D&D 5E (2024) Psionics: What Do You Want?

[Flights of Fancy]

I mean there is a 100% overlap with magic from the get go. Is there anything a psion can do that a magic-user cannot?

It depends on the edition, and what is allowable by wish in that edition and that DM. There are certainly psionic powers in 1E that are NOT covered by any 1E spells--in fact, a number of powers really.

Psionics extends the bleeding edge of the possible, magic does the impossible. A sufficiently high spell should be able to replicate a psionic ability, but a psion can do it all day and with more refined precision.

This is very subjective. There are many things magic cannot do in 5E, for instance, depending (as I said above) on what a DM allows via wish.

There's no difference between "magic" and "psychic powers" that matters.

And that is the $100,000 question: should there be? To some: no; to others: YES!

 

[Kannik]

For me, I would boil it down to two biggies:

1 - A focus on abilities that are "traditionally associated" (recognizing that this is at least partially my experience/bias of what is traditionally associated) with psionics: Telekinetic effects, Telepathy/Mind Affecting Powers, Personal Body Augmentation, Clairvoyance, and Crystals.

A great side effect of this focus is that characters (especially through sub-classes) tend to be tightly thematically focused. They aren't pulling abilities and powers in random ways and from random sources, it's all tied to a single schtick.

(I'm not completely averse to something like pyromancy or cryomancy or the like, but I'm more inclined to have that concept be a separate Elementalist class.)

2 - Character class mechanical design that leans into the "internal pool of psychic will/strength/stamina", and thus without something like spell slots and spell levels. This could be through a straight up power point pool or instead through augmentable powers (think Monk or Battlemaster -- heck, even Rogues get to augment their powers by trading SA dice for effect). Something akin to how Warlocks mechanically work would also be viable, I think.

(FWIW, I liked the Mystic and it's Disciplines that gained you a base benefit plus a series of preset spells/powers that were augmentable. But as we know that was a bridge too far.)

 

[Reynard]

2 - Character class mechanical design that leans into the "internal pool of psychic will/strength/stamina", and thus without something like spell slots and spell levels. This could be through a straight up power point pool or instead through augmentable powers (think Monk or Battlemaster -- heck, even Rogues get to augment their powers by trading SA dice for effect). Something akin to how Warlocks mechanically work would also be viable, I think.

I have never understood this particular distinction. Nearly every magic media at least strongly suggests that will power and mental stamina are important for "wizardry." Hell, even D&D fiction leads heavily into the trope. Why are psions special for this?

 

[dave2008]

Should there be?

Psionics extends the bleeding edge of the possible, magic does the impossible.

I mean no? What psions do is impossible. Telekinesis and Telepathy and everything else a psion does with the their mind is impossible. I great mind can think really hard/weel/efficiently but that is it. Generally everything a psion does is way beyond the possible.

A sufficiently high spell should be able to replicate a psionic ability, but a psion can do it all day and with more refined precision.

Maybe, but that doesn't fit the idea of something being powered by your mind IMO. I mean just doing normal everyday activities the mind consumes enormous amounts of energy. I personally can't imagine doing what psion do all day. It should, IMO, be even more difficult and taking than magic. Magic generally bowers power from somewhere else, psions it comes from themselves. That should be a lot more taxing IMO. Now, with more precision - I think that is possible and would be an interesting angle to take.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Psionics extends the bleeding edge of the possible

No it doesn’t. It’s just magic that a few people still believe in.

 

[Incenjucar]

No it doesn’t. It’s just magic that a few people still believe in.

...this is fantasy fiction.

 

[Deset Gled]

I have never understood this particular distinction. Nearly every magic media at least strongly suggests that will power and mental stamina are important for "wizardry." Hell, even D&D fiction leads heavily into the trope. Why are psions special for this?

In my fiction, it's a different power source. Wizards manipulate external magic. The psion's magic is created by their mind.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

...this is fantasy fiction.

And in fantasy fiction, magic is possible. There is no difference between reading minds and shooting fireballs out of your fingertips. Both things are equally possible in fantasy and equally impossible in reality.

 

[Incenjucar]

If you want to get picky about it "magic" is basically just "weird nerd stuff" in a setting not matching real world physics. Aspirin and fireballs and telepathy are equally magic. Pain relief, from tree bark!? Absurd!

 

[Incenjucar]

And in fantasy fiction, magic is possible. There is no difference between reading minds and shooting fireballs out of your fingertips. Both things are equally possible in fantasy and equally impossible in reality.

My favorite sorceror is Wolverine.