So, having DM'd D&D (all editions) since 1978 (yeah... I'm OLD 
, i must say that I am pleased with what I've seen of 5E so far. Simplistic basic rules for ease of play coupled with (seemingly) the hint of customization once the core books are released makes me excited for a game release for the first time in years.
I hope that this does not lead to an "I HATE psionics" thread, but...
I believe, from my view of the potential in the basic rules, that a workable psionics system could be crafted that is completely different from magic and yet fit seemlessly within the confines of the core rules. No "spells". No "mind magic". A system that uses skill-based abilities with energies regenerating after a short rest (partially) or a long rest (completely).
What i wonder is if Wizards have mentioned, during the playtest (which, unfortunately, i did not have time to participate) if psionics would become part of the D&D 5E experience. I sincerely hope that a system is in the works. And, given that i ALWAYS play a wizard , i hope that any system has a completely different feel from magic, using a different mechanic (though one that, as mentioned fits within the core mechanics, thus allowing a GM to handle the new class / abilities seemlessly).
Anyone have any insight into 5E psionics?
And take it easy on an old man if i posted this in the wrong sub-forum
People have asked them about psionics a number of times, and all they've ever said is that they want to get it right. I don't expect we'll see psionics as a unique system (mind flayers and gith will probably have pseudo-psionic mechanics in the MM) until sometime next year at the earliest.
First of all, I think that the most interesting question is not what psionics is in a campaign in which psionics is marginal. I think a better approach is to ask what 5e psionics may look like in a campaign where psionics is more relevant, like in Dark Sun, where psionics is more prevalent than magic is in a more classical D&D setting. So if someone thinks of psionics as something marginal, I don't think that they should have a strong opinion about it.
I think that 5e is a wonderful opportunity for psionics. There was a time when uniformity among the classes was a major program in some editions of D&D, but 5e can do better than that!
Psionics is something that you do, as opposed to magic, which is something that you use. That's probably the fundamental definining narrative property of psionics in contrast to magic. And the mechanics for something that you do is right there in the center of 5e: it's an ability check. There's no reason for the mechanics of psionics to resemble magic in any way at all.
I've skimmed through all the psionics rules recently, from Eldritch Wizardry to the noble adept, and my impression is that the other defining theme in psionics (closely related to psionics being something you do) is the concept of psionic mastery. Psionic mastery means that you get better and better at a certain psionic power, as opposed to being able to cast higher and higher level spells. And 5e has a very simple and streamlined mechanics for that too: the proficiency bonus and expertise (double proficiency bonus).
I can imagine a very 5e-like psionics in which you get a psionic mastery point at each level, which you can either spend on mastering a new power, or spend it on one point of additional modifier to your ability check for using one of your existing powers, raising it from your proficiency bonus up to double your proficiency bonus at maximum, one point at a time.
Now, there's of course an arguably challenging issue with this classical approach of psionics, which is that you really have to get better at your powers at higher levels for progression to be meaningful. I'm thinking that you could have powers that have a DC 10 effect and a more powerful DC 15 effect, and other powers that have DCs of 15 and 20. Kind of like the distinction between minor and major powers (or devotions and sciences). I don't know if this range of the proficiency bonus (from 2 to 12) is enough to adequately express the concept of psionic mastery, but I think I'll try something like this.
Also, here are a few psionics threads from the D&D Next forums, in no particular order:
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/3953411
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4084431
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/3959946
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4025341
http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3396696
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4061566
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4080651
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4087476
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/3898366
http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-next-general-discussion/threads/4013101
I agree that psionics is critical for Dark Sun. They have stated that they may include some rules in campaign settings. It is hard to say if this is one of them.
Yeah, I doubt it will be soon. They've already filled their 2015 release schedule. Unless psionics is one of the 'surprises' M.Mearls mentioned, re: the DMG. But I'm not holding my breath for that.
I want a psionics system, personally. Dark Sun is my favorite campaign setting, and psionics also plays a significant role in my homebrew setting. 4e did a good job with them (and Dark Sun), IMO. Introducing simple but effective power points, and making the monk a psionic class were great ideas. I'd like to see something even better for 5e. I think the hardest thing to do is to keep psionic powers separate from magic. I don't want to see a psion that's just a wizard with less fire AoEs and more 'mage hands', 'dominate X', etc. I do want to see a psionic healer; who isn't a just re-fluffed godless cleric. I know they can't make the monk psionic again, as they already will be releasing the monk in the PHB. But, that doesn't mean they can't add a bunch of psionic options to the existing monk.
My best guess is that when (and if) they release a Dark Sun campaign guide for 5e, psionics will be part of that, or its own optional splatbook released at the same time. Or just it's own splat book a la the 3x 'Complete Psionics Handbook'.
Ideally, I'd like to see a 'Primal Power' splat book as well. That way, we can have more for druids and barbarians, and true warden and shaman classes. 4e had some good ideas that I'd like to see come back...Mostly as DMG options and non-essential books.
EDIT:: The idea of making psionics act more like ability checks (or skill checks) is interesting...That would separate it from magic, for sure. I still think power points should be a mechanic for psionics in some way. I like the idea of a psion doing things at-will that are similar to attacks or cantrips, but also being able to blow all their 'slots' (ie: power points) to do something really devistating. Like bringing down a building. Or, sparingly, like using whatever objects are at hand as deadly missiles.
Psionic is right for Dark Sun, but also for Oriental Adventures and d20 Modern.
I can wait, I would rather a good work than sooner.
But I would like to say some things:
I hate the name battlemind for the psychic warrior.
Wilder is a interesting concept, but the psychic enervation wasn´t a interesting class feature for me. Could be a good class for nPCs enemy bosses.
Blue goblin subrace and the fraal (little grayskin alien) should to be PC races.
Psionic ardent can be a great hook to create stories about conflicts with the clerics.
I agree, Luis. 'Battlemind' is a goofy name. I think it's a cool concept, though. Same with 3e's 'Soulknife'. Those concepts should come back as fighter and rogue options/builds in a 5e Psionics hardcover.
I don't know too much about psionic races, aside from the thri-kreen in 2e Dark Sun. They got rid of their automatic psionicness in 4e, though.
I'm intrigued by these 'Fraal' (ie: D&D Grey aliens)...Might have to google that in a few minutes.
Honestly Ive havent liked any version of psionics except for 4ths. Its not the flavor I have a problem with, its the fact that for most editions they tacked on a system that didnt work all that well with the main saystem. @nd edition had like 3 different versions of psionic and none of them got it right. 3rds was a little better but still not what I would call good and it slowed combat down to a crawl if someone actually tried to do a psionic dual. $ths was ok but it basically just used a variation of the aeud system so it worked well in the edition. 5ths is gonna have to be a good mod for me to bother with it.
I have not seen 4E psionics as I stopped buying when they pulled the PDFs in 2009.
While we don't get an official 5e Psionicist to see how it goes, this is how I'd add a Psionicist to 5e in the meantime if I wanted to have them in a campaign of mine:
--- Psionicist (makeshift version) ---
Hit Dice: d8 (since they raised one die value for all classes that previously were d4 or d6)
Weapons & Armor: simple weapons and light armor
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Constitution
Skills: choose 2 from Psionics (variant of Arcana), History, Investigation, Insight, Medicine, Perception
Powers (everything including how to learn, how to use and power descriptions): use the same rules as written in the AD&D 2e Complete Psionics. The only thing you'd need to adapt is saves, but just look at the power's effect and deduce which save would be more apropriate--shouldn't be too hard.
Subclasses (???): If you're into some deeper house-ruling you could make subclasses based on the primary power Discipline of choice, kinda like the wizard's are based on a chosen spell school, and then throw in some related abilities at some levels. But honestly, even if you don't, the psionicist's Powers alone in the 2e book are cool enough that even with only them as "class abilities" playing a psionicist is awesome.
Luis_Carlos wrote:
They've punted psionics to 'the Advanced Game,' so it'll come in a later supplement, after the core 3 book are out.
There was always a case to be made that psionics were in the 1e PH (even if in an apendix) but I guess they figured they could get away with it.
Psionics have always been needlessly controversial (it's always been the kinda thing you could cut from the game if you didn't like it, or give center stage if you did), because they have suffered from dicedely poor balance and weren't a fantasy 'bit' to begin with. So I can see why they'd want to avoid tackling them until they'd gotten some momentum going.
That said, given how close 5e is sticking to classic D&D (AD&D, anyway), with (neo)Vancian for all casters, multiple attacks for fighters and so forth, you certainly have every reason to hope for a strength-point-based take on psionics, maybe dressed up with some of what 2e and 3e did with it (like actual psionic classes).
In the campaign I'm currently playing in, we created a template for the Psion that is based off of the Sorcerer. Substitute Sorcery Points for PSPs, tweak the spell list to be more psion-esque spells, use a little imagination in renaming the spells, and viola! It's working very well so far.
Maybe something like the lovechild of the sorcerer and the warlock would work: you get points that you spend on invocation-like things. The # of points go up as you level up, and some invocations cost more points (or costs vary by subclass). In effect, you chose your mutant power(s) at the start of the day and use them throughout the day.
thematically the sorcerer is the psion for me. Although the invocation structure would work very well.
I hope they don't do long lists of powers like in 3e.
I'd like to see the augmentable at-wills from 4e taken to the extreme. So telekinesis is one power with a list of augments for things like grabbing, push/pull, multi-targeting, animating objects, crushing damage, and liftign heavier weights. Instead of a bunch of seperate abilities that ma or may not mesh well.
A kineticist would choose a number of kinesis powers from a list as they progress, and as their level increases and their power point pool goes up they can use more and better augments. So let's say you have 4 kinesis powers to choose from, pyro, electro, photo, and tele, they might only learn 2 of them, but they'd be able to pull all sorts of shenanigans with them with more fluidity and skill than any amount of discrete spells known would give them.
rampant wrote:
It's similar in some respects I grant you, but it allows for a fluidity that you're not gonna get with the 3e approach even if you do restrict them to learning the TK powers, instead of letitng them cherry pick from adozen or so distinct disciplines. Basically you grant psions a handful of of complex powers with multiple applications and tricks, rather than dozens of more limited abilities.
It's like how the rogue and paladin rely on fewer heavier hits compared to the fighter to deal damage.