Unearthed Arcana WotC Surveys: Implementation vs. Interest

[SkidAce]

The Deryni novels used to be the model for fantasy (as opposed to sci-fi) psionics. It's the model I've always preferred myself.

Quoted for truth.

 

[Oofta]

My vision of a psion ...

What you posted is fine, but what I just quoted is a big part of the problem. It's your personal vision. The psion is so nebulous it can be anything.

Which is great until someone actually has to come up with concrete rules. Up to now, that doesn't seem to have happened.

 

[SkidAce]

I've never understood this distinction because "mastery of their own mind" and "mental mastery" is exactly the description of the fluff of a wizard in my game. Any non-occult wizard, that is any wizard who does not have like a warlock powers granted through an occult pact with some supernatural being (see also witch, shaman, obeah, and any other traditional occult magic user based on real world magical practice), has the fluff that they are developing the "mastery of their own mind". Ever since the D&D wizard fully divorsed itself from the occult after the Satanic scare, it's fluff has been exactly the fluff you are subscribing to the psion. Which again, is why I have never understood why people try to distinguish between "psionics" and "magic" in D&D. They are the exact same thing

Bolded for emphasis.

Not in my game's fluff, they are mastering the intricacies of magic and rituals, manipulating outside forces they barely understand.

So when a psion masters their mind (or ki) and alters reality by force of will, its a totally different thing.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Ahem.

OK, they don't consult arcane books, mumble, gesture, and roll sulphur into little balls.
They just look at things which burst into flame.

An example...Spock is a psionicist, not a wizard.

He did a lot of exposition.
Gandalf did a lotta exposition.

This is why I usually dont try to explain why psionics is different from magic.
..
I have a long history of psionics and magic being different. In my opinion at least, its obvious...can they do some of the same things? Sure, but that doesn't make them the same. The stories are different.
But it's like art, I know it when I see it, but its not the same for everybody.

We also have some history of it being the same, or not being so clear, or being up to the DM.

Given that history, all 5e's DM Empowerment, it'd make tons of sense to make psionics something that could be ruled either way. Obviously, making it spells is coming down on one side, not going either way.

 

[generic]

What you posted is fine, but what I just quoted is a big part of the problem. It's your personal vision. The psion is so nebulous it can be anything.

Which is great until someone actually has to come up with concrete rules. Up to now, that doesn't seem to have happened.

Is a vision for what a Sorcerer or Warlock is not as equally nebulous?

Why is it that this seems to only apply to the Psion?

 

[Oofta]

This is why I usually dont try to explain why psionics is different from magic.

Here I thought it was just because for all practical purposes wizards use magic in fantasy worlds and psions use magic in sci-fi worlds.

 

[SkidAce]

Here I thought it was just because for all practical purposes wizards use magic in fantasy worlds and psions use magic in sci-fi worlds.

Fair enough lol.

...except those worlds where it's wizards and stargates, and expedition to barrier peaks and dragons....kinda like the fantasy and scifi I read in the 70's.

 

[Oofta]

Is a vision for what a Sorcerer or Warlock is not as equally nebulous?

Why is it that this seems to only apply to the Psion?

Well you seem to like one version that has a thread dedicated to how horrible it is for one.

I don't care if they created a psionicist class. I just don't know what niche it would fill. I do know that it hasn't ever fit in my campaign in any edition. As far as I can tell a decent number of people feel the same.

 

[generic]

Well you seem to like one version that has a thread dedicated to how horrible it is for one.

I don't care if they created a psionicist class. I just don't know what niche it would fill. I do know that it hasn't ever fit in my campaign in any edition. As far as I can tell a decent number of people feel the same.

This is the most bizarre comment yet. Not everything is about you, your campaign, or how you feel about whether a Psion is needed.

Show me the thread that is explicitly devoted to "how horrible" my conception of a Psion is.

What utter tripe.

 

[Oofta]

Fair enough lol.

...except those worlds where it's wizards and stargates, and expedition to barrier peaks and dragons....kinda like the fantasy and scifi I read in the 70's.

So don't get me wrong. I think a mish-mash of Star Wars science fantasy and D20 rules could be a lot of fun. I think the SW franchise is a bit limited but a pulp science fiction with options for something like Gamma World setting could be a blast.

In that campaign? Psions for the win!