I imagine monks, and samurai, ninja and sohei, as class with ki as power source. A psionic monk is possible, but as subclass. Psionic and ki may be linked, but they aren't the same (and incarnum and ki also are different things, aren't they?). And the most of martial maneuvers by warblade, swordsage or crusader, the martial adept classes, should be ki, but spell-like effects, then theses should be arcane or divine magic.
As someone trying make a unified idea of how magic interacts, this is the most frustrating and annoying thing to deal with.
Arcane magic is different than Divine magic which is different than Primal magic which is different than Ki which is different than Psionics which is different than Incarnum which is different than True Naming which is different than X
And then you look at the world and realize you have a mess of a dozen different power sources which never intersect and are all possible of doing incredibly similar things.
Simplifying allows you to build connections between things and make a cohesive whole.
Now, because of Far Realms craziness being my favorite type of antagonist, I'm actually not against Psionics existing, but deciding how it slots into the world is much more difficult.
And while this being a possible addition and not substitution of a true psychic is possible (not sure, IMO)
I saw on another site that Crawford posted this on Twitter
"We haven’t closed the door on a class like mystic/psion. But right now, we’re focused on exploring subclass options. Just as the wizard doesn’t own arcane magic and the cleric doesn’t own divine magic, a potential psionic class doesn’t own psionics."
So, it seems they are indicating this is just an addition to the psionics arena.
I didn't hurl insults to anyone, I just said exactly that I didn't like this and felt insulted by it. I am pretty sure people who LIKED psionics and cared for them, before, can't like it like this.
No True Scotsman.
Taking that stance only weakens your position and turns people who might agree with you against you, because now they have to defend the fact that they like this and psionics from before.
I might be wrong, but that's what I'm trying to find out. Not going to be convinced by your case. If I see many more taking yours stance, maybe, but so what? I will still complain, because I care.
I am tired of things being judged by people who don't care, including the designers. This is the message I want to spread. With fringe themes, let people who care take care.
You can't judge how much someone else cares for a subject, especially by how they try and create a balanced game. They have to decide how to approach everything by what is best for the entire game, not just what is best for a certain subject.
And, how can you have a reasonable debate and judge people's intentions when you go come right out and say you don't care about other people's opinions and stances? Nothing I say can convince you? Then why would I attempt to come to an understanding with you? Why would someone else come in and try and discuss the subject with you? You don't care and will likely dismiss what they say.
Passion is commendable. Passion that leads you to dismiss the people who try and engage you on the subject isn't helpful.
A psionics user would be extremely vulnerable to anything breaking the concentration. Being afraid would make him/her nearly disabled, or at the very least unable to use anything that is not self-defence. Psychic damage would similarly be very dangerous, just as taking any damage would break concentration as for magic users, but worse because they would also lose the needed "psionic focus", this being the altered state of consciousness needed to manifest powers.
There are countless ways of making psionics balanced, yet maintaining the flavor and the sneakiness of their powers.
Those are some interesting ideas.
dnd.wizards.com
