Unearthed Arcana New Unearthed Arcana: Psionics!

There’s a new Unearthed Arcana article out, and it’s all about psionics! "Their minds bristling with power, three new subclasses arrive in today’s Unearthed Arcana: the Psychic Warrior for the fighter, the Soulknife for the rogue, and the tradition of Psionics for the wizard."

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In this 9-page PDF, there are also some new psionics-themed spells (including versions of classic psionic powers like id insinuation and ego whip) and two new feats.

 

[Tony Vargas]

They look like mystical gestures to me, yes.

The only time I've seen screen representations of something as complex as I'd expect from D&D S components is that Narnia-rip-off TV show, The Magicians. They even cast Magic Missile, and lampshaded it.

It was literally called out as sorcery in the movie as well

That'd actually be kinda awesome if something as mainstream as Disney had adopted D&D's incorrect usage of the word.

(English definitions of 'sorcerer' or 'sorcery' include just "someone who claims or is believed to have magical powers" - synonymous with witch, wizard, etc... and "power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits especially for divining." The distinction of the sorcerer as having inborn magic-in-the-blood is a D&Dism. Maybe, if it spreads from D&D to MMOs to Disney to the mainstream, it'll become a legit definition, too.)

 

[Arnwolf666]

My whole point before, about the mistake of making a spell called Telekinesis, applies to many more.

They made Wizards step on the toes of Psionics many times.

Now, I still do believe you can make Telekinesis different for Psionics (obvious example: it could be free or cost you depending on the weight you move, and be scalable in that, but I would envision the same system also to do perform different actions with the target object or creature) but my point is the first mistake was giving such obviously psionic abilities to arcane spells. Now of course people are going to say we have a spell for that. Well we shouldn't have had.

That said, to reply shortly to @Chaosmancer , of course if you view psionics in such a different way, nothing much to discuss.

maybe that is because default d&d does not have psionics. And psionics kind of has the same effects as magic. Its the same thing entirely to most people.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I DMd 4e one of my players had a ranger he re-flavored his damage boosting class ability as LOL an innate talent that catalyzes a poison on his weapon so actually, that players ranger had mutant style in born psionics (because that was what fit with the character story). I have only played and watched 5e I am trying to figure out really if I can/should DM 5e and so trying to make 5e fit me.

You definitely can (I subscribe to the theory that anyone can DM) and I would say that you should definetly give it a shot. I find 5e to be incredibly fun and more people running it means more likely I'll get to play instead of run

 

[Garthanos]

That'd actually be kinda awesome if something as mainstream as Disney had adopted D&D's incorrect usage of the word.

Hmmm not thinking the word is necessarily well/tightly enough defined in mythology or variations in how the supernatural supposedly accomplishes anything locked down well enough to call it incorrect If we are going latin fate manipulator.... but there is an irish one asarlaíocht one I think that though it looks a lot different (has more in common with druids )

Okay, so you agree that it is the most likely design paradigm they will use.

Responses may be evidence of me being picky... like making note that sometimes that paradigm is going to work well others it may introduce flavors that people do not like.

That's what I was saying to begin with, but you made it about how Rangers should have had a skill system instead of magic back when they were first designed. That has nothing to do with now and Psionics.

Analogies do not change what it is about they point out parallels and divergences. The earlier case had parallels and was actually more a problem because they didnt actually follow through with making those elements close enough to magic to be useful but on the other side it did have some of the same problems people mention now for psionics someone whose awesome was arguably X analogous to magic just getting magic instead.

Because you seemed focused on skills and how if they made a better skill system they would need less magic? How else am I supposed to interpret that in a discussion about Psionics other than you want to use skills for Psionics?

By context and me saying things like
"It relates directly as to whether you need a separate distinct mechanic ie subsystems. Psionics or Skills or Spells same fishes in that barrel."

Now admittedly I didnt say that immediately and jumped into pointing out things I thought of as noteable parallels and how they created problems on either side (not developing the subsystem or pasting the spell system someplace it didnt necessarily belong flavor wise) without preamble so shrug like all errors in communication more than one is involved.

Awesome, I think there was some confusion in our discussion, which led to me thinking you were talking about something else. I don't disagree with any of this though.

I also end up judging poorly made systems and how much fiat might need to be involved. We are agreeing very loudly

Yeh all is good.

 

[Garthanos]

That's problematic when trying to add a Psion, because the concept-first, don't-make-the-classes-"samey"-like-wrongbadfun-4e, rationalizations for having 5e, at all, demand it be mechanically distinct, while the simplicity mandate demands it just re-cycle spells like everyone else.

There are definitely conflicting goals.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

In Dune the Bene Gesserit have genetic memories of all their female ancestors, with their special creation the Kwisatz Haderach having the ability to access all of their genetic memories. But would they necessarily be Wizards in D&D terms, that's probably not what I think they would be, even if there's a lot of study and ritual using spice involved. The fact that they are invested into bloodlines might mean they could be Sorcerers, and they happen to be very much into social skills too.

But such a concept like the Bene Gesserit very much could be a class such as a Psion, or maybe they're Bards.

They’re absolutely Psionic Bards, IMO. With immunity to fear and the ability to end effects on themselves by spending inspiration dice.

 

[Garthanos]

They’re absolutely Psionic Bards, IMO. With immunity to fear and the ability to end effects on themselves by spending inspiration dice.

There standard behavior is definitely social manipulators...

 

[Salthorae]

There standard behavior is definitely social manipulators...

I'd almost call them College of Whispers Bards since that is basically all already psychic damage and fits with what they do!

Though I've only ever read Dune, none of the follow on series, so my vision of the Bene Gesserit is limited.

 

[Garthanos]

I'd almost call them College of Whispers Bards since that is basically all already psychic damage and fits with what they do!

Though I've only ever read Dune, none of the follow on series, so my vision of the Bene Gesserit is limited.

They over lap a lot with seers and are martial artists(monks) too. I am building them as a race for 4e currently actually a derivation off of the Deva race. Giving them a super dollop of poison and necro resistance for their mind over body stunts, plus a feat for seer style predictive intelligence they can use in martial arts. (using Intelligence instead of reactions for initiative and martial arts). There is also something called Mentat Training which is like use your brain like a computer which other than iedic memory not sure how to represent.

 

[Salthorae]

They over lap a lot with seers and are martial artists(monks) too. I am building them as a race for 4e currently actually a derivation off of the Deva race. Giving them a super dollop of poison and necro resistance for their mind over body stunts, plus a feat for seer style predictive intelligence they can use in martial arts. (using Intelligence instead of reactions for initiative and martial arts). There is also something called Mentat Training which is like use your brain like a computer which other than iedic memory not sure how to represent.

You could model them like the Eberron dragonmarked races possibly. Where the dragonmarked races get +1d4 to a couple of skill checks, you could give this race the same to initiative instead. Also give them a racial AC of 10+Dex+Int. Racial bonuses of +1 Dex +1 Int perhaps.

Instead of spells from the dragonmark, they could get the poison/necro resistance.