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Running a spionic game
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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 5428488" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>Huh? Where did that come from? I detest psionics in my 'sci-fi' for the same reason I detest having a mysterious force that binds us all together in my sci-fi - at some point that ceases to be sci-fi and becomes fantasy. The only way you can get away with that sort of stuff and still tell a good story is if you are cognizant of the fact that you are then writing fantasy.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I have the guys complete works on my bookshelf here, and I think you are very much missing the point. My point is that you didn't need a separate set of mechanics or a separate class to capture psionics IMO because (for a variaty of reasons) the D&D sorcerer (with its Vancian roots) already does a more than adequate job. The similarities were my point; thank you for helping me prove it.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>And thanks again.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I'm versed in the fundamentals of historical magical traditions and neither of the things you describe strikes me as anything but very modern indeed and both come out of the same late 19th century tradition (theosophy) via slightly different paths. The modern D&D wizard goes back to the core occultist doctrines for its trappings but largely sheers off the spiritualism to make it about the power of the mind. The psion reaches back into parapschology which was nothing more than an attempt to ... wait for it, sheer theosophy of its spiritualism and focus on the power of the mind. The D&D cleric is about the only stock D&D class that isn't particularly modern, and sans perhaps his heavy armor and other Chanson de Roland trappings serves pretty well for anything historically considered a wizard. Nonetheless, I'm happy enough with the divine/arcane split as it is, and have yet to have anyone explain to me what psionics represent in any terms that markedly distinguish it from what 'arcane' is supposed to be. It's mechanical variation for its own sake.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 5428488, member: 4937"] Huh? Where did that come from? I detest psionics in my 'sci-fi' for the same reason I detest having a mysterious force that binds us all together in my sci-fi - at some point that ceases to be sci-fi and becomes fantasy. The only way you can get away with that sort of stuff and still tell a good story is if you are cognizant of the fact that you are then writing fantasy. I have the guys complete works on my bookshelf here, and I think you are very much missing the point. My point is that you didn't need a separate set of mechanics or a separate class to capture psionics IMO because (for a variaty of reasons) the D&D sorcerer (with its Vancian roots) already does a more than adequate job. The similarities were my point; thank you for helping me prove it. And thanks again. I'm versed in the fundamentals of historical magical traditions and neither of the things you describe strikes me as anything but very modern indeed and both come out of the same late 19th century tradition (theosophy) via slightly different paths. The modern D&D wizard goes back to the core occultist doctrines for its trappings but largely sheers off the spiritualism to make it about the power of the mind. The psion reaches back into parapschology which was nothing more than an attempt to ... wait for it, sheer theosophy of its spiritualism and focus on the power of the mind. The D&D cleric is about the only stock D&D class that isn't particularly modern, and sans perhaps his heavy armor and other Chanson de Roland trappings serves pretty well for anything historically considered a wizard. Nonetheless, I'm happy enough with the divine/arcane split as it is, and have yet to have anyone explain to me what psionics represent in any terms that markedly distinguish it from what 'arcane' is supposed to be. It's mechanical variation for its own sake. [/QUOTE]
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