How to Make Psionics Unique [Stand Out From Magic]
I love Psionics abilities almost as much as I love magic. I have even started a story that has them as a focus. But I’ve noticed something while writing and looking for other Psionic focused stories.
Psionics are usually just glorified superpowers or not allowed past the basics. Psionics have so much more potential than what’s usually shown. But the reason why I think it’s so hard to do Psionics right is because of magic.
Unless you’re avoiding it or doing Sci-Fi, magic is usually the better option. But it doesn’t have to be; let’s figure out what makes Psionics special and what series have done it well.
The Basics
First, let’s define Psionics as provided by the Superpower Wiki.
“The power to use mental/psychic-based powers, an inherently esoteric power that is fueled by psychic power. Used by psychics and espers.”
The normal and baseline powers Psionics offers include:
- Psychokinesis/Telekinesis
- Telepathy
- Flight via Psychokinesis
- Mind Reading
Psionics can do much more (which can be a problem), but these are the abilities that most start with. If you don’t have at least one of these, are you even a Psychic?
So here’s the good news.
Magic can’t do these things easily. I always saw it in terms of skill trees. As a Psychic, you get access to these abilities out the gate. While a mage has to specialize in them.
Here’s the bad news.
Mages can do these things and specialize. Yeah, they’ll never be as good as Psychics, but in terms of writing it doesn’t matter. They’ll feel and seem the same to the audience.
This leads to the first major problem with Psychics. They have no real drawbacks.
No Drawbacks or Learning Curve
Yes, you might get a nosebleed occasionally, but really, does that ever matter?
I’m sure some characters died that way, but it’s not common. It’s just used to make the audience shake in their seat a bit. It’s nothing but a bluff from the writer.
But magic, oh, there are so many ways to restrict its usage.
Magic and Psionics can do pretty much anything, but magic has inbuilt drawbacks and a learning curve.
Psionics don’t have anything like that, and when it tries, it comes off as magic-lite. It’s not Psionics anymore.
But that’s not the worst of it. Remember when I said Psionics can do pretty much anything? Well, it does have some things it can’t do.
You can’t summon creatures with Psionics unless it’s like a mental projection. Demons, angels, eldritch entities, etc., are off the table.
You have only a few archetypes to draw from.
Magic has the old wise man, the prodigy, alchemist, dark wizard, shaman, and many more.
Psionics has the diviner/medium and basic psychic. The one you see most often and the type children take on most.
There are no psychic schools or class templates. Think DnD Wizards; unless you copy DND Psionics, they have nothing. Simply, I can’t go in-depth into most psychic abilities like I can for magic.
And if you go deep into those basic abilities, it can be too overpowered. Any ability that messes with the mind can be godlike, making it hard to balance.
All that worldbuilding potential, gone. Speaking of, let’s talk about that.
Worldbuilding
You can build a whole world based around magic. There are so many effects magic can have on the world and characters. Not so for Psionics, it’s pretty much the same effects illusion or enchantment magic has.
Maybe it can add an Astral Plane or subconscious realm, but that’s it. And if you do those, it will take more effort than magic.
You see, magic has several templates to choose from. From Lord of The Rings to Frieren, the options are varied and well-tested. But Psionics don’t have much, so they have to copy magic’s homework.
If not, you’re stuck with the Astral Plane and there are no real restrictions on what you can do with it. This can cause choice paralysis. It is usually depicted as the realm of pure imagination or the subconscious after all.
It’s either chaotic or a grey/black/white void. It’s not like it can’t be done well; it’s just rare.
Most of the time, psychic powers are secondary to magic, or their implementation is dull. Below are some examples.
The Worst Examples
Warhammer 40k:
It’s not really one of the worst examples, not fully. On the psionic side, it’s not good. Psykers are cool, and they do have massive drawbacks, but the way it’s done makes it too much like magic.
It makes sense; Warhammer Fantasy came first. Psykers are, in essence, Dragon Age mages but taken to the extreme. It’s more magic than Psionics.
But Warhammer does have the Warp, an Astral Plane-like realm. Yeah, it does go for the basic template of it being a chaotic place. But like with everything, it took it to the grim dark extreme and did it wonderfully.
Here’s the problem; it did it so well that any other chaotic thought realm will seem like a poor copy. I suppose it’s not Warhammer’s fault; it was built different.
Psychic Force
This is what caused me to make this article. The abilities are just superpowers but called Psychics instead.
No shame to the game, story, or character. I’m focusing solely on the power system. Maybe I’m the only one, but the abilities don’t feel like Psionics. It’s like calling Sub-Zero a cryo psychic or Spider-Man a web mage. Doesn’t quite fit.
At least it affects the world; oh wait, it’s a copy of X-Men? Never mind then. Nothing unique to Psychics here.
The Best Examples
One Punch Man and Mob Psycho
One Punch Man and Mob Psycho do this power system well for different reasons.
For One Punch Man, it’s due to expert use of the basics. Tatsumaki shows the pinnacle of telekinesis. How that alone can be used for so many things and how there is some nuance to it. In particular how barriers work.
A perfect example of this is Tatsumaki vs Psykos. This has to be one of the best Psychic vs Psychic battles ever done. Another would be Legion vs Shadow King, which shows the peak of mental combat.
The only downside is that it’s not the focus, but that’s fine. It’s One Punch Man, not the Adventures of the Psychic Sisters. But I plan to give it a try.
Mob Psycho shows how to build a society of psychics. Similar to One Punch Man, every psychic comes equipped with one or more of the basics. Then they branch off from there to create their own techniques.
Unlike Psychic Force, they’re not bound to one single psychic power. That method makes it too much like a basic inborn superpower.
Instead, this power system can evolve based on the individual and their strengths and weaknesses.
Finally, they tie psychics to spirits which fits like a glove. Psychics are known for speaking to the dead and spirits. Both of these give us a path to the solution.
Solutions
So what do we do to make Psionics unique? How do we make Psionics stand out among other power systems? Not just magic, but:
- Ki
- Chi
- Aura
- Cosmic
- Spirit
- Divine/Demonic
Well, I think it will start with copying Spirit instead of Magic. Spiritual energy is not as well known as magic. Heck, it’s combined with magic or psychics more often than not.
Bleach and Yu Yu Hakusho are two of the few major stories that deal with it. But that’s a conversation for another time.
So, when it comes to dealing with spiritual stuff, psychics might be better suited to it.
I don’t mean demons and angels. Magic has claim to that. But take a page from Mob Psycho; focus on spirits and ghosts. Go deep in exploring that side of the world.
And I mean really focus. Don’t do skeletons, liches, and stuff like that. Too close to necromancy. It will take some creativity, but it will be worth it.
Next, give every psychic a baseline of abilities. I suggest telekinesis, flight, and seeing ghosts. Telepathy is too easy to abuse, so I understand why other writers don’t make that too common.
Also, make sure to keep away from magic staples. Elemental attacks should not be the norm for psychics unless you’re Firestarter. That’s more heat manipulation instead of creation.
For psychics, a good drawback is the inability to create. Leave creation to magic, but make psionics the master controllers.
If you want to create something, it can be through psychic energy. Think Psylocke from X-Men. That’s where the more crazy cool stuff can be done.
Another way, shockingly, is romance. Ever heard of the Soul Bond trope? It can be used with magic (my first book tries it), but it can work better with psychics.
The manga Psychic Academy touches on this concept. Two minds that fit together and grow stronger as one. A couple that talks to each other through telepathy. Their minds open to each other fully because they love and trust their soul mate.
So many story concepts and even cultures can arise from that alone.
Finally, I suggest using psychic abilities to tackle mental health. No other power system focuses on the mind more than Psionics.
If you have the ability and knowledge, I think this is a good way to tackle such stories. To give life and form to the problems some of us deal with.
Just approach the subject with the gravity it deserves.
And if all of that doesn’t work for you, copy DnD. Maybe mod it a bit if you want. Many other stories have done the same to their magic systems; why not Psionics?
It does stray dangerously close to being just magic but purple. But if it works for DnD, it could work for you.
Conclusion
Well, this is what came to mind when trying to make Psionics unique. I hope this helps those who are trying to delve into this interesting power system.
If you want to know what else Psionics can do, check out Superpower Wiki. It’s truly crazy what’s possible.
Here are other psychic stories I think do it well, in one way or another:
- Stranger Things [Gets worse over time and commits the same problems as Psychic Force. But I had to include it because of Eleven.]
- Second Sight [A good showcase of the basic abilities of a psychic.]
- Lucy [Not the best movie but shows what psionic godhood can look like.]
- Legion [Obviously.]
- The Disastrous Life of Saki Ki [Shows a diverse array of psychic abilities, and it’s just a great anime. Watch it.]
- Matilda [It’s a great movie; I need no other reason.]
- Akira [Of course I had to mention it. Aside from Warhammer, this is the only one I know that shows the horrific side of psionics.]
Enjoy! With that, I’m done.
