Flavorwise, it was difficult to distinguish between Ki which focused on the 'bodily aura' versus Psi which focused on the 'mind'. For example, the ancient Greek word for 'soul' is actually Psykhe, which includes both!
Because Psi includes the inseparable concepts of body-aura, life-force, mind-force, astral projection, etc, the Psi power source can now better represent ancient reallife concepts of mind-over-body. For example, Hebrew has Nefesh 'lifeforce', Norse has Hugr 'mindforce', Chinese has Ch'i 'aura', Greek has Psykhe 'soul', and so on. All of these concepts relate to breathing, which both animates the body and sustains consciousness.
By borrowing from these many cultural traditions, D&D can ensure the Psi power source expresses a diversity of flavors, that are appropriate for the quasi-medieval character of its setting.
Also, to correctly recognize Ki = Psi allows a diversity for mechanics and themes. For example, the Monk has Dexterity as the primary key stat, to emphase the mind-over-body aspects of the bodily aura, connoting traditions of Ch'i. Alternatively, the future Empath could have Wisdom as primary to emphasize the aspects of psychic intuition.
Finally, the elimination of Ki as a separate category helps distinguish D&D concepts, between strictly physical abilities (= Martial power source) versus mystical mind-over-body abilities (= Psi power source).
Diverse, accurate, and medieval flavors. Diverse, meaningful mechanics. Better streamlining. All in all, its excellent to merge Ki with Psi.
Pseudoscience in Psionics was one of the things that made it feel different too me. Plus I just love Pseudoscience in general.
While I do like it and it will mean a more diverse range for Psionics. I really, really hope it won't eliminate the Pseudoscience entirely from Psionics, that is one of my favourite aspects of it. I don't expect it to be that wide-ranging, since I know plenty of people dislike it, but... If I could just have one class, maybe some Paragon Paths, Feats or items oriented around that, I be very happy.
Pseudoscience in Psionics was one of the things that made it feel different too me. Plus I just love Pseudoscience in general.
We know. Oh dear god, yes we know. ;)
No offense, but we'll be hoping at cross-purposes, since I loathe the so-called pseudoscience elements of psionics. I imagine this is a large part of why so many other DMs out there ban it from their games (not the whole part; some just didn't want to learn a second magic system).
Conversely, I readily accept that other DMs/players will have no trouble accepting psuedoscience psionics while bristling at the Asian poetics of Ki because it is jarring to their sensibilities about Fantasy. Now these two distinct 'camps' of D&D will be forced to live together in the same house, like some bizarre, ill-conceived reality TV show.
We know. Oh dear god, yes we know. ;)
No offense, but we'll be hoping at cross-purposes, since I loathe the so-called pseudoscience elements of psionics. I imagine this is a large part of why so many other DMs out there ban it from their games (not the whole part; some just didn't want to learn a second magic system).
Fortunately, that's no longer an issue.
Conversely, I readily accept that other DMs/players will have no trouble accepting psuedoscience psionics while bristling at the Asian poetics of Ki because it is jarring to their sensibilities about Fantasy. Now these two distinct 'camps' of D&D will be forced to live together in the same house, like some bizarre, ill-conceived reality TV show.
You can fluff psionics as scientific or not. Such is the joy of 4e separating crunch from fluff.
You can fluff psionics as scientific or not. Such is the joy of 4e separating crunch from fluff.
Yeah, for me, it is more it be fun to see, you know. Plus the chances of possible future stuff in that tread (a pipe-dream I know but still fun to think about.)
I do hope though stuff like mediums; astral projection, the different "kenesis" types, etc. are there. More then just magic but with the mind! Like it still fits with different psychic phenomena. It doesn't need Pseudoscience fluff just you know still keeping with the ideas of psychic abilities.
I just like the fact that it means we're looking at potentially fewer books to buy. Now if we can get rid of Elemental ...
That is an interesting question. Since Psi/Ki and (likely) Shadow will be in PH3, what will be left for PH4 et al? Elemental, but that source was the weakest of the four and is likely dead, too. Perhaps an "Alien" power source tied to the aberrations of the Far Realm?
My belief is that they put ki onto the back burner until such time as they decide to bring back the classes from incarnum and similar ideas. If nothing else, by saying they are doing that they are able to state that they have not gotten rid of any power sources; after all we never had any proof that we were going to get ki in PH3, it was all speculation (mostly because everyone just assumed that the monk would be ki).
That is an interesting question. Since Psi/Ki and (likely) Shadow will be in PH3, what will be left for PH4 et al? Elemental, but that source was the weakest of the four and is likely dead, too. Perhaps an "Alien" power source tied to the aberrations of the Far Realm?
Speculation on what Elemental means could be completely off-base. It could have nothing to do with the alchemical elements at all, but rather the elemental chaos or some such.
The only additional power source I can think of would be an Alchemical one. That might be cool.
Really, considering that Arcane, Divine, Shadow, and Primal cover pretty much every imaginable external power source, and that Martial and Psionic cover every innate one, we have all the power sources we need. Just keep expanding and improving those, and we'll have new material for years to come.
The only additional power source I can think of would be an Alchemical one. That might be cool.
Shadow shadow shadow shadow.
Come on! Necrotic darkness, shadow, all that eveeeel stuff. It'll be great.
Speculation on what Elemental means could be completely off-base. It could have nothing to do with the alchemical elements at all, but rather the elemental chaos or some such.
I do not see how one is significantly different from the other. The elemental chaos if the font of all the elements. At some level every elementalist, whether alchemical, imperial, wu jen, or just plain arsonist will turn to the elemental chaos to get more bang for their buck.
Shadow shadow shadow shadow.
Come on! Necrotic darkness, shadow, all that eveeeel stuff. It'll be great.
I included shadow in that list.
That is an interesting question. Since Psi/Ki and (likely) Shadow will be in PH3, what will be left for PH4 et al? Elemental, but that source was the weakest of the four and is likely dead, too. Perhaps an "Alien" power source tied to the aberrations of the Far Realm?
Well, they could create more classes for existing sources. My concern is just that for every power source that come up with, they'll feel the need to shoehorn in a minimum of X classes to justify a Power supplement (or three). Fewer power sources mean fewer shoehorned classes.
For example, lets look at the current power sources. Primal and Divine are probably the best current power sources because they are so well defined. The Primal power source draws its power from animal totem spirits, and all of its classes reflect that rather well, and thus have a consistent feel and flavor. Likewise, the Divine power source's emphasis on radiant damage, defensive/healing effects, and powers granted by gods gives all of the Divine classes a consistant feel and flavor.
On the other hand, the single weakest current power source is Arcane. The Arcane power source was created to reflect what was called Arcane magic in previous editions, but as a result lacks any focus or central flavor. Other than the fact that they can throw fireballs of various kinds, there is very little connecting the various Arcane classes, nor any clear guideline as to what should be in Arcane or what should be in a different power source. I think that many of the concepts that are currently in Arcane could be easily broken into several different power sources.
If Psionics really has absorbed Ki, then I think Psionics is at a great risk of becoming as diluted and unfocused as the Arcane power source. This would be a shame.
I'm not really too fond of the change, mostly for semantic and thematic reasons.
I don't read the article and see it as absorbing ki into psi, I read it that the mechanic they chose for monks would not develop into a full power source (which is not the way to design a power source) so they dumped the monk into psi.
My belief is that they put ki onto the back burner until such time as they decide to bring back the classes from incarnum and similar ideas. If nothing else, by saying they are doing that they are able to state that they have not gotten rid of any power sources; after all we never had any proof that we were going to get ki in PH3, it was all speculation (mostly because everyone just assumed that the monk would be ki).
I got that same impression, myself (except that I think ki is genuinely dead without the monk). It seemed like they couldn't get their imaginations past "MONK = KI = MONK" to develop the power source beyond that class and this is the result.
Now, this isn't a terrible idea. There are some established thematic links between ki and psi, particularly in Eberron where Sarlona was the home of both, so blending the two can work well... and I do hope that it is a genuine blending, thus making psi more palatable for those of us that don't like pseudoscience terminology in their fantasy. ;)
*casts Magic Circle vs sigil_beguiler*
I think the Psionic name itself needs to be ditched now because the concept has been expanded from a generic sort of mental power to a broad sort of "Soul/Mental/Aura/Dream/The Force" power and the term Psionics seems to pigeon-hole it way too much.
I'm not really too fond of the change, mostly for semantic and thematic reasons.
I don't see why, the 4e Monk focuses on harnessing the power of his Mind in combination of his Body. Through their training they go beyond just normal ability and are able to harness the Psionic power within them. There isn't a single mention of soul, spirit, etc. in the playtest besides the Ghostwalker Paragon Path.
Plus keeping it with Psionic means that classic abilities like Telepathy, Telekenesis, Astral Projecting, etc. still make direct connection to the term.
Actually now that I think about it, the Monk would fit under the 3.5 category of Psychometabolism quite well. Using the mind to manipulate the body
Now, this isn't a terrible idea. There are some established thematic links between ki and psi, particularly in Eberron where Sarlona was the home of both, so blending the two can work well... and I do hope that it is a genuine blending, thus making psi more palatable for those of us that don't like pseudoscience terminology in their fantasy.
"You've got my X-men in my Tolkien!" "You've got your Tolkien in my X-men!" "Mmm. Tastes like Skywalker."
*casts Magic Circle vs sigil_beguiler*
Lol, oh I know lots of people dislike it. So I won't be angry if it isn't, more just, "oh well".
I felt the psionics (to differentiate between psychic damage type in keywords) power source was the power source for those class concepts dealing with the mind: monk's discipline, the seer's visions, the empath's insights into others, etc.
And my reading of the article makes it look like ki is dead for two reasons: no unifying mechanic/fluff for the power source, and fear it'd just be a bucket to dump any Asian themed class into (which the kensai is already a martial PP). They even stated that the ninja would probably fit better somewhere else and hinted it'd likely be a PP or MC class like gladiators and assassins. They pretty much flat out said the samurai would be an MC class since it's not so much a distinct class as some key fluff/mechanics that work well with paladins and fighters.
Sigil Beguiler: Actually now that I think about it, the Monk would fit under the 3.5 category of Psychometabolism quite well. Using the mind to manipulate the body.
I agree, the Monk uses the mind ('Diamond Mind') to manipulate the body. Thus, Psychometabolism.
Also, the Monk doesnt rely on physical strength, but rather the force of the aura (ch'i). This could fit well under the 4e category, Force damage type. Flavorwise, Force fits the Psionic power source.
Sigil Beguiler: I do hope though stuff like mediums; astral projection, the different "kenesis" types, etc. are there.
With regard to medieval flavor, the concepts of astral projection and kinesis (and shapechange) are interconnected in Norse mysticism. Among the Vikings, astral projection is called 'shape travels' (hamfarir), where the 'shape' (hamr) refers to the shape of the bodily aura. This bodily aura is an aspect of ones 'mindforce' (hugr), which one can relocate or reshape mentally. Whenever one imagines being somewhere else, their mindforce is in some sense really there, and actually travels there 'at the speed of thought'. Certain individuals are 'shape strong' (hamsterkr), and when they project their mental aura, their influence over the new location is vivid and forceful. They experience and manipulate objects in the remote location - and some can even retrieve objects from there.
This mindforce shape is what extends or even projects from the body to pushes objects around, thus is the cause of telekinetic effects.
Similarly, shapechange occurs when a person mentally reimagines the 'shape' of their bodily aura shape, and with a strong aura, the physical body shapeshifts conforming to it.