D&D 5E Psionics in a sci-fi D&D
Crimson Longinus
Legend
Right. These different types of magic use pretty similar mechanics, so I really don't get why psionics, which is just mental magic, would be any different.
If a Wizard can Charm a Person, and a Druid can Charm a Person, and a Bard can Charm a Person, and a Warlock can Charm a Person, and a supposed psionic character can charm a person... I see no reason why the psionic character should be the only one to require different mechanics to do so. Because personally I do not see any grand difference between psionics and wizardry versus druidism and wizardry. Or between psionics and druidism. Or psionics and divine clerical mysticism. They are all substantially different fields of supernaturalism from each other, all of which produce the same game effect-- putting someone under your control. So why psionics needs its own mechanical system while bards, clerics, druids, monks, warlocks, sorcerer, wizards, and artificers don't is beyond me. I just don't see psionics as that special snowflake and never have.
Yaarel
He Mage
The Star Wars novels paint a decent picture of what psi=magic looks like. There can be a planet of witches that use rituals to wield the Force.
Also, the novels of Christopher Stasheff are a fun scifi where all magic is explicitly psionic, by "espers", where certain substances are psychosensitive to respond to thought.
Which is what PF 1e did, and I thought it was pretty coherent and well done.
On the other hand, I can also see how a system where they were all distinct opens a lot of ideas for world building.
Yaarel
He Mage
In my campaign cosmology, I recently defined the fifth element "ether" of the ethereal plane to be "Weave". Ether is force, including gravity and nuclear forces. But it is also telekinetic force and the influence of a mind. Specifically, ether is psychosensitive, involving a conscious observer effect, so that the intention of a mind can directly manipulate the ethereal Weave. Moreover, the lifeforce and mindforce, namely the soul or ki, is made out of ether. Ghosts are made out of ether. A person in the material plane can project their ethereal mindforce outofbody to navigate thru the material plane. Ether is magical energy and the foundation of all magic. Ultimately, a nonmagical mind is able to manipulate a magical ether because the ether itself responds to thoughts. Psionics simply manipulates the Weave directly by means of intentions, while arcane and divine manipulate the Weave indirectly. A Wizard manipulates the ether protoscientifically by means of the ethereal properties that are inherent within natural objects. A Cleric manipulates the ether by means of the collective symbols of a spiritual community.
Laurefindel
Legend
Although it could be argued that Star Wars isn't sci-fi as much as fantasy-in-space. Sword-wielding knights with magic powers and hero farm-boy/slave-boy rescuing princesses is pretty standard-fare fantasy stuff. Star Wars is a beast of its own when it comes to genre.
Crimson Longinus
Legend
I'd expect any D&D-based scifi that contains psionics to be at least as fantasy than Star Wars. Neither D&D or psionics are fit for hard scifi.
Laurefindel
Legend
Player: "I launch a 3km-wide asteroid covered in stealth-tech to avoid planetary-defense detection on the planet!"
DM: "Ok, roll 20d6 damage."
Player:
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dragoner
KosmicRPG.com
True, psi stuff made it into sci-fi rpg's because of the seventies, when there was crystal rubbing madness, its also the same time frame where people are against D&D because it is teaching kids magic.
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