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

[Mordhau]

What does it actually mean? What is the difference in metaphysical sense?

Why does it matter? Isn't the correct question what is the difference in an aesthetic sense?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Why does it matter? Isn't the correct question what is the difference in an aesthetic sense?

I want my fictional worlds to make at least some sense. If you don't, then it won't matter to you.

 

[Minigiant]

Like I said, that is not an objective quality of the thing, but a subjective quality of the statement maker.

It is objective.

The Gods determine which spells exist and ban the info to progress within the study of magic.
The God of Magic hides Hecate's Theory of Pyro Explosiveness and you can only access fireballs with bat poop.

 

[Hussar]

It is objective.

The Gods determine which spells exist and ban the info to progress within the study of magic.
The God of Magic hides Hecate's Theory of Pyro Explosiveness and you can only access fireballs with bat poop.

Except that you have Scribe Wizards (is that the right name?) who can energy substitute any energy type from one spell to another. So, if they know a spell that deals cold damage, they can cast ice balls instead of fireballs. Which does imply that it's simply a matter of study, rather than something that isn't possible.

And, since the spells in the game are only limited by page count, that would seem to make sense. Look at 3e. You had how many spells in 3e? Thousands? Tens of thousands? So, the notion that there are any actual limitations on spells set by the setting seems a bit off. The PHB is hardly the limit on what spells are available. It's the starting point, not the ending.

 

[dave2008]

One uses a system that can be fully understood by the user (Psionics)
One does not (Magic)

Basically D&D magic has parts a magic user will never understand and use logic that the magic user must accept but can't get why it worrks. Only deities and divine beings will get those parts.

Psionics has no such barrier. The user just has to be powerful enough and have enough knowledge or sense. Psionic powers make sense to the users and thats why they can modify it easily. Because its in their brain. It's like moving their limbs.

Really, that doesn't always seem clear to me from the fiction out there.

 

[Minigiant]

Except that you have Scribe Wizards (is that the right name?) who can energy substitute any energy type from one spell to another. So, if they know a spell that deals cold damage, they can cast ice balls instead of fireballs. Which does imply that it's simply a matter of study, rather than something that isn't possible.

Techinically, the spellbook you made magical is the one changing the spell, not the wizard.
And techinically you are still casting fireball. The wizard never invents iceball.
Iceball doesn't exist until the gods allow it to be invented.

And, since the spells in the game are only limited by page count, that would seem to make sense. Look at 3e. You had how many spells in 3e? Thousands? Tens of thousands? So, the notion that there are any actual limitations on spells set by the setting seems a bit off. The PHB is hardly the limit on what spells are available. It's the starting point, not the ending.

Fireball could have been written to be allowed any element or have a list of elements.

But it wasn't. It's Fireball not Energy Burst.

Psion(icist)s have Energy Burst.

 

[Minigiant]

Really, that doesn't always seem clear to me from the fiction out there.

The reason why wizards delve dungeons is to steal magical info from each other because they can't research magic at a decent pace on their own.
The wizard's treasure is found spellbooks, the gold needed to copy them, and drugs to remember their master's spells.

Because (D&D) magic litterally makes little sense and tons of the info needed for research is missing.

 

[Cadence]

The reason why wizards delve dungeons is to steal magical info from each other because they can't research magic at a decent pace on their own.
The wizard's treasure is found spellbooks, the gold needed to copy them, and drugs to remember their master's spells.

Because (D&D) magic litterally makes little sense and tons of the info needed for research is missing.

Just like finding technological things they don't understand anymore in Gamma World.

 

[Hussar]

However, @Minigiant, none of that explains why I need an entirely new casting system in order to have a psion.

After all, a Psion "spell" (power, manifestation, whatever) can be written exactly as a spell, including level so that Energy Burst is simply a psionic "spell" at 3rd level. Or, we simply have a sorcerer (or whatever - I'm open to suggestions) chassis with meta-magic powers that let you do energy substitution. In other words, I don't need a new system in order to incorporate a 40 foot radius blast of energy done at range.

So, while I agree that psions should have different effects from other casters - after all, all the casters have different palette's of effects - that's not a reason why I need an entirely new system in order to bring those effects into the game.

 

[Mordhau]

I want my fictional worlds to make at least some sense. If you don't, then it won't matter to you.

But what does this issue have to do with that?

Psionics can do certain things. Magic can do certain things. The reason for this is genre based, not an emergent quality of a fictional world. If you want a reason for these overlapping but different things in the fictional world then just make one up.

It's no different than any other situation. Why can wizard's cast fireball? You can make up any fantastic explanation you like for the game world, but the real reason is because it's on their spell list.

Personally I'm not a huge fan of having both magic and psionics in the same game world. I'd prefer to just have a good psionics system so I could cut a lot of magic and run a more Sword and Planet D&D game with a different aesthetic.