D&D 5E (2014) Is "Mystic" a bad class name?

[Jeff Carlsen]

I have loved the name Psion from the first time I read it. I'm okay shifting away from pseudoscience for powers and class features, but please, at least leave me the name.

 

[Vael]

I'm on the fence. I liked the pseudo-scientific terminology, but, if it's got to go, then you really shouldn't keep "Psion". And "Mystic" works well in DnD worlds, where Psionics is comparably rare. I like that Psionics feels a little more shrouded in mystery compared to arcane and divine magic.

So, while I'd rather call a Psion a Psion, Mystic works well enough.

 

[jayoungr]

I'm one of those who always thought "psion" sounded too science-y, so I like the new name. I especially like the fact that "mystic" leaves the source of the abilities vague; with a name like that, they could be arcane, divine, something else entirely, or completely unknown--whatever fits best in the world you're running. (And of course, if you're running a homebrew world where science is more appropriate, you can always rename it back to psion.)

 

[Dausuul]

So, if the class is "mystic," what should the name of the power itself be? Right now it's "psionics." If "psion" is unacceptable, then surely "psionics" needs to go too. What should it be replaced with?

 

[Remathilis]

So, if the class is "mystic," what should the name of the power itself be? Right now it's "psionics." If "psion" is unacceptable, then surely "psionics" needs to go too. What should it be replaced with?

Mysticism?

 

[Yaarel]

The normal English word for the concept is: a Psychic.

 

[Yaarel]

So, if the class is "mystic," what should the name of the power itself be? Right now it's "psionics." If "psion" is unacceptable, then surely "psionics" needs to go too. What should it be replaced with?

If the class is called a ‘Mystic’, then its ‘Force’ is ‘Thought’ or ‘Desire’. Even ‘Mindforce’.

 

[El Mahdi]

Psionics/Psion is a modern term, coined in 1956, by John W. Campbell Jr. for the February issue of his Astounding Science Fiction magazine. It was an expansion of an earlier term, psi, coined by the science fiction authors B.P. Wiesner and Robert H. Thouless in 1942.

Psychic is a slightly older term, though still relatively modern, coined by French astronomer and spiritualist Camille Flammarion in the mid-1800’s, and later introduced to the English language by publisher Edward William Cox in the 1870’s.

Earlier archaic terms for such abilities, as opposed to the concept of Magic in western culture, are found in Indian Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. In Hindu and Tibetan/Chinese Bhudism the practice is called Sādhanā, in Japanese Bhudism it’s called Shugendo. Practitioners in Hindu are called Siddhas, in Japanese Buddhism they are called Shugenja (yet another thing D&D got wrong…). The abilities they exhibit are called Siddhis in Hindu, while in Buddhism they are called Iddhi. There are also correlates in Jainism and Sikhism.

These Siddhis commonly use knowledge gained through Sādhanā, Tantras, meditation, and the manipulation of Prana (Qi, Ki, or Chi in Buddhist belief).

In the West, practitioners are called Yogis or Mystics (Mystic from French mystique, Old French mistique, Latin mysticus, and originating with Ancient Greek mustikos (secret, mystic) and mustes (one who has been initiated).

So I prefer Mystic, or Siddhas, for psionicist/psion, and call psi/psionics either Prana or Sādhanā.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

So I prefer Mystic, or Siddhas, for psionicist/psion, and call psi/psionics either Prana or Sādhanā.

I could get behind Mystic and Prana. It brings to mind the Bene Gesserit from Dune.

 

[Gadget]

Count me as one who loves the new term Mystic. The original psionics terms sounded like Gygax grabbed a basic collage psychology textbook along with a copy of Weird Tales and mashed a bunch of terms together. Not my cup of tea.

But I can get behind the contemplative who through rigorous discipline, meditation, study and practice can harness the power of the Mind and Thought.