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Psion, Sorcerer, and Warlock
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<blockquote data-quote="Mercule" data-source="post: 7035912" data-attributes="member: 5100"><p>I actually have house rules for "Pact of the Blood" Warlocks -- basically, Warlocks who gained their magic by right of birth, instead of bargain. Any of the metamagic abilities are just Invocations with a prerequisite of "Pact of Blood". The Sorcerer bloodlines are stupid-easy to convert. I had one player with a Warlock who made a pact with an Elder Wyrm and it worked marvelously.</p><p></p><p>That said, the main reason I did that is because I thought the Warlock mechanics would be easier for a new player. Also, I don't really like the Wild Sorcerer, and it seemed stupid to have a class with only one kit while everything else has lots of options. In my current game, the Favored Soul is actually a Sorcerer.</p><p></p><p>As far as a Psionic Sorcerer, it depends on how you picture Psionics. If psionics is just a smattering of magical abilities that you have due to accident of birth or something similar, then Sorcerer makes complete sense. Personally, going all the way back to 1E AD&D, I've always treated psionics as a way for PCs to pick up some unexplained magical abilities. Even in 2E, when the Psion class was added, actual Psions were the exception to an already exceptional rule; they had to be born with some natural gift and then also actively pursue their freakish ability. So, fluff-wise, the Sorcerer is walking right into where the Psion already stood, in my view. It's just bringing slightly more explanation and variance to the deal.</p><p></p><p>Some folks object to the Psion as a Sorcerer kit because Psions are mentalists who just think stuff into happening. I say, if you can do magic because it's literally oozing out of your blood, there is no explanation for using the same arcane formulae as Wizards that <u>isn't</u> stupid. In 5E, the VSM components are sufficiently loose that they're almost easier to interpret as unique by class or even sub-class. Wizards use arcane formulae, precise hand movements, etc. Clerics play, make pious motions, etc. Bards recite poetry, play instruments, and sing and dance, while also borrowing from other classes. Warlocks are a bit like Wizards, but with duck tape and bailing wire. </p><p></p><p>Sorcerers? Well, Sorcerers, regardless of kit, say whatever comes to mind and make whatever gestures help them focus their internal magic. That could be chanting in pig Latin or just saying, "Burn, you bastard." Ditto with the gestures -- one sorcerer may look like he's pitching a <em>firebolt</em> like a baseball, while another just points his finger. Many times, they know those things are just crutches, and that's okay. Some of them learn to focus well enough that they can cast a few "spells" without the crutch (Subtle Spell), but it's a bit more draining. Other learn different tricks that one not born to the magic could never pull off. Sure, a lot of it <u>looks</u> like stuff a Wizard could do, but that's because a) Wizards are smart and more than willing to crib a good idea and 2) some of these concepts are pretty universal ("I'm angry, light it on fire" is not exactly rocket science). That all sounds a lot like a traditional Psion, to me, other than a few trappings like ectoplasm that were added just to make it "not magic".</p><p></p><p>If psionics are a discipline that anyone could learn, then it doesn't make as much sense. For this, you are probably going to want a new class. If drawing on Earth lore, then Eastern mysticism looks like a fit. Thus, the UA Mystic class is the answer, at least at a high level. The Monk is also likely Psionic, by that definition. You could probably come up with another class or two, but I wouldn't. Try to make sub-classes for the Mystic and Monk, first.</p><p></p><p>So, my shorter answer would be:</p><p>* Warlock is good for what they are. Making pacts that aren't quite divine and aren't quite arcane seems like it warrants a different class. Definitely not "born with it" or "years of study".</p><p>* Sorcerers are good for anyone who is "born with it". This includes old school psionics. Really, they're the same thing in 5E, just that the Sorcerer class cares where your power comes from. If they didn't, though, I'd be fine squishing "born with it" into the Warlock.</p><p>* Mystic is good for "years of study". They're a concept that isn't really covered by any other class (Monk is debatable, but only somewhat).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mercule, post: 7035912, member: 5100"] I actually have house rules for "Pact of the Blood" Warlocks -- basically, Warlocks who gained their magic by right of birth, instead of bargain. Any of the metamagic abilities are just Invocations with a prerequisite of "Pact of Blood". The Sorcerer bloodlines are stupid-easy to convert. I had one player with a Warlock who made a pact with an Elder Wyrm and it worked marvelously. That said, the main reason I did that is because I thought the Warlock mechanics would be easier for a new player. Also, I don't really like the Wild Sorcerer, and it seemed stupid to have a class with only one kit while everything else has lots of options. In my current game, the Favored Soul is actually a Sorcerer. As far as a Psionic Sorcerer, it depends on how you picture Psionics. If psionics is just a smattering of magical abilities that you have due to accident of birth or something similar, then Sorcerer makes complete sense. Personally, going all the way back to 1E AD&D, I've always treated psionics as a way for PCs to pick up some unexplained magical abilities. Even in 2E, when the Psion class was added, actual Psions were the exception to an already exceptional rule; they had to be born with some natural gift and then also actively pursue their freakish ability. So, fluff-wise, the Sorcerer is walking right into where the Psion already stood, in my view. It's just bringing slightly more explanation and variance to the deal. Some folks object to the Psion as a Sorcerer kit because Psions are mentalists who just think stuff into happening. I say, if you can do magic because it's literally oozing out of your blood, there is no explanation for using the same arcane formulae as Wizards that [U]isn't[/U] stupid. In 5E, the VSM components are sufficiently loose that they're almost easier to interpret as unique by class or even sub-class. Wizards use arcane formulae, precise hand movements, etc. Clerics play, make pious motions, etc. Bards recite poetry, play instruments, and sing and dance, while also borrowing from other classes. Warlocks are a bit like Wizards, but with duck tape and bailing wire. Sorcerers? Well, Sorcerers, regardless of kit, say whatever comes to mind and make whatever gestures help them focus their internal magic. That could be chanting in pig Latin or just saying, "Burn, you bastard." Ditto with the gestures -- one sorcerer may look like he's pitching a [I]firebolt[/I] like a baseball, while another just points his finger. Many times, they know those things are just crutches, and that's okay. Some of them learn to focus well enough that they can cast a few "spells" without the crutch (Subtle Spell), but it's a bit more draining. Other learn different tricks that one not born to the magic could never pull off. Sure, a lot of it [U]looks[/U] like stuff a Wizard could do, but that's because a) Wizards are smart and more than willing to crib a good idea and 2) some of these concepts are pretty universal ("I'm angry, light it on fire" is not exactly rocket science). That all sounds a lot like a traditional Psion, to me, other than a few trappings like ectoplasm that were added just to make it "not magic". If psionics are a discipline that anyone could learn, then it doesn't make as much sense. For this, you are probably going to want a new class. If drawing on Earth lore, then Eastern mysticism looks like a fit. Thus, the UA Mystic class is the answer, at least at a high level. The Monk is also likely Psionic, by that definition. You could probably come up with another class or two, but I wouldn't. Try to make sub-classes for the Mystic and Monk, first. So, my shorter answer would be: * Warlock is good for what they are. Making pacts that aren't quite divine and aren't quite arcane seems like it warrants a different class. Definitely not "born with it" or "years of study". * Sorcerers are good for anyone who is "born with it". This includes old school psionics. Really, they're the same thing in 5E, just that the Sorcerer class cares where your power comes from. If they didn't, though, I'd be fine squishing "born with it" into the Warlock. * Mystic is good for "years of study". They're a concept that isn't really covered by any other class (Monk is debatable, but only somewhat). [/QUOTE]
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