D&D General what is the difference between magic and psionics?

[Dioltach]

I think the difference is in the tone they bring to your game. I prefer not to have psionics in a game with magic, and vice versa.

Actually, if at all possible, I'd like to keep psionics, arcane magic and divine magic entirely separate. A game with only divine magic is suddenly very different from a game with arcane magic, and a game with psionics if different still.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

According to 3e Player's Guide to Faerûn, psionics is a form of magic that a creature can use by forming a personal Weave inside their minds.

As such, rather than using an environmental Weave to channel the raw magical energy of their environment, the psionics user draws the energy into their personal Weave to be processed and channeled.

 

[Incenjucar]

A core concept of psionics/psychic powers is that these are things that people can do by unlocking their natural potential as mortal beings. This is inspired by the belief that people could use science or discipline to unlock these abilities in real life. People used to do tests for "ESP" etc. with the notion that these powers are as normal as a dolphin using echolocation, but that we lost touch with them somehow.