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

[Chaosmancer]

Just because the latest UA had subclasses and no full class, does not mean they aren't working on one. A full class is much harder than just a few subclasses. You have to design the FULL class as well as 2-3 subclasses to go with it.

I think some of you are reading too much into the most recent UA which only said no Mystic and gave a few subclass ideas.

How do you build a new class with no new subsystems?

Crawford said it repeatedly. People like the themes, people like the thematics, but they don't want new mechanics. The Mindflayer has done perfectly fine being psionic with no psionic mechanics.

Taken together, with people just wanting a psionic theme, but no mechanics wanted or necessary, then that leaves me confused on how you could get a new class.

 

[Maxperson]

How do you build a new class with no new subsystems?

New period or new to 5e? I think many like the PP subsystem, but had problems with the Mystic for other reasons.

Crawford said it repeatedly. People like the themes, people like the thematics, but they don't want new mechanics.

Power points aren't new, though.

The Mindflayer has done perfectly fine being psionic with no psionic mechanics.

Not really. It's pretty much just psionic because they put the word in there. It doesn't have to use components, but that's about it. The only thing it's been perfectly fine with is being a Mindflayer.

 

[Maxperson]

Now that the new subclasses have been rejected because people don't want psionics to use a unique mechanic, I have no idea. We could just get a new spellcasting class called a Psion again. But, it will just use spell slots.

Or spell points. Those aren't a new mechanic.

 

[Maxperson]

We know what Wizardry is.

Madalto!

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I rejected the most recent version of psionics because I didn't like the Psi Dice or the fact that they're making Psionics be spellcasting.

 

[Guest 6801328]

In fairness, we are now:

More than eight years after 5e was publicly announced; and
almost six full years after the publication of the Player's Handbook; and
three years after the release of the Mystic class in UA; and
there have been four (I think?) attempts at psionics in UA already, with the most recent one rejected...

And it really seems like every attempt gets narrower. So far, the main feedback is that it can't be a new class and it can't have new mechanics. Which must be really annoying for the people who want differentiated psionics.

Yes, I expect psionics at some point as well, but I can understand why there is a wee bit of frustration for those who like psionics.

Maybe you've inadvertently nailed it. They know that once they come up with official psionics there will be nothing left to dangle in front of us, and they'll have to start talking about 6e.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Maybe you've inadvertently nailed it. They know that once they come up with official psionics there will be nothing left to dangle in front of us, and they'll have to start talking about 6e.

Or .... maybe they will wait and that will be the big 6e selling point! Maybe they'll call it "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" just to really give it retro feel.

"Hey buddy, I hear you like psionics. Well, let me tell you about a little system we're calling Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and it has psionics, and a Dark Sun campaign setting, and even a Warlord. C'mon, don't you want to upgrade all of your core books now? Don't you NEED to?"

 

[Shardstone]

You don't need a new sub-system to be honest; you just need new spells, spell points, and warlock-style class feature upgrades. I made such a Psionic class myself and my players loved it, and I think its easy to make spells work. THe only thing is, you can't say "just spells." You gotta give them some spice! Monk or Warlock style features designed like Mearls original "Cantrips+" are the key. Shame they refuse to test the Mearls idea yet though.

 

[Chaosmancer]

New period or new to 5e? I think many like the PP subsystem, but had problems with the Mystic for other reasons.

Power points aren't new, though.

They are new to 5e. Nobody is using them officially. Is that going to fall under this same umbrella? Will they be too much of a "new system" that they would be rejected?

Not really. It's pretty much just psionic because they put the word in there. It doesn't have to use components, but that's about it. The only thing it's been perfectly fine with is being a Mindflayer.

I'm not talking about our opinions. I'm talking about what Crawford said. And he said that mindflayers were an example of psionics without creating a psionic system. And that that seems to be what people want. Just put the word there, have the theme, and let us get to playing. No new mechanics, no new systems, just keep it simple.



And sure, maybe that will be fine. Maybe we'd be happy with it, it is pretty much what people have put forth as a solution to the problem of Psionics. What I didn't expect was it would come to this because we are rejecting any new system. Which, I'm not sure I like that idea. I like the potential of having something new eventually.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You don't need a new sub-system to be honest; you just need new spells, spell points, and warlock-style class feature upgrades. I made such a Psionic class myself and my players loved it, and I think its easy to make spells work. THe only thing is, you can't say "just spells." You gotta give them some spice! Monk or Warlock style features designed like Mearls original "Cantrips+" are the key. Shame they refuse to test the Mearls idea yet though.

But it still has to go through the UA process, and I can't see many psionics fans rating something so basic "satisfactory" - I certainly wouldn't.