Where's the line between magic and superpowers?

[CharlesEBrown]

So... one of you brought up psionics. This is 1 area I'm not really sure how to rectify and make it mesh. For example; in old systems like AD&D (sorrrryyy for referring to this), it had this system where psionics, psionicists all they had to do was connect with your mind 3 times or something and then it would be game over. You were theirs.

But that didn't make sense because... OK say a duel between a wizard and a psionicist... the wizard could be like level 14, and the psionicist level 5,... and see it doesn't make sense that the psionicist would win that but that was the system. And the wizard instead could nuke you and be done with it and it didn't feel like the 2 systems meshed with each other well.

So I get why you are asking about superheroes and magic. But to me superheroes and magic seem to work. its only psionics is like its hard to put a peg on what exactly it is and how it works. I guess that's why that's hard for me to understand.

Hero physics I get. OK, you can translate the hero can punch x times per combat tick, for X damage. But psionics doesn't have that...

So 2 out of 3 can mesh....?

I wonder what others think on this too? Because yes, the system in the story has to work in a way that makes the story flow.

You're talking the second edition of AD&D psionics, where you had to make Contact three times to be able to use abilities on someone other than yourself. The first edition only had a few disciplines and one combat maneuver that affected non-psionics (the Psionic Blast, which the Mind Flayers had a stronger version of).
Psionics grew out of the (since debunked) theory that 90% of the human brain is not used so must be capable of SOMETHING - a common theory in science fiction and fantasy, especially in the pulp era that inspired a lot of the early rules in the game.

 

[Succubiome]

All tropes are arbitrary, and one can use them as one wills, but as I generally see them used...

Magic is something that can in some sense be learned and taught in some way. One may have the capacity for magic or not to one degree or another, or different kinds of magic, but if one does, one generally gets access to some number of spells with different effects with the right training.

Wheres Superpowers are usually imbued in one by genetics, purposeful and dangerous imbuing, or accident. While one may learn how to use the powers one has, or how to apply the properties of their powers in new ways, it's pretty hard to intentionally get new ones.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Wheres Superpowers are usually imbued in one by genetics, purposeful and dangerous imbuing, or accident. While one may learn how to use the powers one has, or how to apply the properties of their powers in new ways, it's pretty hard to intentionally get new ones.

Unless that IS your power, like Rogue or Sylar or a few others...

 

[Succubiome]

Unless that IS your power, like Rogue or Sylar or a few others...

Yeah for sure! These are the common main point of the tropes I've seen, and I'm generalizing a ton. I can think of examples of magic that don't work like the first half or subverts that split in some way, too.

 

[Zagaroth]

Psionics is basically a variation of magic, even in a setting with spell magic.

In a setting with both, Psionics will often be better at mental/emotional stuff and spell casting will be better at manipulating the physical world, but there will be overlap. Psionics would be a form of 'innate' magic that they develop, in contrast to wizards and clerics who learn how to cast their magic/invoke magical prayers.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Psionics is basically a variation of magic, even in a setting with spell magic.

In a setting with both, Psionics will often be better at mental/emotional stuff and spell casting will be better at manipulating the physical world, but there will be overlap. Psionics would be a form of 'innate' magic that they develop, in contrast to wizards and clerics who learn how to cast their magic/invoke magical prayers.

The RoleMaster RPG had Mentalism as a "path" of magic distinct from the other paths. And then the SpaceMaster setting had true psionics (and all were compatible ... aside from a few skills ... and even linked in ICE's Shadow World setting)