means they need to start explaining it from scratch, not relying on fading tropes.

I learned the word psionics in the mid-eighties when I first read 1e. Captivated me ever since.

 

[Maxperson]

Which is my point. You cannot just stick the word “psionics” on the cover and expect people to know what its about. It needs to be EXPLAINED. Which means you need to stop being so effing woolly about it.

Calling your book something like “Secrets of the Far Realms” would be a better title than “Psionics Handbook”, since the Far Realms is mentioned pretty often in modern D&D.

It doesn't need its own book. No class is big enough in 5e to have a solo book, not even wizards. It would just be something in a Tasha's or Xanathar's type book.