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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
Whether you want to slice down your foes with psychically augmented physical strikes, slice them with invisible force weapons, or cast spells bristling with telekinetic power, there are now options for you in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition.
Wizards of the Coast just released a new Unearthed Arcana (their monthly research and development workshop where they playtest new ideas) focusing on a long-loved set of abilities: Psionics. The psychically-charged new content includes sub-classes for the fighter and rogue, and a new spell tradition for wizards, along with new feats for characters.
I knew they were going to say that.
Source: https://techraptor.net/tabletop/news/dungeons-dragons-5e-adds-psionics
[Note - This is part of the Unearthed Arcana playtest material and is not legal to use in Adventurer's League - Ed]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 27 2019, @10:25PM (6 children)
Can anyone explain what psionics adds to a world where magic is already pervasive?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday November 27 2019, @10:43PM
The Mindcrafters in ADOM make more sense.
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(Score: 4, Informative) by Mykl on Wednesday November 27 2019, @11:47PM (1 child)
Flavour. The same way that they included Sorcerers in addition to Wizards, because some people prefer the idea of innate magic ability vs learning from a spellbook (also the mechanics around spell selection are slightly different, but it's mostly for the flavour IMHO).
(Score: 2) by Marand on Friday November 29 2019, @01:43AM
Not just flavour, but having variations on the traditional book-wielding wizard type also introduces new storytelling and worldbuilding options for people that like to make custom campaign settings. It can be fun to think about what a setting might be like with certain races or classes missing, or changing their roles a bit, and then building a game around it.
Having more choices in a game built on the imagination of its players is rarely a bad thing, even if some of them overlap a bit in design or purpose.
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Thursday November 28 2019, @01:38AM (1 child)
They add another book to buy and increase profits for WoTC.
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 28 2019, @04:04AM
This.
Any ‘game’ company that sells a 2nd ed is rent seeking.
A pathway to profit for any company that produces nothing but ideas.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 28 2019, @09:33AM
In 3.5 it also allowed to bury spell slots for good and augment powers on the fly, which was awesome.