Magic/Psionics

[Piratecat]

In my world there is a magical weave that permeates everything. Anyone looking at it through detect magic sees innumerable multi-colored threads shimmering in the air. These threads get drawn towards and into anything magical; with a high enough spellcraft check, a person detecting magic can tell what type of magic is involved because of the predominant color of the threads that are woven into the item or spell being examined.

Wizards use arcane formulas, gestures and voice to weave these threads into magical effects. The spells twist and tug, and voila! A spell takes effect.

Bard do the same thing with only the sound of their music. The threads resonate with the song, and magic happens.

Clerics do this with prayer. They don't affect the threads directly; instead, divine power channelled by their prayers cause the threads to turn and weave.

Psions (and psi warriors) can affect the threads directly with their minds. They don't need any components, or voice, or gesture; their minds reach out and directly pluck on the magical threads. This creates some odd displays, and allows psionics to be powerful at particular types of effects while not allowing them to duplicate certain arcane and divine spells.

 

[Corlon]

Well, in my campaign psionics are slowly being introduced, although the PCs don't really know it yet.

Detect magic can detect psionics, but since it's an unkown force, the wizard gets the message that "it isn't magical, but there's this weird feeling you have that it's not normal."

Generally magic and psionics can combat each other, but dispel magics and such suffer a penalty.

 

[the Jester]

I use 'magic-psionics translucency'- they will affect each other, but not perfectly. Dispel magic, for example, has a -5 on attempts to dispel psionic effects.

 

[DreamChaser]

I use 'magic-psionics translucency'- they will affect each other, but not perfectly. Dispel magic, for example, has a -5 on attempts to dispel psionic effects.

Ditto.

 

[Evilhalfling]

close to transparent,
but like others Detect Magic will show that psionic energy is involved, but not what type.
and vise versa.
I like psionics, it was nearly as common IMC - halflings had few to no arcane casters, almost all were psions. Dwarves were about 50% arcane/50% psionic
elves and humans mostly used arcane magic
Everyone had divine magic.

 

[Nifft]

Different.

Certain descriptors overlap -- such as fire resistance stopping anything with the [fire] descriptor, or mind blank stopping anything with the [scry] descriptor (if that still exists) and the [mind-affecting] descriptor.

In some places where the dimensions are aligned in a certain way, ectoplasm = force and magic = psionics. Otherwise, they are different.

-- N

 

[Jdvn1]

I run it very similar to PC, actually. If they're different, then that makes the rules needlessly complicated, I think.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I do a little of both. They are about as similar as arcane magic is to divine magic.

 

[Verequus]

I'm using Elements of Magic Revised + Lyceian Arcana, so magic and psionics aren't only transparent, but use nearly the same mechanics - only one extra feat for the special psionics feel, like in Arcana Unearthed.

[off-topic]
To Arbiter of Wyrms:

IIRC, then you planned to write a PDF about langauge design. Are you still doing that? It would sadden me, if you had stopped this project.
[/off-topic]

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

[off-topic]
To Arbiter of Wyrms:

IIRC, then you planned to write a PDF about langauge design. Are you still doing that? It would sadden me, if you had stopped this project.
[/off-topic]

I'm stilll working on it, Rulemaster. Thanks for the interest. I have a chapter or two written. I have ideas for more still coming together. I've got proofreaders. I've got research assistance. I've got a publisher. I also have 21 units in school right now, though, so D20 Linguistics has sort of taken a back seat for the moment.