Cordwainer Fish
Imp. Int. Scout Svc. (Dishon. Ret.)
You can put psionics in your story and John W. Campbell will still buy it [1]. Not so magic.
[1] In fact, it will increase the chances of him buying it.
Psionics--the Poll!
- Thread starter CleverNickName
- Start date
[1] In fact, it will increase the chances of him buying it.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
I know that the distinction between Psionics and Magic is very important to some people, but it's not for me. Even back in the late 1980s, I used the "same as magic" rule and never noticed a problem.
In 5E, we've established that magic comes from absurd technology, extraplanar beings, the unweaving of the elements, and the power of music...why is "mind powers" a bridge too far?
In 5E, we've established that magic comes from absurd technology, extraplanar beings, the unweaving of the elements, and the power of music...why is "mind powers" a bridge too far?
Scribe
Legend
Because some have an aversion to the "m" word.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
Which one..."mental" or "magic"?
Scribe
Legend
Which one..."mental" or "magic"?
lol good point.
Ironically, I'm about a month away from launching my psionics book for Old School Essentials. I've tweaked standard psionics rules to eliminate the need for psionic points, and have a secondary system based on The Book of Nine Swords that is psionically powered.
Aldarc
Legend
I think that it's partially a result of the logic that some people who dislike psionics use that (1) if it's magic, then (2) it's not necessary because (3) we already have the wizard, which is (4) the class for magic.
I don't mind that psionics is magic or uses spell-slots. However, I don't think that it should just be a wizard or sorcerer. Instead, it should be its own class archetype with a thematic spell list.
Very happy to have psionics in a game. The not-quite-magic approach is fun, I think -- it allows for worlds where magic is freely practiced but psionics can be verboten.
I even like the implementation in 5e, with a small number of feats and a handful of subclasses. As always, though, they offered us something much richer, which was the Mystic, as it appeared in a 2017 Unearthed Arcana -- there was a full class, where players could balance class abilities, subclass abilities "talents", and disciplines (which cost psi points). It was a remarkably flexible. Was it perfect? Of course not; but sadly community feedback killed it through over-reaction.
I even like the implementation in 5e, with a small number of feats and a handful of subclasses. As always, though, they offered us something much richer, which was the Mystic, as it appeared in a 2017 Unearthed Arcana -- there was a full class, where players could balance class abilities, subclass abilities "talents", and disciplines (which cost psi points). It was a remarkably flexible. Was it perfect? Of course not; but sadly community feedback killed it through over-reaction.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
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