Psion
Adventurer
hong said:Psionics has three syllables in it, and is therefore 50% cooler than magic.
Gygax unearthed "Dweomer" to compensate, but it's just not the same.
Simple answer, IMV, because psionics are cool and a bit more mysterious. In the D&D game, magic is laid bare and well understood by the players. However, at best, one or two players in the group will have a keen interest in psionics, so it makes psionics an interesting tool for the GM to use to keep players intrigued and worried. Contrary to those that suggest psionics doesn't fit fantasy, I think that this feel is MORE fitting of fantasy than the magic-as-a-science feel of core magic in D&D.
Whoever said psionics rules were always problematic has a point. In the past, it has always circumvented the power scales built into the game. At last in 3e, they got it through their heads that to work right, it needs to work a little more like magic. XPH restored a little uniqueness to the system while retaining most of the power checks, and is the first version of psionics that I have been able to run without house rules to the main psionics rules.
Which at this point is more than I can say about the core rules...