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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: RPGPundit on May 10, 2018, 04:54:51 AM

Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 10, 2018, 04:54:51 AM
I made my own simple and basic psionics system in RPGPundit Presents: Mutant Hordes of the Last Sun (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/238806/RPGPundit-Presents-26-Mutant-Hordes-of-the-Last-Sun).

How do you like to do psionics in D&D?

Simple, with only a few basic powers?

Complex, with psionicists being a full-blown class perhaps?

Or not at all?
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Spinachcat on May 10, 2018, 05:20:45 AM
I wrote my own rules too. Mine are in issue six of Knockspell (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/94955/Knockspell-6).

Mine is a very open toolkit, so the GM can set the dials to tailor psionics to their campaign.

I'm a big fan of psionics in fantasy, but I demand psionics operate differently than magic.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Spinachcat on May 10, 2018, 05:22:59 AM
RPGPundit, are you going to do Mutant Hordes of the Last Sun as a whole RPG project?

AKA, like Dark Albion or Lion & Dragon?
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: RandyB on May 10, 2018, 10:29:52 AM
Dragon #78. Oppan Deryni style.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Steven Mitchell on May 10, 2018, 10:53:27 AM
Out of sight, out of mind.  Neither seen nor heard.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Mike the Mage on May 10, 2018, 10:55:08 AM
Issue 79 of White Dwarf had an interesting take on Psionics. Very close to the original AD&D first edition but internally consistent.

Worth a look if you want to avoid the Psionist class.

My personal favourite is from Fantastic Heros and Witchery, except Dominique Crouzet calls psionics Psychic Powers.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Ratman_tf on May 10, 2018, 11:15:45 AM
For Dark Sun, full Psionicist class, 2nd edition Psionics handbook, and every PC gets a wild talent.

For other settings, I don't care. I hardly even think about it.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Krimson on May 10, 2018, 11:23:10 AM
A few years ago I did a quick and dirty hack (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h9Qzc-wrtcSi55_S6WAyw9auNezzTBufhvqfRIOV2FM/edit?usp=sharing) from Star Wars Sage Edition force powers adapted to d20 Modern. My favorite rules were probably the 2e version which first appeared in Will and the Way and later Skills and Powers. These days I'd probably just hack the 5e Sorceror and/or Warlock into something. I'm not big on tracking points.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Patrick on May 10, 2018, 11:44:32 AM
Quote from: Spinachcat;1038370RPGPundit, are you going to do Mutant Hordes of the Last Sun as a whole RPG project?

AKA, like Dark Albion or Lion & Dragon?

I just sent him a PM asking a similar question.  So you see, Pundit, there's some interest if you wanted to put it out there!
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Larsdangly on May 10, 2018, 12:35:46 PM
I always thought psionics should functionally operate like the spell casting sub-systems (I think 3E is the only edition I've played where I know this is true, but perhaps 4E and 5E also do this and I just didn't notice.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Spinachcat on May 10, 2018, 07:37:19 PM
4e Psionics was okay. It played like the rest of the power sources (so too alike), but you could pump your powers with Psi points for extra voom so your at wills could be nearly encounter powers if you pumped them.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Larsdangly on May 10, 2018, 08:31:13 PM
I'm cool with the idea that all sorts of powers are organized, mechanically, like spells (so, daily slots of various power level). What bugged the shit out of me about how this worked in 4E is that skirmish combat was the entire focus of the game, everyone was immortal, and all classes received powers that had different labels but amounted to the same thing in the end. But you could create a very satisfactory version of D+D where everything from a Thief's hide in shadows to a Ranger tracking to a Paladin laying on hands to a Fighter delivering an extra attack would follow the same structure as magician's spells per day.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Teodrik on May 11, 2018, 06:35:37 PM
I prefer them being handled like a special kind of wizard or sorcerer with a custom list of spells. I don't care for special subsystems and just view them as just another variant of caster mechanically.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Mistwell on May 11, 2018, 10:06:06 PM
I like my Psionics like Deryni powers. That's been the best representation of Psionics with a fantasy flavor, as opposed to a sci-fi flavor, that I've seen.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Shawn Driscoll on May 12, 2018, 12:36:26 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;1038367I made my own simple and basic psionics system in RPGPundit Presents: Mutant Hordes of the Last Sun (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/238806/RPGPundit-Presents-26-Mutant-Hordes-of-the-Last-Sun).

How do you like to do psionics in D&D?

Simple, with only a few basic powers?

Complex, with psionicists being a full-blown class perhaps?

Or not at all?

I like how they are presented in AD&D 1.0.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: Omega on May 12, 2018, 01:59:32 AM
I liked the system in AD&D. An extreme rarity and not doing too much. I also liked the way OD&D handled them with the gradual loss of class power as one gained psi power.

I played alot of BX though so no psi powers there and we never ported any in.
Title: How do you Like Your D&D Psionics?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 14, 2018, 02:56:29 AM
Quote from: Spinachcat;1038370RPGPundit, are you going to do Mutant Hordes of the Last Sun as a whole RPG project?

AKA, like Dark Albion or Lion & Dragon?

The current plan is that I will be detailing Last Sun in my RPGPundit Presents series, and eventually (like in a year or two) all the Last Sun issues will be put together in a compilation book.