D&D (2024) We have Arcane, Divine, and Primal lists now. Why not Psionic?

[Vaalingrade]

Where I am, I am using the meanings of "magic" in a typical way.

No one is going to call physical wetware chips that provide P2P communication 'magical' except the Marketing Execs.

 

[Shardstone]

Simpsons meme where one character makes up a colloquial term on the spot.

Basically, you are using "magic" in a way that does not match common usage in any English dialect I'm deeply familiar with, and also not using it in the way it's used in D&D, so the word has little to no communication value.

Outside of hardcore nerd communties, everyone I know uses magic for everything.

 

[Incenjucar]

Where I am, I am using the meanings of "magic" in a typical way. It means anything that fulfills an intention in a wondrous way. Miracles and wonders, including technological marvels.

My earlier point is, the word "magic" is and has always been vague. It is pointless to try to reduce its meanings.

On the other hand, if D&D describes specific "sources" of magic, it can describe each source unambiguously.

While there are some vague areas due to 5E's design fuzziness, there are specific mechanics that explicitly only interact with what D&D calls magic.

 

[Yaarel]

No one is going to call physical wetware chips that provide P2P communication 'magical' except the Marketing Execs.

When people can turn on a light with a thought, or communicate mentally with someone on the other side of the planet, it will be defacto magic.

 

[Yaarel]

While there are some vague areas due to 5E's design fuzziness, there are specific mechanics that explicitly only interact with what D&D calls magic.

The mechanics are the least helpful way to distinguish source.

Normally, different sources use the same mechanics.

The same source uses many different kinds of mechanics.

Looking to define sources by means of mechanics is a lost cause.



By the way, in 5e it was not-at-all clear what did or didnt negate during an antimagic effect. Now in 2024, the designers will make a point to use the term "magic" technically, but I assume there will be many places that were forgotten about, thus end up highly inconsistent and rely on DM whim anyway.

 

[Incenjucar]

Outside of hardcore nerd communties, everyone I know uses magic for everything.

That is rather distressing. Even living in the woods everyone around me could tell the difference between an electrician, a wizard, and Moses parting the sea.

 

[CreamCloud0]

"steamed hams"?

given my knowledge of the original context i assume it referrs to someones insistence on using very specific terminology to describe or pass off something which isn't actually that, the titular 'steamed hams' actually being grilled beefburgers, ie: neither steamed nor hams.

 

[Vaalingrade]

When people can turn on a light with a thought, or communicate mentally with someone on the other side of the planet, it will be defacto magic.

I can turn on the light by clapping. I am communicating with someone on the other side of the world right now.

I have a box on my desk that can connect to all human knowledge.

Still not magic.

 

[Yaarel]

That is rather distressing. Even living in the woods everyone around me could tell the difference between an electrician, a wizard, and Moses parting the sea.

Would they refer to Moses as magic?

 

[Vaalingrade]

That is rather distressing.

And not actually a thing. In 'non-hardcore nerd' spaces, people aren't discussing this stuff at all. In fandoms, people use whatever the writer uses.