Should Psionics be part of the core in 4th edition?

[Aeric]

I noted no. Psionics have a different flavor than magic. If you change the flavor, it's no longer psionics, it's mind magic or mentalism. If that's the case, it should follow the same rules as magic--spell slots, schools, counterspelling, etc.

At best, psionics should be in Tome of Magic along with all the other weird variant magic systems (Shadow, Truename, etc.).

 

[Ry]

If, and only if, the main skills are consolidated / IH skill groups are used, and Psionics is done as a skills-and-feats system ala Psychic Handbook with skill groups as well, then I'd love to see it in the core. I'd probably start wearing a tinfoil hat, too.

 

[frankthedm]

Main reason I don't think Psi powers are that grand of an idea in D&D. Magic usually has to respect a person's spiritual aura and it has to work by a set of gods given laws and or principles, thus taking strong magic to kill someone outright. Even weak psionic Telekinesis should be able to cause a fatal brain aneurism against one who does not know how to defend against it.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Wow. That's some weird logic.

I'd assume that if you can assert your spirit and will against magic, then you can pit your mind against the psionicist.

 

[Zaukrie]

Weren't the early/mid psionics rules greatly influenced by the fantasy novels of Katherine Kurtz? I know the supplemental information in Dragon #78 (I think it was that one) was. "Psionics" tries to say it is a power of the mind, how is that different than sorcerers working due to the power of blood? I think there are two camps on this, one that is convinced that somehow this type of magic is sci-fi, and one that thinks this is just a different kind of magic.

 

[Cor Azer]

I'd say that psionics should only be in the core rulebooks if it'll continue to be a fairly prominent feature of the main campaign settings (like Eberron) - I liked that one of the early design goals of WotC was to make it so that each supplement only required the core rulebooks to use fully (although they've appeared to drop that design goal to some degree now), and it's rather annoying that I can't fully use stuff without pulling in another rules supplement.

 

[Glyfair]

Psionics hail from Sci-fi fiction where as spells and magic hail from fantasy.

I think the line is far too fuzzy between science fiction and fantasy to draw this line. In fact, most of the "fantasy" in the mid-20th century was science fiction because that was the only way to get it published.

Also, the Deryni series (one of the earliest fantasy series I've read) is probably the archetypal example of a fantasy setting with both magic & psionics.

Personally, I like it just the way it is. It's not core, but it's close to core ("extended core" or "optional core"). It's not assumed that you use it, but it's considered that many people will be using it so it's reasonably supported.

 

[Mercule]

An XPH-like supplement. But, that supplement should be one of the first releases for 4E, almost like it was a 4th core book. Either that, or make it an appendix to the PHB/DMG.

I like psi, but it doesn't fit every setting. Some of the games rattling around in my head would not do well w/ psi. Then again, some would be better served by ditching arcane/divine and keeping only psi.

 

[Drowbane]

Psionics should've been core back in 2e... (though in retrospec, thank god it wasn't )

edit: if Psionics (classes, powers, feats, etc) is in an XPH-like book for 4e, all of the monsters that use psionics should also be represented first and only in this Psi-Core book. Who needs 6 write ups for Thri-kreen and 2+ Mindflayers? Mindflayers are clearly "aliens with science-mind-magic"

 

[radferth]

I'll accept psionics in D&D when two versions in a row are done the same way. So far psionics seem to be handled widely differently each time they publish a new version. 3.5 was not entirely different from 3.0, so maybe they are finally zeroing in on something. Oh, and the less math, the better for me. I do enough math at work, I don't want to do it for play as well. Definitely not in the core, in any case.