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Mike Mearls on D&D Psionics: Should Psionic Flavor Be Altered?
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<blockquote data-quote="Mercule" data-source="post: 7672280" data-attributes="member: 5100"><p>Not sure whether I agree/disagree with his original question. I'd more say that I'm not opposed to the idea. </p><p></p><p>I do like what he's laying down, though. I think Psi, Divine, and Arcane magic would be best served by being very distinct from one another. Divine is channeling power inherent in some other being (typically a god). Arcane is manipulating energy around you, but external to you. Psionic is drawing on your own, internal energy. If I can accept that divine and arcane magic use the same mechanic, I can accept that psionics do, too. But... psionics are the most alien and non-traditional of the power sources, so it helps to give them a distinct mechanic, and I'd rather have at least one of the three use a different mechanic. It's almost a sacred cow, at this point.</p><p></p><p>I do like his take on old ones, though. I've never liked the "outside our reality" idea. Reality is reality. If it exists, it's part of reality. We already have planes in D&D, what is "outside"? But, things from before this iteration or simply long since forgotten -- that I like.</p><p></p><p>The scientific terminology for psionics has always bothered me. Feels more sci-fi than fantasy, even understanding that fantasy can be considered a sub-genre of sci-fi. I'd be happy to purge those terms.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mercule, post: 7672280, member: 5100"] Not sure whether I agree/disagree with his original question. I'd more say that I'm not opposed to the idea. I do like what he's laying down, though. I think Psi, Divine, and Arcane magic would be best served by being very distinct from one another. Divine is channeling power inherent in some other being (typically a god). Arcane is manipulating energy around you, but external to you. Psionic is drawing on your own, internal energy. If I can accept that divine and arcane magic use the same mechanic, I can accept that psionics do, too. But... psionics are the most alien and non-traditional of the power sources, so it helps to give them a distinct mechanic, and I'd rather have at least one of the three use a different mechanic. It's almost a sacred cow, at this point. I do like his take on old ones, though. I've never liked the "outside our reality" idea. Reality is reality. If it exists, it's part of reality. We already have planes in D&D, what is "outside"? But, things from before this iteration or simply long since forgotten -- that I like. The scientific terminology for psionics has always bothered me. Feels more sci-fi than fantasy, even understanding that fantasy can be considered a sub-genre of sci-fi. I'd be happy to purge those terms. [/QUOTE]
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Mike Mearls on D&D Psionics: Should Psionic Flavor Be Altered?
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