D&D 5E Psionics in a sci-fi D&D

[CleverNickName]

You can play a psion by rolling up a sorcerer, and selecting only mind-affecting spells. In-game, constantly refer to yourself as "Xeleth, the Psion" and your spells as "powers." For a stronger flex, ask your DM to let you use the optional rules for Spell Points in the DMG, but that's not really necessary.

It works, but it's unsatisfying. I don't know why it's unsatisfying, but it is.

 

[Laurefindel]

You can play a psion by rolling up a sorcerer, and select only mind-affecting spells. In-game, constantly refer to yourself as a "psion" and your spells as "powers." For a stronger flex, ask your DM to let you use the optional rules for Spell Points in the DMG, but that's not really necessary.

It works, but it's unsatisfying. I don't know why it's unsatisfying, but it is.

It is a bit unsatisfying because (at least to a certain extent), we know that the sorcerer was not a dedicated class to this theme and concept, regardless how well it can represent it mechanically. It's a handmedown and as such, it lacks the luster of a brand new and dedicated class.

It's similar to how the cleric makes a disapointing "witch" class, or the druid makes a disappointing "shaman" class, or the wizard made a disappointing "artificer" class, even with a dedicated subclass slapped on the parent class.

 

[Cadence]

I wonder if part of the problem is the multiple meanings for magic. Among them could be...

1. Anything "science" of that particular world can't explain
2. The well thought out organized field of study of mages
3. Anything that doesn't work according to the laws of the really boring plane that this post is being typed from

It may well be that magic and psionics in a world fail (1) but pass both (2) and (3). Maybe they have different systems because they work in not-easily unifiable ways, like Gravity vs. Weak/Strong/Electromagnetic. [And now I'm wondering about a world where spellcasting is the science and psionics is the "magic"].

 

[CleverNickName]

It is a bit unsatisfying because (at least to a certain extent), we know that the sorcerer was not a dedicated class to this theme and concept, regardless how well it can represent it mechanically. It's a handmedown and as such, it lacks the luster of a brand new and dedicated class.

It's similar to how the cleric makes a disapointing "witch" class, or the druid makes a disappointing "shaman" class, even with a dedicated subclass slapped in the parent class.

Yeah, it's true. I've noticed that the "new car smell" is pretty important to some players. (shrug) I think it's a strange reason to "need" a dedicated class, but it's a reason nevertheless.

 

[Laurefindel]

[And now I'm wondering about a world where spellcasting is the science and psionics is the "magic"].

"They make magic with their "brain" and "sheer willpower"? Pfff. I bet they don't even practice peer review..."

 

[dragoner]

I wonder if part of the problem is the multiple meanings for magic. Among them could be...

Magic is typically supernatural, eg like from a god or something. Psi isn't really that, except it is fantasy anyways, so close enough. There is absolutely no science in psi, none.

 

[Cadence]

Magic is typically supernatural, eg like from a god or something. Psi isn't really that, except it is fantasy anyways, so close enough. There is absolutely no science in psi, none.

No science in psi in real life, in literature at large, and/or in the way you want it in the game?

 

[Minigiant]

Because it is scifi. Also, they're just different names for the same thing to begin with so having both would be thematically confused.

Is it?

If there is no magic, it's a no brainer: refluff.

So my assumption is this SciFi setting has both Magic and Psionics. Because why ask the question?

 

[Laurefindel]

Magic is typically supernatural, eg like from a god or something. Psi isn't really that, except it is fantasy anyways, so close enough. There is absolutely no science in psi, none.

pfff, "any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science". Arthur C. Clark (not that one, the, hum, other one*?)

[edit] *Oups. Apparently, it's the one that lacks the "e" in Clarke. Actually, it's a quote lifted from Phil Foglio's Girl Genius (which may have been lifted from something else, idk)

 

[Cadence]

pfff, "any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science". Arthur C. Clark (not that one, the, hum, other one?)

I like the way "science" is treated as a monolith. Try telling your university faculty that it's all the same so they're combining the physics, chemistry, and biology departments...

Until it's analyzed enough, is it just "stamp collecting"?