D&D General What’s The Big Deal About Psionics?

[Clint_L]

I've hated psionics since the terrible way they were shoehorned into AD&D. Back then, they were really unbalanced, added unnecessary complication, and felt like an attempt to cram cheesy 70s soft sci-fi into my fantasy setting. They still feel like the latter to me, and I don't really understand what purpose they serve in a magical setting that already has tons of spells that affect the mind. Why do we need a whole separate system for woo-woo?

 

[Oofta]

I'm okay with the concept of psionics for NPC and aberrations that warp reality and mess with your mind. However, I don't think D&D has ever figured out a way to implement it in a way that it's not just magic with set dressing that's supposed to make it feel alien.

 

[Faolyn]

I've hated psionics since the terrible way they were shoehorned into AD&D. Back then, they were really unbalanced, added unnecessary complication, and felt like an attempt to cram cheesy 70s soft sci-fi into my fantasy setting. They still feel like the latter to me, and I don't really understand what purpose they serve in a magical setting that already has tons of spells that affect the mind. Why do we need a whole separate system for woo-woo?

From what some people have said to me, it's (in part) to replicate a form of magic that doesn't require components. Which, OK, yeah, in a lot of media, the spellcaster just casts a spell without waving hands around and chanting and holding up the eye of newt. I don't really think it's necessary either, though.

 

[James Gasik]

From what some people have said to me, it's (in part) to replicate a form of magic that doesn't require components. Which, OK, yeah, in a lot of media, the spellcaster just casts a spell without waving hands around and chanting and holding up the eye of newt. I don't really think it's necessary either, though.

The idea is, to someone who lives in a standard D&D world, even if they cannot use magic, they understand what magic is to a degree. Wizards and Clerics use very similar magical techniques, even if what spells they cast can differ.

Psionics are different and strange and follow completely unknown rules. They evoke wonder, awe, and fear in a fantastical setting where the wondrous is more commonplace.

They stand out in a D&D world the same way a spellcaster would stand out in our world. Psionics was added to AD&D because the people who made the game loved weird pulp fantasy, with alien monsters, bizarre powers of the mind, and lost civilizations with advanced technology indistinguishable but different from magic; all existing alongside fighting men with swords and finger wiggling magic-users.

The people who love psionics think of it as a spice, I imagine. A way to add an element of the otherwise to the standard fantasy game. Traditional D&D characters are supposed to look at psionics, monks, binders, malconvokers, shadowmages, truenamers, soulmelds, martial initiates, spellfire wielders, and the like and go "how in the Nine Hells did you do that?"

And that dash of mystery can make the game much more fun for some, as opposed to "oh look, he cast a fireball. How creative of him. Ok, everyone stand apart so we don't get hit by the blast pattern, you know the drill, guys."

 

[Bill Zebub]

If they do add psionics to OneD&D, I want an ability that lets me bring up old debates that everybody around me has forgotten about, so that they jump in with their opinion as if it's a new thing.

 

[Micah Sweet]

From what some people have said to me, it's (in part) to replicate a form of magic that doesn't require components. Which, OK, yeah, in a lot of media, the spellcaster just casts a spell without waving hands around and chanting and holding up the eye of newt. I don't really think it's necessary either, though.

Level Up is giving us new psionics soon, and I certainly trust them well enough to deliver something I'll like.

 

[Faolyn]

The idea is, to someone who lives in a standard D&D world, even if they cannot use magic, they understand what magic is to a degree. Wizards and Clerics use very similar magical techniques, even if what spells they cast can differ.

Psionics are different and strange and follow completely unknown rules. They evoke wonder, awe, and fear in a fantastical setting where the wondrous is more commonplace.

They stand out in a D&D world the same way a spellcaster would stand out in our world. Psionics was added to AD&D because the people who made the game loved weird pulp fantasy, with alien monsters, bizarre powers of the mind, and lost civilizations with advanced technology indistinguishable but different from magic; all existing alongside fighting men with swords and finger wiggling magic-users.

The people who love psionics think of it as a spice, I imagine. A way to add an element of the otherwise to the standard fantasy game. Traditional D&D characters are supposed to look at psionics, monks, binders, malconvokers, shadowmages, truenamers, soulmelds, martial initiates, spellfire wielders, and the like and go "how in the Nine Hells did you do that?"

And that dash of mystery can make the game much more fun for some, as opposed to "oh look, he cast a fireball. How creative of him. Ok, everyone stand apart so we don't get hit by the blast pattern, you know the drill, guys."

I guess my personal problem is that the average person in typical D&Dlandia has no idea how any type of magic works, so they would be equally awed by wizards and psions. Same issue if you play that classes are more descriptors than outright jobs. If you play as a cleric who isn't an actual priest, but the class fits your character idea better than wizard does (maybe your spellbook is filled with holy writ), you might still call yourself a wizard. In my setting, there are priests, who get their powers from gods, and mages, who get their powers in any other way. One of the players is a mage (although he calls himself a sorcerer), but class-wise, he's actually a sun soul monk. I had a BBEG who was a priest (charismatic preacher type) but who was actually a warlock.

So to me, psionics doesn't invoke any greater (or lesser) sense of awe than any other type of magic.

 

[Faolyn]

Level Up is giving us new psionics soon, and I certainly trust them well enough to deliver something I'll like.

I don't plan on buying the actual book, but hopefully the class will come to the online tools.

 

[Maxperson]

I guess my personal problem is that the average person in typical D&Dlandia has no idea how any type of magic works, so they would be equally awed by wizards and psions. Same issue if you play that classes are more descriptors than outright jobs. If you play as a cleric who isn't an actual priest, but the class fits your character idea better than wizard does (maybe your spellbook is filled with holy writ), you might still call yourself a wizard. In my setting, there are priests, who get their powers from gods, and mages, who get their powers in any other way. One of the players is a mage (although he calls himself a sorcerer), but class-wise, he's actually a sun soul monk. I had a BBEG who was a priest (charismatic preacher type) but who was actually a warlock.

So to me, psionics doesn't invoke any greater (or lesser) sense of awe than any other type of magic.

For me the source and mechanics are important. All spellcasters except for psions draw power from outside. Bards, wizards, sorcerers and other arcane casters draw magic from the weave and the magic of the world. Druids, paladins, rangers and clerics draw through the weave from divine sources. Psions draw on their own personal power, so while their powers may be similar to spells, they access them a bit differently.

Using an existing class doesn't work for a psion. It can't work for a psion.

 

[James Gasik]

For me the source and mechanics are important. All spellcasters except for psions draw power from outside. Bards, wizards, sorcerers and other arcane casters draw magic from the weave and the magic of the world. Druids, paladins, rangers and clerics draw through the weave from divine sources. Psions draw on their own personal power, so while their powers may be similar to spells, they access them a bit differently.

Using an existing class doesn't work for a psion. It can't work for a psion.

I wouldn't say "can't", exactly. In 4e, the Invoker class was a divine caster that drew on magic not from an external source, but from the fragment of a dead god lodged in their soul. But you do run into the Sorcerer problem; if the guy is just using the same exact spells as everyone else, does the source of their power really matter?