Psionics-Love it or Hate It?

[Seule]

I like the new Psionics, it's the first such system for D&D that has even tried for game balance. I'm just starting a Freeport game where psionics replaces Arcane magic, and I'll be using Snake-men sorcerers as a creepy villain with powers nobody will understand.

 

[Kershek]

I like the new Psionics, it's the first such system for D&D that has even tried for game balance. I'm just starting a Freeport game where psionics replaces Arcane magic, and I'll be using Snake-men sorcerers as a creepy villain with powers nobody will understand.

Hey, now that's a good idea. Too bad it would require redesigning all the sorcerers.

 

[Nightfall]

Well I don't know if I agree with "Psionics make for higher technology levels" After all, even in "psionics are different' view in the Scarred Lands, I don't see like 500 Slacerian psion suddenly popping out of nowhere. Not to mention even if that DID happen, I'm sure THERE you could get like the Titanspawn AND the Divinespawn (darn you Joseph you made me say that! ) fight such Psionic powers.

 

[broghammerj]

Love it, although I haven't tried 3E psionics. I hope the system is a little more streamlined. Psionics was my baby because no one else in my group wanted to even try it. I worked a deal out with the DM. My psionicist pretended to be a thief so I took all abilities that would duplicate thief skills. The ruse worked for a while. It was full of good roleplaying opportunities as I was a "thief" with other abilities.

For those who thought the 2E psion was overpowering, I would disagree. The combat prowess of the 2E psionicist left something to be desired. I found my character was devasting one on one against a non-psion. I could turn my DMs most powerfull villian into a babbling idiot by lobotimizing his brain. Throw fifty orcs at me and it was ressurection time at the local temple again. It was a trade off I guess.

 

[Graf]

* Hardly any game flavor. I feel it's a spell point magic system. I've used the SRD info on psions and allowed arcane spellcasters to use spells from the Sorcerer/Wizard list. 0 level spells cost 1, 1st-level spells cost 1, 2nd-level spells cost 3, etc. Interesting little varient.

I agree generally with just about every comment on the board but this one. This is roleplaying. If you make it feel just like magic it will. But that's the way you roleplay more than '3e psionics'. The book is designed to be very bare to the bones and user friendly.... which is very different than the arcane confusing terms of 1e or the sheer absurd power levels of 2e.

While I don't have a stron opinion I rather enjoyed Psion and co.s discussion of psionics vd. magic.

 

[BeanFruit]

I am more or less indifferent towards Psionics since I have never really found them to be a great help or hinderance to a campaign. 2e was too powerful and clunky to use. Have not bought the 3e book yet. WIll at some point and may look at using them.

One thing about psionics is that when I think of them I am always reminded of ultra powerful beings in books, movies, etc with psionic like powers, which 2e reinforced. So I have to break down that barrier and give them a fresh, unbiased look.

 

[Someone]

I don´t agree with the (almost) general view of psionics as sci-fi. Many middle east and oriental tales portray men performing extraordinary things that fall comfortably within "psionics" category and feel. It´s not all medieval Europe.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Using the If Thoughts Could Kill rules I love them. Unlike alot of others I don't see Flavor and Rules being intrinsiclly tied. Flavor is what you make it. Make Psionics feel like Psionics and it doesn't matter what rules set you use.

Psi Combat blows though. Whenever someone plays a Psion/Psi Warrior it usually gets dropped, or used rarely. I never used it the few times I played a Psion.

 

[rounser]

I don´t agree with the (almost) general view of psionics as sci-fi. Many middle east and oriental tales portray men performing extraordinary things that fall comfortably within "psionics" category and feel. It´s not all medieval Europe.

From that perspective, that makes them just about as "out of place" in swords & sorcery fantasy as D&D's martial artist monks are. Oriental monks don't belong by default in swords & sorcery fantasy, and carry some flavour baggage from their true origins...but it's easy enough to handwave away, partially because people think martial arts are cool enough to want them in our game. For me, psionics out of the hands of mind flayers and the like (which are supposed to be alien) has flavour implications which outweigh the gains in "cool factor". This is not the case for many other folks.

In your above examples, I would attribute abilities derived from spiritual transcendence or personal enlightenment to ideas such as 'chi' or divine powers of the spirit rather than parapsychological powers of the mind. It may seem to be splitting hairs, but I think that pseudo-science and mysticism are almost directly at odds. From what I gather, the implications of the term psionics are that they are powers which can be justified by pseudo-scientific reasoning...and enlightenment or transcendence are not so easily deconstructed or analysed.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

In your above examples, I would attribute abilities derived from spiritual transcendence or personal enlightenment to ideas such as 'chi' or divine powers of the spirit rather than parapsychological powers of the mind. It may seem to be splitting hairs, but I think that pseudo-science and mysticism are almost directly at odds. From what I gather, the implications of the term psionics are that they are powers which can be justified by pseudo-scientific reasoning...and enlightenment or transcendence are not so easily deconstructed or analysed.

But so what? Just because YOU can explain it away doesn't make it any less mystical. Most of technology now could very well be magic for all I understand it. A wizard could explain quite easily how he casts spells if I had a few years. An engineer could easily explain how a computer works in the same time. A mystic could very well explain how he reached enlightenment in a similar time. All three would make about as much sense to me without the explanation.