D&D 5E What's wrong with this psion?

[Cap'n Kobold]

Why would they even use intelligence? If the fluff is that they use some sort of inner mental strength to achieve the psionic effects, then certainly either wisdom are charisma are better fits?

TRADITION!!

 

[Mecheon]

Why would they even use intelligence? If the fluff is that they use some sort of inner mental strength to achieve the psionic effects, then certainly either wisdom are charisma are better fits?

Its not even the pop-culture trope of psychics, its even the D&D trope that psychics are smart and do with brain stuff

All brain-related enemies are psychic going back to the Illithid of all things

 

[Cadence]

Its not even the pop-culture trope of psychics, its even the D&D trope that psychics are smart and do with brain stuff

All brain-related enemies are psychic going back to the Illithid of all things

Is the trope a powerful brain (INT), but that will-power (WIS?) is needed too?

 

[Mecheon]

Is the trope a powerful brain (INT), but that will-power (WIS?) is needed too?

Yup. Int and willpower are the big two for psions

 

[Mistwell]

Power sources don't mix. For example the Bard is an arcane class that has cures as arcane spells.

In 3e there was a class that was divine and built on the sorcerer chassis, but all of those spells were divine.

Other than a multi class character, you don't end up with both divine and arcane sources spells.

"Sometimes the spark of magic that fuels a sorcerer comes from a divine source that glimmers within the soul. Having such a blessed soul is a sign that your innate magic might come from a distant but powerful familial connection to a divine being. Perhaps your ancestor was an angel, transformed into a mortal and sent to fight in a god’s name. Or your birth might align with an ancient prophecy, marking you as a servant of the gods or a chosen vessel of divine magic."

And from the Cleric class:

"Magic is an energy that suffuses the multiverse and that fuels both destruction and creation. Gods of the Arcana domain know the secrets and potential of magic intimately. For some of these gods, magical knowledge is a great responsibility that comes with a special understanding of the nature of reality. Other gods of Arcana see magic as pure power, to be used as its wielder sees fit. The gods of this domain are often associated with knowledge, as learning and arcane power tend to go hand-in-hand."

If a sorcerer can draw their magic from a divine power source, and a cleric can draw their magic from an arcane power source, then this distinction you're making is just hold-over baggage from prior editions and not meaningful for this edition.

In fact re-fluffing existing mechanics is one of the themes of this edition. I get the resistance to it based on 3e tradition. But for optional rules like an expansion book for psionics, I don't think that rigidity concerning a fluff setting-based distinction over the nature of magic is a fair holdup on these kinds of rules.

 

[Maxperson]

"Sometimes the spark of magic that fuels a sorcerer comes from a divine source that glimmers within the soul. Having such a blessed soul is a sign that your innate magic might come from a distant but powerful familial connection to a divine being. Perhaps your ancestor was an angel, transformed into a mortal and sent to fight in a god’s name. Or your birth might align with an ancient prophecy, marking you as a servant of the gods or a chosen vessel of divine magic."

And from the Cleric class:

"Magic is an energy that suffuses the multiverse and that fuels both destruction and creation. Gods of the Arcana domain know the secrets and potential of magic intimately. For some of these gods, magical knowledge is a great responsibility that comes with a special understanding of the nature of reality. Other gods of Arcana see magic as pure power, to be used as its wielder sees fit. The gods of this domain are often associated with knowledge, as learning and arcane power tend to go hand-in-hand."

If a sorcerer can draw their magic from a divine power source, and a cleric can draw their magic from an arcane power source, then this distinction you're making is just hold-over baggage from prior editions and not meaningful for this edition.

In fact re-fluffing existing mechanics is one of the themes of this edition. I get the resistance to it based on 3e tradition. But for optional rules like an expansion book for psionics, I don't think that rigidity concerning a fluff setting-based distinction over the nature of magic is a fair holdup on these kinds of rules.

If you read the magic box in the spellcasting section, magic is magic. Wizards and arcane users access the weave in one way for arcane magic, and clerics, paladins, etc. access it another way for divine magic. They don't cross over, though. If the reason one has sorcerous ability is because of angelic blood, that could just be the reason that they have the ability to access arcane sorcerer spells. It will be interesting to see if they get divine magic or not.

 

[Mistwell]

Heh heh... I've been here on the EN World message boards from coming up on 20 years now... I've never gotten actually "angry" about anything that gets written here. I've just grown tired of seeing the same complaints keep cropping up over those 20 years (regardless of edition). I want NEW complaints to crop up for me to write about dammit!!! Come on, people! GIMME SOMETHING NEW TO TAKE YOU TO TASK FOR!!! I HAVE WORK I NEED TO AVOID DOING!!!

We should replace all the races with furries. Cat people, dog people, rat people, horse people, elephant people, ferret people, etc..

 

[Minigiant]

If a sorcerer can draw their magic from a divine power source, and a cleric can draw their magic from an arcane power source, then this distinction you're making is just hold-over baggage from prior editions and not meaningful for this edition.

In fact re-fluffing existing mechanics is one of the themes of this edition. I get the resistance to it based on 3e tradition. But for optional rules like an expansion book for psionics, I don't think that rigidity concerning a fluff setting-based distinction over the nature of magic is a fair holdup on these kinds of rules.

Well arcane power and divine power were always both under the influence of gods and their use was sourced or manipulated by gods.

Psionics was the first supernatural power source could be untainted by deities. Binding, Primal, Truenaming, and "Primordial/Titan elemental" were added as other options of god-free "magic".

 

[Mistwell]

If you read the magic box in the spellcasting section, magic is magic. Wizards and arcane users access the weave in one way for arcane magic, and clerics, paladins, etc. access it another way for divine magic. They don't cross over, though. If the reason one has sorcerous ability is because of angelic blood, that could just be the reason that they have the ability to access arcane sorcerer spells. It will be interesting to see if they get divine magic or not.

Weave? That's a Forgotten Realms setting specific fluff. All of this issue is setting specific fluff. The game will survive just fine if you add a new source, or allow combined sources in the same class.

 

[Cadence]

Weave? That's a Forgotten Realms setting specific fluff. All of this issue is setting specific fluff. The game will survive just fine if you add a new source, or allow combined sources in the same class.

Unfortunately 5e made the thing of the Weave (just not the name) seemingly a general rule in the PhB.