Psionics-only?

[Moe Ronalds]

Has anyone ever given any thought at all to a world with Psionics but no Arcane magic? This is just a general discussion about worlds with Psionics and nothing of the Arcane and I'm curious to see what everyone else has to say. I'm also curious as to how you'd handle things that are "magical" but not totally magic-themed such as Bards, Dragons, etc...

 

[Balgus]

When people think of fantasy, they think of magic and monsters. There is no such thing as a world without magic. Low magic- yes. Rare magic- acceptable. But a world where you just hit and kill, and no magic.

Plus, Psionics is a form of magic- unexplainable, and mystical. So in a world where there is just psuionice, and no magic- the psionics would be regarded as magic. Hell- they mimic the same effects.

 

[rounser]

Has anyone ever given any thought at all to a world with Psionics but no Arcane magic?

Yep, it's one of the classic homebrew customisations for psionics enthusiasts.

When people think of fantasy, they think of magic and monsters.

You mean swords & sorcery fantasy is usually associated with magic. Far from all fantasy is...

 

[Jeph]

Has anyone ever given any thought at all to a world with Psionics but no Arcane magic?

Not only have I thought of one, but I run one. It's a jungle setting, and has a wuxia-like feel. It uses VP/WP. The Monk and Ranger have undergone major adjustments. It's pretty cool.

 

[Sulimo]

I would've though that worlds with psionics only was generally reserved for sci-fi style games rather than fantasy games. Settings like Trek, Babylon 5 and Star Wars to pick a few tv-film examples.

 

[Tonguez]

I would've though that worlds with psionics only was generally reserved for sci-fi style games rather than fantasy games. Settings like Trek, Babylon 5 and Star Wars to pick a few tv-film examples.

Yeah psionics is pretty much 'sci-fi magic' so the only difference would be shifting the unexplained power of wizards to the unexplained power of psions

Bards - their songs affect the minds of others

Dragons - a powerful psychic animal (same way a human is an animal)

Demons/Outsiders - Inhabitants of another dimension with powerful psychic powers

Personally I run all magic as Divine - its the power of the spirits that empower magic...

 

[herald]

I know that I have seriously thought of it.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

When people think of fantasy, they think of magic and monsters. There is no such thing as a world without magic. Low magic- yes. Rare magic- acceptable. But a world where you just hit and kill, and no magic.

Plus, Psionics is a form of magic- unexplainable, and mystical. So in a world where there is just psuionice, and no magic- the psionics would be regarded as magic. Hell- they mimic the same effects.

I'm just asking about a world without arcane magic. A world without any magic at all and just psionics is also fun for the discussion. My thought for it would be that the god that supplies the world with arcane magic is very weak, so magic isn't as present in the world, and can only be accessed by creatures of immense power or those that are very sensitive to it.

Alternatively, arcane magic could simply not exist, much as it doesn't exist in our world. Or something like that.

 

[Jeph]

On a side note, I think that Psionics fit in with d20 Modern better than magic. I guess that goes along with the comments on sci-fi and psionics.

 

[Umbran]

I would've though that worlds with psionics only was generally reserved for sci-fi style games rather than fantasy games.

You'd not be thinking rightly, then

Katherine Kurtz's Deryni books stand as a fine example of a fantasy world with psi-style magic. Go read Deryni Rising. Then get hooked and read the 12+ others set in that world...