Who got Psionics in my Dnd?

[Oni]

Psionics isn't really something I associated with traditional fantasy, so I'm curious when/where/how/why it got mixed in the game. Educate me on the history of Psionics in dnd.

 

[thedungeondelver]

Psionics isn't really something I associated with traditional fantasy, so I'm curious when/where/how/why it got mixed in the game. Educate me on the history of Psionics in dnd.

I have heard secondhand that Gary said it was a Brian Blume thing; that is, that Brian Blume thought they were neat and really lobbied for them to be in the game, not a later Brian Blume thing which would be "do this or I fire you".

 

[doctorhook]

Psionics isn't really something I associated with traditional fantasy, so I'm curious when/where/how/why it got mixed in the game. Educate me on the history of Psionics in dnd.

All I know is that Gary put it in the 1st Edition AD&D Player's Handbook, and that he later mentioned regretting doing so. Whether or not it was around prior to this, I have no idea.

Hopefully, some friendly, knowledgeable sort can elaborate for you, because that's all I've got.

 

[Thasmodious]

I don't know the history of psionics, but I'm with you on not seeing them as part of my view of traditional fantasy. Never used psionics in my games.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I have heard secondhand that Gary said it was a Brian Blume thing; that is, that Brian Blume thought they were neat and really lobbied for them to be in the game, not a later Brian Blume thing which would be "do this or I fire you".

Hmm, if that is true then got to w00t for Brian Blume. Always liked Psionics in my fantasy, especially over normal Arcane (fireball style) or Divine magic.

 

[Jubelo]

I originally saw them in Eldritch Wizardry, Supplement III of OD&D.

The rules were a tad complicated and unbalanced then.

Jon

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

As for when- Psionics appear in an appendix of optional rules in the 1Ed PHB, along with rules for the Bard and rules for firearms and/or blending in elements of Boot Hill or Gamma World, as I recall.

Realize, though, that D&D isn't really a game of traditional fantasy. It has always had certain western, sci-fi and pulp elements that the game's creators loved. The "Vancian spellcasting system" was derived from a series of sci-fi stories- Jack Vance's Dying Earth. One could argue that the Vancian spell system is a perfect reflection of Arthur Clark's adage that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic...implying that the spells in that series were actually technology- not magic - in action.

Heck, look at S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and you'll see an adventure in which the dungeon is a crashed starship. Not a spelljammer style spacecraft, but a full-blown sci-fi starship complete with robots, blasters, and doors that go "swshhhhh."

 

[Crothian]

I originally saw them in Eldritch Wizardry, Supplement III of OD&D.

The rules were a tad complicated and unbalanced then.

Jon

More or less then the 1e rules? Because that is how i would describe those.

 

[Lizard]

Began with Eldritch Wizardry in 1975/76, so, pretty much, it's been part of D&D since the earliest days.

 

[darjr]

But where did they come from? What was the inspiration?

The 1e rules seems so strange and different.