Unearthed Arcana Todd Talks: the UA psionics

[Sacrosanct]

With the multiple threads on the topic of the most recently released UA, Todd Kendreck and Jim Davis (WebDM) spend an hour talking about it here. Some interesting perspectives. for example, when Todd mentions how it's good to be able to counterspell certain psionic abilities (if you count psionics like spells instead of a unique mechanic like what 5e is doing). I agree and never thought about that.

 

[Larnievc]

I don't like the idea of psionics and magic being able to affect each other. I like to think of psionics are a Far Realm influence rather than something like tthe Weave.

 

[Xeviat]

I like that psionics and magic are just aspects of the same supernatural power. I also like psionics as ki got a more fantasy feel.

I really don't like these Todd talks, though. I just love it when they're contradictory, like saying they like how the psychic warrior wasn't just given a spell progression and a spell list, but then one of them said it would be cool if they could augment the one bonus action ability to make it a cone and blast a bunch of people ... like the mind blast spell later ... Ugh.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Psionic powers have got power points, and some ki powers have got a limited daily use limit (as vacian magic) not level of powers.

If there are plans for Kara-Tur and Oriental Adventures maybe there will be some space for psionic manifester classes and ki martial adepts. And maybe some troubles and controversies about if samurais and ninja should be base classes and not only subclasses.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

hey like how the psychic warrior wasn't just given a spell progression and a spell list,

This is WotC's problem - they are overthinking. Every subclass does not need to reinvent the wheel. EKs are a fun class to play, an EK with psychic spells would be a lot more fun (below 18th level) than this effort.

Same goes for classes. Something that is very similar to a sorcerer but with it's own spell list would do for a Psion. It doesn't need to have radically different mechanics (and there is already a spell point system in the DMG if players prefer to use that).

 

[NaturalZero]

This is WotC's problem - they are overthinking. Every subclass does not need to reinvent the wheel. EKs are a fun class to play, an EK with psychic spells would be a lot more fun (below 18th level) than this effort.

I'm in the complete opposite camp. I feel like the eldritch knight was a cute placeholder, but it's a pale, pale imitation of the full swordmage class. I'd really like to see them do something interesting with the psychic warrior instead of going back to the well yet again and tack a trickle of spell slots onto an existing class.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I wonder about the future arcane warrior, like the duskblade or swordmage will not cast spells but will use martial maneuvers with arcane power source.