D&D 5E (2014) Psionics in a sci-fi D&D

[Paul Farquhar]

Babylon 5 has full-on magic, even a techno-mancer mage.

Technomages are "sufficiently advanced technology".

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Star Wars is on the far soft sci-fi end of space opera. It doesn't define the genre, so no, saying that it's space opera doesn't settle the question. I'd say that the fact that OP asked the question already knowing what genre they were going with proves that it isn't a settled matter. All that's really needed for space opera is for it to be large in scale, conflict-driven, and dramatic.

Yup. Traveller, Babylon 5, Star Trek etc are all Soft SF. Which is why people tend to call Star Wars Science Fantasy (and why the introduction of midiclorians was so controversial).

 

[Minigiant]

I do not think anyone has mentioned xcom as a psionic source for ideas so here we go:

Psi Operative (XCOM 2)

For the similar subclass from XCOM: Enemy Unknown, see Psionic Class. The Psi Operative is a soldier class in XCOM 2; once a Psi Lab has been built, any Rookie soldier can undergo training to become a Psi Operative. Assault Rifles are a primary weapon type accessible to Rookies, Specialists...

xcom.fandom.com

Templars

The Templars are a Resistance faction introduced in the XCOM 2 expansion, War of the Chosen. The Templars are a resistance faction, cultists who worship psionic energy. Founded by Geist, a former XCOM Psi Operative from the initial invasion who escaped the alien assault on XCOM base, the...

xcom.fandom.com

Well I don't think anyone was expecting Military Sci-Fi

 

[Mind of tempest]

Well I don't think anyone was expecting Military Sci-Fi

well, I do try to remember lots of random things and somehow I know about xcom.
I find video games have to deal with the "more than one power problem" the ttrpg also face that books do not.

 

[Minigiant]

well, I do try to remember lots of random things and somehow I know about xcom.
I find video games have to deal with the "more than one power problem" the ttrpg also face that books do not.

Video games take to make class feel unique and offer more classes than TTPRGs.

For Video Games, there is no "too many classes". Since the medium is a LOT more limited, they have to answer this question.

The question to refluff or new system is more of a matter of resources. Video games will almost always go the new system route if they have the resources as New Exp = More money.

 

[Shardstone]

Hmmm. If every 5E class has an influence that would match with modern tastes (ala people in their teens up through early 30s), let's look at kind of subclasses the Psion might have. After all, the base classes are usually generic in fluff with a handful of exceptions. "Adventurer who prays a lot." "Adventurer with a magic book." "Adventurer who loves to be outdoors." So, the Psion being the "Adventurer with a lot of brain power" is a good enough generic base I think.

Off the rip, I have three subclass inspirations.

Bene Gesserit from Dune are amazing Psions. THis could be the "gish" Psion subclass, like its Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger. A Psion who uses their mental powers to manipulate physical bodies, not just their own but others as well. Biokinesis, basically, but on a more restrained, subtle, and manipulate scale. Little science fantasy would be good here.

Next, a Force User from Star Wars. This is a psion who uses their mental powers to take hold of reality to move things about (telekinesis), influence others, dominate minds, and so on. This would probably be a Psion who can use their psi points to cast enchantment spells, and who can even use their mind's to bend the world, thus allowing evocation spells, etc etc.

Lastly, we have our traditoinal "Professor Xavier" mystic. This is a powerful telepath who can install illusions into people, maybe if a creature is unconcious this psion can install "programs" into them that they follow when they wake. They have stronger mental defenses from the other two, and can even augment others with their mind, maybe increasing their saving throws and so on.

Core Psion mechanic has Warlock slot progression and Psi Points comparable to Monk/Sorcerer. Psi Points fuel class abilities (True Psionics) that you get to pick like Eldritch Invocations. These abilities you spend psi points on to increase in power, though they have cantrip levels too. Then you have spell slots for when your mind is bending the weave to make magic and so on.

That right there is a flavorful, distinct Psion D&D class using Sci-Fi and Science Fantasy inspirations that I think deserves to be put into this game.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not in my 30s, but most of my players are.

Bene Gesserit from Dune are amazing Psions.

Dune, published 1960. Nope. No one has seen the recent movie yet because of COVID, so cultural impact is minimal.

Lastly, we have our traditoinal "Professor Xavier" mystic.

The X-Men haven't had a significantly culturally impactful movie for 19 years. These days Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff bestride the cultural landscape like colossi.

Not that that matters for Level Up. That isn't targeting the same mass market as WotC, and it's target audience skews significantly older. So a more retro feel would be appropriate.

 

[Aldarc]

I'm not in my 30s, but most of my players are.

Dune, published 1960. Nope. No one has seen the recent movie yet because of COVID, so cultural impact is minimal.

The X-Men haven't had a significantly culturally impactful movie for 19 years. These days Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff bestride the cultural landscape like colossi.

Not that that matters for Level Up. That isn't targeting the same mass market as WotC, and it's target audience skews significantly older. So a more retro feel would be appropriate.

Then as someone in my thirties, perhaps I can correct your assessment here?

I read Dune in middle school, as had a number of my friends. I also watched the original David Lynch* Dune movie (theatrical and extended), been alive to play the Dune RTS game, watch the SyFy mini-series, and now seeing the new movie. (This is not to mention the Dune RPG getting most anticipated TTRPG from ENWorld how many years in a row?) I'm not entirely sure how its cultural impact has been minimal, especially among "geekdom." It's impact may not be as much of a pop cultural phenomenon as Game of Thrones, but its legacy has clearly been more enduring.

* David Lynch's involvement in the Dune movie is also part of its enduring legacy, particularly among Lynch fans.

X-Men? It was massively popular in the '90s. Was that a long time ago? Sure. But X-Men Animated Series was massive on people's conception of the X-Men, much as Batman the Animated Series was on the comics or Spider-Man the Animated Series was on its comics. The '90s X-Men the Animated Series is so massive that it's being brought back with new episodes after decades! Ask '90s kids to sing/hum the X-Men theme from that cartoon. Nearly all of us can.

Part of the reason why X-Men were written off in Marvel (so to speak) is because Marvel didn't want to promote any X-Men movie that Fox was doing. Obviously that is no longer a problem anymore and hence the reason why X-Men the Animated Series is also getting a comeback.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I read Dune in middle school, as had a number of my friends.

I read it around the same age, but none have my players have read it (I know because the sand worm references I slipped into the game escaped unnoticed) - I think maybe because they are "expansion" players - i.e. not part of the original geek culture.

 

[Aldarc]

I read it around the same age, but none have my players have read it (I know because the sand worm references I slipped into the game escaped unnoticed) - I think maybe because they are "expansion" players - i.e. not part of the original geek culture.

Lord of the Rings had a much bigger impact on my gaming at that time. 3e had released. Then came Fellowship of the Ring. Then the GM's elves could walk on snow. Then came The Two Towers. Then the GM's wargs looked like giant hyenas too. I don't think that my high school GM could have been more transparent about his main sources of inspiration even if he had tried. (But the Dune movie was nevertheless often quoted at the table alongside the usual others: e.g., Star Wars, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, etc.)