What Unique Schtick Do You Think Each Power Source Should Have?

[DrSpunj]

Hmm...

When a primal hero looks at a man he sees...instinctual urges.

There's a joke here somewhere....

 

[Deekin]

Psionics power is drawn from within, not the body, as martial heroes, but the mind. While martial heroes rely on their own might and skill, psionic heroes draw upon inner reserves of power, allowing them to push the human limit. While divine heroes rely on faith in a higher power, psionic heroes have realized that the true power to reshape the world lines in within mortals. While arcane heroes probe the unknowable and esoteric, psionic heroes bypass magic completely, allowing them to project there will into the world.

When a psionic hero looks at a man he sees not just the man's physical body, but also his mind, knowing that without the balance both will fail.

 

[Wepwawet]

Not necessarily the doubt about the existence of gods, but doubt like these:
- Do the ideals my god defines really are the ideals I want to follow? Did I choose the right god(s) to worship?
- Does my god really care for the same things I do?
- Can I achieve the ideals my gods defines for me?
- Did I fail my god? Was I already deemed unworthy?

In a polytheistic society, all gods are worshiped, respected and appeased.
People have their own personal god, like a personal protector, to whom there is a special connection, but the other gods also exist and sometimes people need their help.

Then, I'd say that when a divine hero looks at a man, he'd understand his soul, and he'd see the diverse divine archetypes present within. Also the potential to fulfill the god's objectives or the potential to oppose the hero's god.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Since deities are much less omnipotent in 4w, instead of doubt at the existence of higher being(s), it would probably be doubt in their power. Can Bahamut indeed triumph over evil? Has Bane invested enough power in our enemies to crush us?

For that matter, if mortals can really become higher beings, does that make those higher beings truly gods, or just really powerful mortals? How do you seperate god-like power from mortal power, when priests and wizards can bend reality to their will? If it's only a matter of range - then who is to say even the lowliest hedge mage isn't a god?

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I like that. Well put.

Now quick, someone finds such good descriptions for alternative power sources, like
- Primal
- Psionic
- Dream
- Shadow

I think Primal could also be called Spirit.

And Dream could also be called Psionic, since that's what they've basically said in Eberron.

I'd think that (Psuedo not real)Science/Technology might end up being a power source in a few years.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I think Primal could also be called Spirit.

And Dream could also be called Psionic, since that's what they've basically said in Eberron.

I'd think that (Psuedo not real)Science/Technology might end up being a power source in a few years.

Well, they've said Shadow is going to be a power source, more or less, so I think Dream could be some sort of midway point between shadow and psionic.

Though putting dreams into psionics does give the source some interesting new flavor.

Arcane more or less describes the theory science perspective let's try:

Mechanical: Where the arcane sees the world in terms of essences, elements, and substances using the Inspired Will to see to the heart of all things the mechane sees nothing but the surfaces of all things. The theory of Mechanisms does not penetrate, rather it follows, the skin to the mouth to the throat to the lungs. To each surface there is an exterior and an interior but to the mechanist there is nothing hidden or beneath there are merely things between. The mechanist is the master of those spaces able to see inherent connections and to leverage cause and effect to an insane degree. Where a wizard can cause a thing to be by demonstrating that it should be, an engineer causes an action by demonstrating that that's what should happen next.

When a Natural Philosopher sees a man he sees an amalgamation of joints and stresses. He sees the internal fires and he knows how to feed them, enflame them, or dampen them entirely.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

SOrry for going the humor route... but I'd really like to see a "Green Lantern" power source...

You know, the "emotional energy spectrum" would be a very interesting basis for a 4E version of Incarnum...

 

[Incenjucar]

...then who is to say even the lowliest hedge mage isn't a god?

An acorn is not a tree.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In a polytheistic society, all gods are worshiped, respected and appeased.
People have their own personal god, like a personal protector, to whom there is a special connection, but the other gods also exist and sometimes people need their help.

Then, I'd say that when a divine hero looks at a man, he'd understand his soul, and he'd see the diverse divine archetypes present within. Also the potential to fulfill the god's objectives or the potential to oppose the hero's god.

True, but at least till 3E, this model for polytheistic societies wasn't really followed. People (especially Clerics) usually chose their personal favourite god (or maybe the other way around ) and even actively fought other gods (at least if they were of an opposed alignment).

Support for "pantheon" worshipping was weak in most settings. (The Forgotten Realms even force every mortal to chose a god, otherwise you don't get to paradise and end in the horrible abonimation of the Wall around the City of Judgement)

But your description is also cool.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

You know, the "emotional energy spectrum" would be a very interesting basis for a 4E version of Incarnum...

Yes I agree, though I hated how Incarnum was implemented.