Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Revisits Psionics

The latest Unearthed Arcana from WotC revisits some psionic rules! “Shine with the power of the mind in this installment of Unearthed Arcana! Today we revisit several psi-themed options that we released in the past few months. Studying your feedback on those options, we’ve crafted this new collection of subclasses, spells, and feats, found in the PDF below.“

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[Maxperson]

But, psionics in D&D already HAS VSM. They are called Display's or Ectoplasm, but, they are RIGHT THERE!

No, it never has. Repeating a wrong statement won't make it correct. Even 5e psionics by RAW doesn't have them.

 

[Hussar]

So, it's okay that psions need something (PSP's) in order to be used, and it's okay for those manifestations to be completely clear who is doing it, so long as we don't need bat guano, we're good?

 

[Lucas Yew]

So, it's okay that psions need something (PSP's) in order to be used, and it's okay for those manifestations to be completely clear who is doing it, so long as we don't need bat guano, we're good?

Sure, for me at least (I would compromise that one relatively easy).

Edit: Maybe I'm missing something from your context, so further reading it is...

 

[Maxperson]

So, it's okay that psions need something (PSP's) in order to be used, and it's okay for those manifestations to be completely clear who is doing it, so long as we don't need bat guano, we're good?

Power points are like spell slots. Neither are a component.

 

[Maxperson]

Sure, for me at least (I would compromise that one relatively easy).

I think most or all of us in these threads have said that they are okay with visuals and such.

 

[dwayne]

I always liked the psionics was different camp, and magic could not effect it and it could not effect magic. It was a 2nd edition kind of thing, i remember players fearing psionic creature due to hard to defend and kill, unless you had a psion with you. Now it's just a weird magic ability, monks have ki and i would think that is on the same level. But i use apex, and that fills that area very well, but if i was going to want a system put out, i would look to make it a partly skill based one. Also with much more on the fly options altering damage out put, to area, and all parts of the effect, even an over charge option.

 

[Hussar]

I guess I'm just a bit obtuse. Not really seeing the difference at the end of the day.

Wizard - wiggles fingers, says words, effect happens.

Psion - smells like lemon pie, says words, effect happens.

I guess I got sidetracked in the discussion about groups being able to identify casters by their components and how you couldn't identify a psion since psions didn't have components. But, since everyone is groovy with psions being just as identifiable as casters - just with slightly different flavor - I guess I really don't see what the big deal is.

Wizard casts Charm Person, wiggles a finger and says a word (it's a VS spell) and target is potentially charmed and everyone knows who cast a spell.

Psion manifests Charm Person and there is a Ding Dong sound in everyone nearby's head (Mental Effect 3e) and the target is potentially charmed and everyone knows who manifested the power.

Yeah, not really seeing much of a difference here.

 

[Maxperson]

I guess I'm just a bit obtuse. Not really seeing the difference at the end of the day.

I will put it in bold.

Wizard - wiggles fingers, says words, effect happens. - Spell cannot happen without wiggles and words.

Psion - smells like lemon pie, says words, effect happens. - Power happens regardless.

Only one of those is a requirement.

I guess I got sidetracked in the discussion about groups being able to identify casters by their components and how you couldn't identify a psion since psions didn't have components.

That wasn't the discussion. The discussion was.

Us: Psions don't have V, S, M.

Them: We ignore V, S, M anyway, so no difference.

Us: Then how do you ID casters?

The failure to identify wasn't about Psions, but normal casters.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I'm going to try to head off the looming 10-page argument about what the side discussion about components was about. It looks like some people thought it was about identifying the caster of a psionic effect, and some though it was only about whether you needed to be able to talk and have hands free.
The moral for everyone I think is just to pay more attention to what someone is saying and why rather than trying to argue for the sake of it.

I think that we have established that psionics shouldn't need verbal, somatic, or minor material components? But that there would be indicators that they are casting a psionic spell/ability that replicates a spell?

Are there any spells (or equivalent effects ) that have expensive material components that a psion should have access to?

 

[Parmandur]

The moral for everyone I think is just to pay more attention to what someone is saying and why rather than trying to argue for the sake of it

What fun is that...?