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<blockquote data-quote="Felon" data-source="post: 4791378" data-attributes="member: 8158">It always puzzles me to see folks say this.The term &quot;psionic&quot; was coined by science-fiction authors, largely because they specifically wanted a term to apply to abilities like ESP and psychoknesis that would remove all supernatural connotations. It's used in RPG's and other games to give players abilities that work like magic in settings that are expressly unmagical.In other words, in D&amp;D, psionics is basically a square peg in a round hole. And that's a big part of the appeal for some folks. In all practical ways, it's redundant, because magic can do anything. &quot;Look, I can make this rock move around without touching it.&quot;&quot;So? A simple cantrip can do that&quot;.&quot;Aha! But this isn't a SPELL. I'm not using MAGIC. I'm using PSIONICS!&quot;It's like introducing power armor and laser rifles; in a fantastic setting where almost anything goes, this manages to add something that just feels alien.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Felon, post: 4791378, member: 8158"] It always puzzles me to see folks say this. The term "psionic" was coined by science-fiction authors, largely because they specifically wanted a term to apply to abilities like ESP and psychoknesis that would remove all supernatural connotations. It's used in RPG's and other games to give players abilities that work like magic in settings that are expressly unmagical. In other words, in D&D, psionics is basically a square peg in a round hole. And that's a big part of the appeal for some folks. In all practical ways, it's redundant, because magic can do anything. "Look, I can make this rock move around without touching it." "So? A simple cantrip can do that". "Aha! But this isn't a SPELL. I'm not using MAGIC. I'm using PSIONICS!" It's like introducing power armor and laser rifles; in a fantastic setting where almost anything goes, this manages to add something that just feels alien. [/QUOTE]

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