Mike Mearls on D&D Psionics: Should Psionic Flavor Be Altered?

WotC's Mike Mearls has been asking for opinions on how psionics should be treated in D&D 5th Edition. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he'd hinted that he might be working on something, and this pretty much seals the deal. He asked yesterday "Agree/Disagree: The flavor around psionics needs to be altered to allow it to blend more smoothly into a traditional fantasy setting", and then followed up with some more comments today.

"Thanks for all the replies! Theoretically, were I working on psionics, I'd try to set some high bars for the execution. Such as - no psionic power duplicates a spell, and vice versa. Psionics uses a distinct mechanic, so no spell slots. One thing that might be controversial - I really don't like the scientific terminology, like psychokinesis, etc. But I think a psionicist should be exotic and weird, and drawing on/tied to something unsettling on a cosmic scale.... [but]... I think the source of psi would be pretty far from the realm of making pacts. IMO, old one = vestige from 3e's Tome of Magic.

One final note - Dark Sun is, IMO, a pretty good example of what happens to a D&D setting when psionic energy reaches its peak. Not that the rules would require it, but I think it's an interesting idea to illustrate psi's relationship to magic on a cosmic level."

 

[wyrdone]

RE "cantrips": Since Psi is just a hypernatural mastery of the manifester's body, many of the "cantrip" powers could have Side Effects- muscle strains (temporary reduction in Str or Dex), busted blood vessels (HP damage), migraines (temporary Int reduction), etc. if overused. Overuse could be a simple roll, similar to Star Fleet Battles' rule for high-energy turns: use the power at will X many times, all further uses of that power that day require a D20 roll + Con bonus vs a set number. Fail and suffer the side effect.

I like this... It inspires me to expand on some of your ideas.

What if we had all powers grouped into 2 categories, STR/DEX/CON and INT/WIS/CHA, Body and Mind. You could choose one or the other to focus on and add your proficiency bonus to checks in that category.

I can think of two options for manifesting powers:
Psicraft
Each day the Psion can manifest any power known they choose, but they must make a Psicraft check. The check starts out small each morning, maybe 5 to succeed, but goes up by 1 each time. You would track each categories' check DC separately. This would allow a lower level Psion to manifest a few powers per day before the check becomes too tough to achieve, while a higher level Psion could manifest a lot of powers before things get tough.

A failure could mean that the power fails and adds an additional +1 to the check DC, so you get to a point where your mind and body are spent and you simply can't manifest any more powers until you rest. A short rest could lower the DC by some amount while a long rest sets it back to 5.

Ability Scores
Each day the Psion can manifest any power known they choose, but they must make an ability check of their choice of the 3 in that category, or maybe each power has an ability score assigned. This check starts out small, maybe a 2 to succeed, but goes up by 1 each time.

A failure could give you temporary ability damage in the ability socre used, making the subsequent checks even harder. My only concern with this method would be that the damage could pile up quickly, leaving the Psion a slow, weak, stupid mess by the end of the day not fit for anything, even their backup crossbow or dagger. A short rest could heal maybe 1 or 2 points of ability damage to one or more abilities, while a long rest heals all damage taken in this manner.


This would be an entirely new mechanic when compared to spell slots and more level dependant progressions where you simply get X more manifestations. It adds a lot of variability into your powers... you're guaranteed to get off a few powers each day, and even if you fail a few, some good rolling can get you some more manifestations. Each Psion would be slightly different depending on their ability scores and/or Psicraft skill.

 

[Morlock]

So, what Mearls seems to be doing is trying to make Psionics less Science Fiction. Personally, I think that's not the right tack. I'd rather embrace it. DnD is such a weird tent, expand it.

Agreed.

But then, I also have the same problem with those that insist Monks are not DnD, because it's too Asian.

I don't like Monks in typical D&D settings, but I'm keeping them in my science-fantasy-ish psionics setting because I think they're a good fit, for the most part.

I feel like psionic characters should be a cross between Monks and Warlocks. Invocations to specialize and differentiate, some set abilities to provide basic competence, and limited, but recharging, casting ability that can be spent more or less quickly, like Ki points.

I'd like that style to be available...alongside the rest. Psionic wizards, psionic sorcerers, etc., too. I see no reason to pigeonhole psionics that way.

To be fair though, how different is, "Psionics come from The Force - an all powerful energy that permeates all life" and "Psionics come from the energy of the Far Realms, a dimension of psychic energy, far beyond the ken of man"? It's not really a whole lot of difference is it?

Granted, I don't really care either way how they flavour the "source" of psionics. 5e uses "the Weave" as the source of magic. Certainly doesn't apply to my game. Whatever source they come up with, will likely have about as much impact on my game as the Weave.

Indeed, I prefer they keep that sort of thing mostly as fluff. I've got a very specific write-up for my setting, and assuming I can use what Mearls & co. produce, I wouldn't want to have to go back in and excise a bunch of contradictory stuff.

I think Mearls is referring to the phenomenon of "psionic detect thoughts", where it was " see spell in PH" as a description.

Another reason I'm resigned to doing it myself. It makes sense to bridle at seeing "see PHB pg xxx for details." It also makes sense to bridle at paying for text that is quite similar to the PHB, in places. The compromise seems to be to make a strong effort not to duplicate arcane or divine spell effects; to make psionics very different. Since I want to replace arcane and divine magic with psionics, I need a lot of overlap, so I'm probably not going to see what I want from a 5e psionics supplement. I'd be happy to be wrong. And I'll almost certainly buy it and crib from it, in any event. Ideally, there'll be enough overlap to extrapolate a design philosophy, to make conversion easier.

I do not agree. First of all, what is "traditional fantasy"? There is none. What we call "traditional" in fantasy is actually stereotypical. An overused trope.

"Trope" is overused.

Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Birthright, Kingdoms of Kalamar; traditional fantasy D&D settings. Planescape, Dark Sun, Eberron, Spelljammer; not traditional fantasy D&D settings.

 

[Mistwell]

To be fair though, how different is, "Psionics come from The Force - an all powerful energy that permeates all life" and "Psionics come from the energy of the Far Realms, a dimension of psychic energy, far beyond the ken of man"? It's not really a whole lot of difference is it?

Well if that is the flavor of the far realms then sure, not much different. But I don't think that's the flavor they're talking about. I think it's the weird, alien, madness-inducing mythos-type far realms. Which is different than simply far away beyond our ken.

Granted, I don't really care either way how they flavour the "source" of psionics. 5e uses "the Weave" as the source of magic. Certainly doesn't apply to my game. Whatever source they come up with, will likely have about as much impact on my game as the Weave.

Agreed. It's why I say I can deal with it - heck I could even work with it without reflavoring it if I have to. I just have a preference.

 

[Morlock]

As for ways to limit psionics, I think power prerequisites work. No dipping into the 5th-level TK/Fear/Fire power if you haven't got the prerequisite 1st- and 3rd-level TK/Fear/Fire power. It's easy to go overboard and make this too rigid, though. Maybe group the powers loosely and say one of a given level and group is as good as another for purposes of prerequisites.

 

[Yaarel]

[I reworked my initial negative reaction, in order to try see the positive and to be more constructive. See my new post below.]

 

[JStillfeather]

IMO Psionics should be just as powerful as Magic, Aka Pyro kinetic should be able to create a psionic Fireball that does equal damage to that of a wizards fireball spell etc...
as far as Dark Sun goes magic went wrong and turned the world into a desert aka the mage classes of Preserver and Defiler, With Psionics not having the same destructive effects on the environment as magic because its power source was internal not external.

 

[steeldragons]

I dislike aspects of the WotC official setting. When they bake their setting into the classes, it makes the classes unusable for me.

If they bake the Far Realms flavor into my favorite class, the Psion, it will destroy it and make the entire D&D 5e product useless to me.

I dont understand why WotC keeps forcing *their* campaign setting on *my* gaming table.

The latest comment by Mearls disappointed me.

Branding.

That's my guess, anyway. Might not be necessarily important to WotC, but to the Hasbro Overlords, it seems very important. That "D&D's Psionics" can be quantified and used across media recognizable as "D&D's Psionics" ...and no one else's!

 

[jrowland]

I mean, I won't hate it if they tie them to the far realms, I just think it's a poor choice. Tying it to "the force" is a much stronger concept.

Communication breakdown. I was trying to make a similar point, but I honestly don't know if you are agreeing, disagreeing, or simply commenting. For its worth, I was pointing out that you can tie the far realms to psionics (swords and orcs) which I think you are for (me too), or you can tie psionics to the far realms (bad) but its not that clear what they mean.

 

[Zaukrie]

The need to change telekinesis to a less sciency name is like when they renamed dinosaurs, imo. Not needed.

 

[Yaarel]

I like how Mearls downplays the scientific (parapsychological) jargon, such as Psychokinesis. Standard D&D terminology is better, at least most of the time.

I like how Mearls wants to steer away from Far Realms pacts. I hope that means, he wants to focus on the definition of ‘Psionics’ as ones own mind over matter.

I want my Psion to fight with his psionic mind with the same confidence and enthusiasm that a Fighter fights with a sword. X-Men mutants and Star Wars force users are a good example of how natural psionics is.

I dislike the ‘unsettling’ theme of everything is darker, edgier, tainted. Such a theme pertains to what the entire setting needs to be. It goes beyond the scope of a class. Please avoid baking a specific setting into a class. It is highly objectionable to players who dislike a particular setting.

On second look at the tweet by Mearls, I am reading it as: There is a cosmic conflict between *magic* and *psionics*. One ultimately undermines the other. Individualistic internal psionics in a cosmic conflict against antihuman external magic, can be an interesting theme for a specific setting.

Psionics is a method that is humanistic, natural, and personal - the power of ones own mind over matter.