Psionics Coming Soon To D&D?

WotC's Mike Mearls has hinted that we may be able to expect some psionics content soon, possibly in the Unearthed Arcana column. He was asked by Ethan Clow on the Twitterweb "any chance we might see a Psionic class for 5e soon? Perhaps in unearthed arcana?" to which he replied "wouldn't be surprised. I *might* have had a couple prior edition psionics books on my desk last week..." (Thanks to Wolf Hunter for the scoop).

 

[spinozajack]

Bite your tongue! Bring 4e powers into 5e...Are you MAD, man?!

4e "powers" make perfect sense for psionics or some kind of weird magic. Both in terms of mechanics and flavor. Calling them powers, too, when that's exactly what it is. Perfect.

As opposed to a power that grants a non-magic-using, 3 foot-tall-PC sliding or proning that terrasque over there at-will without even an opposed strength check.

Proning another biped of similar stature is not a "power", it's something any kid can do in the playground. Calling them powers was part of the problem, but the fact that they weren't grounded in anything but gamey balance and without an inkling in sight as to how it's supposed to work so reliably or perfectly against any foe, without regard to the stage in which they're "activated", is what was wrong with them.

 

[spinozajack]

Sign me up for a psionicist with two subclasses, one for psychic warrior, and another for the traditional version with lots of options between the two.

At-will powers with augments would be decent too, although you have to be really careful there not to make the warlock look over with envy. Their abilities should therefore be more limited in raw power than a similar spell, but can do things no spell can do, and used in neat ways. I expect the concentration mechanic will be used extensively in this class.

 

[Parmandur]

Given the Modus Operandi of 5E, I think the mechanics will end up being a 2E/3E hybrid. They might use spells from the same list as other classes, but use the DMG spell point rules, which are balanced against the slots (stealth SPs, really). Some new class exclusive spells taken from older editions.

I see a Psion class, an Aberration/Far Realmsian Sorcerer, a Rogue Archetype and a Fighter one. Cleric and Wizard kinda already do (Knowledge Domain and Enchantment/Diviner Traditions). Maybe a Knowledge Domain inspired Paladin, the "Weird Knight"?

 

[Lord Rasputin]

Why do we need this? When did D&D psi rules ever work, anyways?

 

[Mistwell]

Why do we need this? When did D&D psi rules ever work, anyways?

Err, when didn't they?

 

[Psikerlord#]

Why do we need this? When did D&D psi rules ever work, anyways?

I agree, except that psionics is a thing for Athas. Actually I hope they bring out an Athas document of some kind, inc psionics.

 

[dave_in_TX]

If you have magic why even bother with psionics? It seem redundant.

Dave

 

[Siphersh]

Sounds promising, but....I hope our standards haven't been lowered so much to become excitement about an impending article. "Ooh, I can't wait for that new 1,000-word piece coming out sometime in the next few months!"

I am very excited about the possibility of an UA article on psionics, because it would add a new dimension to the coordinate system of all possible homebrew 5E psionics: one defined by the ideas that WotC put forward.

I don't even understand how that excitement could be measured in terms of "standards". There was never any reason to expect​ a complete psionics system this year.

 

[Siphersh]

If you have magic why even bother with psionics? It seem redundant.

Dark Sun.

 

[Mistwell]

If you have magic why even bother with psionics? It seem redundant.

Dave

If you have arcane magic why even bother with divine magic?