Unearthed Arcana Why UA Psionics are never going to work in 5e.

[TwoSix]

Now I'm worried that tribble wizards are going to make the cross-game leap and start showing up bloody everywhere. I'll have fireballs getting tossed at the Millenium Falcon and Meteor Swarms destroying Gotham.

Come on, everyone knows tribble's favored class is psion.

 

[Fenris-77]

I usually go with the Wheel of Time answer, that magically capable folk who don't get training usually end up killing themselves in a variety of entertaining ways. Those who don't end up killing themselves succeed in burying their talent deeply enough that it doesn't resurface (without coaxing anyway). Easy-peasy.

 

[Fenris-77]

Come on, everyone knows tribble's favored class is psion.

Psion-Warlord multiclass would have been my answer.

 

[TwoSix]

I agree that a good way to make magic mysterious is to not explain stuff! Which folks are you referring to that don't get this?

AND I find only a tenuous connection between that observation and the topic at hand. YMMV, but most of the possible explanations for wizards being rare that I came up with have nothing to do with the mysterious workings of magic itself.

Now, you might have very few wizards in your world, and "nobody seems to know why" if the players ask. But to me that smacks of "I have no idea; stop asking dumb questions" rather than "oooh, how mysterious!"

You're right that there's an important distinction in not explaining between "I know, but I'm not telling you" and "I actually have no idea."

 

[TwoSix]

Psion-Warlord multiclass would have been my answer.

Ideally, one with lots of abilities that do damage on a miss.

 

[Aldarc]

You're right that there's an important distinction in not explaining between "I know, but I'm not telling you" and "I actually have no idea."

But there's also Keith Baker with Eberron: "I have several possible ideas, but I intentionally avoided creating a definitive answer."

 

[TwoSix]

But there's also Keith Baker with Eberron: "I have several possible ideas, but I intentionally avoided creating a definitive answer."

Oh, I'm fine with it in a setting description. It's at the level of the individual campaign where the I think the DM should have some idea of what's going on, even if they aren't telling the players right away.

Like, in my current Eberron game, I have an explanation for the Mournland if it ever comes up, although I don't think the game will touch on it. I might change it if something happens in the game that would contradict it (or just be a more exciting story arc), but I won't have to improvise if it does become an issue.

 

[Aldarc]

Like, in my current Eberron game, I have an explanation for the Mournland if it ever comes up, although I don't think the game will touch on it. I might change it if something happens in the game that would contradict it (or just be a more exciting story arc), but I won't have to improvise if it does become an issue.

My approach for running Eberron is not to have an answer for the Mournland (i.e., agnostic), but, instead, having people pursue possible answers. For example, the players are caught in the middle of a power struggle between factions for the Magical Macguffin that may provide a possible answer to the Mournland. Did it cause the Day of Mourning? Don't know, but the factions are willing to spill blood and resources over it, and that's what counts.

 

[Maxperson]

Now I'm worried that tribble wizards are going to make the cross-game leap and start showing up bloody everywhere. I'll have fireballs getting tossed at the Millenium Falcon and Meteor Swarms destroying Gotham.

But are Tribble Wizards psionic or are they magic?

 

[Fenris-77]

But are Tribble Wizards psionic or are they magic?

They use spell slots.