Reflavouring the Psi warrior

[Droppeddead]

So, I'm planning an upcoming campaign and I don't want to restrict my players from certain classes. That said, the idea of basically Jedis running around moving things with their mind doesn't really fit with the setting we play in.

So, does anyone have any suggestion on how to reflavour the psi warrior into something, I don't know, a bit more mundane? I do like the idea of non-magic special powers but I can't really think of anything good that isn't psi-powers. The world we play in is pretty mundane, magic exists but isn't abundant. Even simpler magic items are seen as status symbols (the nobility having magic street lamps for example) and most of the commonly available magic items are +1 items, cloaks of billowing, googles of the night, that sort of thing. A charlatan could probably become very rich and (in)famous just with the help of a single magic die.

Hit me with your best ideas. :)

[Galithar]

Don't? Either let them be magical or don't let them play that class. Unless you are also restricting people from playing full-casters because they have to much magic for the setting the PCs should always be allowed to be an exception to the standard magic level.

Barring that and more of what you were probably looking got. Inspector Gadget type character. Use mundane/mechanical gadgets. Go go gadget Jump (Psi powered leap) go go gadget grabber (pulling a tiny object to your hand) go go gadget rocket powered sword (Psi strike)

[Mastikator]

You could reflavor it as luck and clever battle tactics. Protective field is reflavored as temporary plot armor, psionic strike is a clever precise attack, telepathic movement is a battlefield command when you move a person, when it's an object you throw a lasso. Psi-powered leap and telekinetic thrust can be reflavored as awesome athletic abilities. Guarded mind is just a highly disciplined warrior's mind.

[Aett_Thorn]

How technologically advanced is the culture? A lot of the ideas could also be fluffed as a bit of technology. The leaping ability could be springs or small rockets, weapons could do more damage because of some muscle-enhancing drugs or technologies, etc.

Otherwise, maybe an invisible, guardian angel looks over the character, guiding them and helping them at certain times. The character about to attempt a jump they couldn’t normally make? Angel assistance. About to take a hit? Guardian angel time.

If you really just want mundane, most of the abilities could just be fluffed as being pretty much like Battlemaster abilities with no problems at all.

[Amnestic]

Psi-warriors aren't Jedi. They're psi-warriors.

The Force isn't internal, it's external, sometimes with an apparent will of its own with the whole 'destiny' shenanigans. Psi-Warriors are a manifestation of their own, internal (psionic) abilities. They're not dissimilar from sorcerers in that regard (just with 'magic' instead of 'psionic' - but psionics could be a manifestation of magic in your world?), if it makes you feel any better about them.

[Unoriginal]

So, I'm planning an upcoming campaign and I don't want to restrict my players from certain classes. That said, the idea of basically Jedis running around moving things with their mind doesn't really fit with the setting we play in.

So in your setting there is no Mage's Hand, Levitation, Telekinesis and Fly?

[Hytheter]

You said you don't want to restrict classes. Are wizards and warlocks acceptable? If so, I don't see how the humble psi-warrior is somehow too magical.

[nickl_2000]

What about reflavoring it as a lesser Ki, like monks use? Monk's Ki is focused inwards, but the Psi-Warrior focuses it outwards.

[Mitchellnotes]

You could reflavor it as luck and clever battle tactics. Protective field is reflavored as temporary plot armor, psionic strike is a clever precise attack, telepathic movement is a battlefield command when you move a person, when it's an object you throw a lasso. Psi-powered leap and telekinetic thrust can be reflavored as awesome athletic abilities. Guarded mind is just a highly disciplined warrior's mind.

Although the showrunner was/is really sketchy, this makes me think a bit of dirk gently's holistic detective agency. The universe essentially conspires to put the right people in the right place to "fix" issues, and uses things like extraordinary luck or coincidence to make it happen

[Droppeddead]

Don't? Either let them be magical or don't let them play that class.

{Scrubbed} I never said that I wasn't going to prevent anyone from playing the class, I'm asking to see if anyone has any suggestions on how to make the class fit the setting.

[Droppeddead]

What about reflavoring it as a lesser Ki, like monks use? Monk's Ki is focused inwards, but the Psi-Warrior focuses it outwards.

That could be an interesting way of doing it. I'll give it a thought. Thanks.


You said you don't want to restrict classes. Are wizards and warlocks acceptable? If so, I don't see how the humble psi-warrior is somehow too magical.

The problem is exactly that. Psionic isn't actually magic, it's psionic. Which often comes across as quite science fiction-y. Which we want avoid. Magic is totally fine as is but it's not a super magic societ, so to speak.

[Droppeddead]

So in your setting there is no Mage's Hand, Levitation, Telekinesis and Fly?

Like pointed out, magic is still there. {Scrubbed}

[Hytheter]

The problem is exactly that. Psionic isn't actually magic, it's psionic. Which often comes across as quite science fiction-y. Which we want avoid. Magic is totally fine as is but it's not a super magic societ, so to speak.

Psionics is effectively magic by another name and I'm yet to be convinced otherwise. If you don't subscribe to that view, fine, but the solution is easy: just say it's magic.

[MoiMagnus]

Note that it is very easy to reflavour how the fighter got his powers (artefact, benediction, training, magic), but that's not exactly what you want here.

I'd love to find a way to reflavour it into a tactician (a int-based fighter that can in reaction shoot orders to other characters to protect them), but this only covers half of the features.

The best I can come up with to capture all the low-level features is a Grappling Hook user (see Link of Zelda Ocarina of Time). Main problem being that it restrict the weapon used to a GH, and that the GH itself is borderline magical.

3rd Level
Protective Field => Intercepting an attack / making a distraction with the GH.
Psionic Strike => Making a powerful attack with the GH
Telekinetic movement => Moving stuff with the GH

7th Level
Psi-Powered Leap => Using the GH to move.
Telekinetic Thrust => See Psionic Strike

[stoutstien]

Treat it like ki. It's just a different part of magic that is tapped into by having super big brain energy rather than centering ones soul or whatever monks do to tap into it.

[Galithar]

{Scrub the post, scrub the quote} I never said that I wasn't going to prevent anyone from playing the class, I'm asking to see if anyone has any suggestions on how to make the class fit the setting.

I literally gave an example on a possible reflavor in the next paragraph. I just pointed out to you that if you have a problem with a class it's often much easier to eliminate it. Not all classes and subclasses fit in every setting. If you have a low tech setting most artificers stick out like a sore thumb. Its often easier to say, sorry no Artificer this campaign, then to stretch fluff to disguise it. Especially from the DMs side. You have limited control over how a PC builds a character.

[ZRN]

The problem is exactly that. Psionic isn't actually magic, it's psionic. Which often comes across as quite science fiction-y. Which we want avoid. Magic is totally fine as is but it's not a super magic societ, so to speak.

I can't say I get why this would be harder with psi warriors than with phantom rogues or ancestor barbarians or whatever, but I feel like it can be pretty straightforward. Psi warriors literally only get a little bit of mental resistance and a bunch of variations on telekinesis, so you could play one as haunted/blessed by some kind of poltergeist(s). Or some sort of inborn magical talent - if drow can cast faerie fire and duergar can get bigger because of hereditary magic, surely having the ability to push and pull stuff around with your mind isn't too hard to justify.