Psionics- Love 'em, hate 'em, don't care about 'em?
- Thread starter Libertad
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steeldragons
Steeliest of the dragons
I like psychic powers.
I think a LOT of the hate, confusion, and disike that psychic powers receive in D&D was their initial, and admittedly flawed, inclusion as "psionics." The term itself is problematic, being from science fiction, psychic powers brought about or amplified through bionic implants, thus "psionics."
Of course this was also back in the proverbial day where the "fantasy" genre itself was not "fantasy" as we think of it today. It wasn't just elves and magic and dragons. "Fantasy" pulp novels included things like science fiction, action/adventure (like Tarzan or Indiana Jones), gothic-y horror stuff, even detective series...and lots of it thrown in a blender with elements from any of them in the same story.
So, we got "psionics" as the generic D&D term for psychic powers. Problem for people #1.
Implementation was thoroughly obtuse and confusing to implement. Problem for people #2. Though power points and other, non-D&D, systems have greatly improved their mechanic accessibility over the years.
Many "Psionics" do what magic does. ESP, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, Pyrotechnics...all available as spells. Are psychic powers "magic" or something else? Are they a different kind or way of working magic? Is that gypsy at the carnival with the tarot cards a "magic-user" or a "psychic"? Story issues. Problem for people #3.
All that said, I like psychic powers. I incorporate them into my homebrew campaign world/setting and game rules (using a power point model similar to spell levels, but more "at will"). They are not "magic" in the arcane/divine/natural, exterior power source, sense. Psychic individuals in Orea are your Jean Greys and Professor X's. They have "powers" not "spells." Internal mental energies that are significantly higher/more pronounced than your normal person. They aren't "magic-users" (though could be in addition to their mental gifts, or warriors or rogues or priests) they are "psychics."
Most belong to, and are sought out for, a pseudo-religious organization of psychics for their own protection and training/expansion of their powers. In some lands they are trusted, even revered, counselors. Some lands view them as "possessed" by evil spirits/forces, in need of hunting down and slaying before the evil can release itself. And there is a certain cabal of [evil] wizards who seek them out for "research"[including dissection] to ascertain the cause of their powers and how to acquire such power for themselves...independent of the restrictions of spell use.
They are, of course, exceptionally rare and generally only used as NPCs...I only recall 1 player ever being one as a class.
I think a LOT of the hate, confusion, and disike that psychic powers receive in D&D was their initial, and admittedly flawed, inclusion as "psionics." The term itself is problematic, being from science fiction, psychic powers brought about or amplified through bionic implants, thus "psionics."
Of course this was also back in the proverbial day where the "fantasy" genre itself was not "fantasy" as we think of it today. It wasn't just elves and magic and dragons. "Fantasy" pulp novels included things like science fiction, action/adventure (like Tarzan or Indiana Jones), gothic-y horror stuff, even detective series...and lots of it thrown in a blender with elements from any of them in the same story.
So, we got "psionics" as the generic D&D term for psychic powers. Problem for people #1.
Implementation was thoroughly obtuse and confusing to implement. Problem for people #2. Though power points and other, non-D&D, systems have greatly improved their mechanic accessibility over the years.
Many "Psionics" do what magic does. ESP, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, Pyrotechnics...all available as spells. Are psychic powers "magic" or something else? Are they a different kind or way of working magic? Is that gypsy at the carnival with the tarot cards a "magic-user" or a "psychic"? Story issues. Problem for people #3.
All that said, I like psychic powers. I incorporate them into my homebrew campaign world/setting and game rules (using a power point model similar to spell levels, but more "at will"). They are not "magic" in the arcane/divine/natural, exterior power source, sense. Psychic individuals in Orea are your Jean Greys and Professor X's. They have "powers" not "spells." Internal mental energies that are significantly higher/more pronounced than your normal person. They aren't "magic-users" (though could be in addition to their mental gifts, or warriors or rogues or priests) they are "psychics."
Most belong to, and are sought out for, a pseudo-religious organization of psychics for their own protection and training/expansion of their powers. In some lands they are trusted, even revered, counselors. Some lands view them as "possessed" by evil spirits/forces, in need of hunting down and slaying before the evil can release itself. And there is a certain cabal of [evil] wizards who seek them out for "research"[including dissection] to ascertain the cause of their powers and how to acquire such power for themselves...independent of the restrictions of spell use.
They are, of course, exceptionally rare and generally only used as NPCs...I only recall 1 player ever being one as a class.
Tequila Sunrise
Adventurer
In fact I recently finished reading a 14-book series, where the magic is much better modeled by psionics than vancian casting. They were written by some obscure guy named...let's see if I can remember...Robert Jordan! It's all very classic zero-to-hero fantasy...not at all like D&D, but I still think it's worth mentioning.
/tongue in cheek
I like Psionics and I used them quite a bit in 2nd ed, but I became less enamoured of them as time went by and most of my players only ever wanted to try to unlock a wild talent (i think you went for psychic surgery or something?) as a freebie power to stick on top of their normal class. So i just made psionics rarer and then eventually they were forgotten.
I reckon if i saw a really good implementaion of rules I'd jump at the chance to get em back in my games though.
(btw.. Good post steeldragons!)
I reckon if i saw a really good implementaion of rules I'd jump at the chance to get em back in my games though.
(btw.. Good post steeldragons!)
Kinak
First Post
Robert who? Never heard of 'im!In fact I recently finished reading a 14-book series, where the magic is much better modeled by psionics than vancian casting. They were written by some obscure guy named...let's see if I can remember...Robert Jordan! It's all very classic zero-to-hero fantasy...not at all like D&D, but I still think it's worth mentioning.
/tongue in cheek
I've found I have the same experience with older unknowns like JRR Tolkien and Terry Brooks to equally obscure new others like Patrick Rothfuss and Jim Butcher.
Which isn't to say we shouldn't include Vancian casting just because it doesn't jive with the work of a few authors. But it's hard to argue psionics is somehow "not fantasy" when you can do a better job emulating a lot of fantasy by adding it to your game or outright replacing Vancian casting.
Cheers!
Kinak
Well said, and very close to what I do with psionics.
TwoSix
Everyone's literal second-favorite poster
I prefer psionics (particularly the 3.5 Dreamscarred Press versions) when it's a replacement to magic, rather than one system among many. I think D&D is strongest tonally when the setting cosmology focuses on conflicting dichotomies (Law vs Chaos, gods vs primordials, arcane vs divine, demons vs devils, etc.). So I like to have psionics as one side of magic, contrasted with a second. I've had campaigns with psionics used by the ruling class to oppress the worshippers of the Forgotten God (psionics vs divine), and another where elven druids kept the ancient knowledge of the spirits, and the humans had recently acquired psionic abilities.
the Jester
Legend
Love 'em.
I like psionics just not in every setting. I prefer it to either replace magic or be different enough from magic as to appear alien and mysterious. I always do psionics is different from magic and things like detect magic or identify does not work on psionics or vice versa.
In my home brew only elves and some half elves are psionic they have no ability to use magic what so ever. Half elves can't use magic anyone with a drop of elven blood can't.
I personally don't usually like a world filled with different types of magic all in one area. And I usually don't have practitioners get along. In my homebrew warlocks are burned at the stake if they are caught using their power, sorcerers are discriminated against by the powerful wizard guild and subject to all kinds of rules.
In my home brew only elves and some half elves are psionic they have no ability to use magic what so ever. Half elves can't use magic anyone with a drop of elven blood can't.
I personally don't usually like a world filled with different types of magic all in one area. And I usually don't have practitioners get along. In my homebrew warlocks are burned at the stake if they are caught using their power, sorcerers are discriminated against by the powerful wizard guild and subject to all kinds of rules.
There are three factors that affect my answers:
First, it depends on the setting.
Second, it depends on the flavor (powers). I prefer it to be limited to things like clairvoyance, precognition, aura reading, empathy, detect spirits, telepathy, mind control, animal telepathy, animal control, low level telekinesis (for moving objects and deflection only), and pyrokinetics. For some campaigns, I also like the ability to make oneself stronger, faster, lighter (increase jumping distance or reduce falling), heavier, harder, increased chance (not immunity) to flush out poisons).
I don't like channeling psionic energy into weapons, changing limbs into weapons, ice generation,elongation, size control, sound control and many other powers that I would be fine with in a science fiction or superhero game.
Third, it depends on the mechanics. The only mechanics that I like over four editions of D&D is Green Ronin's the Psychic's Handbook by Steve Kenson. I like that you have a power or (powers) and develop different applications via feats and/or skills development.
First, it depends on the setting.
Second, it depends on the flavor (powers). I prefer it to be limited to things like clairvoyance, precognition, aura reading, empathy, detect spirits, telepathy, mind control, animal telepathy, animal control, low level telekinesis (for moving objects and deflection only), and pyrokinetics. For some campaigns, I also like the ability to make oneself stronger, faster, lighter (increase jumping distance or reduce falling), heavier, harder, increased chance (not immunity) to flush out poisons).
I don't like channeling psionic energy into weapons, changing limbs into weapons, ice generation,elongation, size control, sound control and many other powers that I would be fine with in a science fiction or superhero game.
Third, it depends on the mechanics. The only mechanics that I like over four editions of D&D is Green Ronin's the Psychic's Handbook by Steve Kenson. I like that you have a power or (powers) and develop different applications via feats and/or skills development.
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