Psionics in dT&T?

[dungeondevil]

In reviewing the description of the Brain Mole in the TSR's Monster Manual (1977), I was curious if there is any such thing as Psionics in dT&T (or any edition, for that matter). Would I regard a psionic attack as an attack on the I.Q. of the character? An attack on an MUs WIZ stat? Something else? Has anyone else engineered something to fill that gap in T&T?

[zanshin]

I think Magic in T&T is considered to have psionics as its basis.

That's why it used to draw on Strength. The classic Take That You Fiend was viewed as a mental blast taking physical form.

Spells such as Dum Dum destroy the targets intellect.

I don't think Ken St Andre was very hung up on the source of magic over its effect in the fiction. The three main character types are 'trained in magic', 'capable of magic but untrained' and 'magic blind, trained in weapons'

Specialists (a later invention) are seen as people whose magic is personal and takes a specific form and focus.

All of this would fit in with magic as psionics.

[gaptooth]

The 1st edition text cites the fiction of Andre Norton as an inspiration for magic in T&T (p21), and Norton's Witch World has been on my reading list since I noticed that in 2013. If anyone here has read the Witch World books, I'd love to hear how Norton's magic schema compares and contrasts with T&T. From what I've gathered so far, it's a stark contrast from the Jack Vance fire-and-forget magic that became the basis of spellcasting D&D.

On the other hand, many of the spells in 1st edition T&T are transparently renamed and rephrased—you could even say recast, in a whimsical light—from OD&D.

[gaptooth]

That's meant to elaborate on what Zanshin said, not dispute it. I agree with Zanshin that the main magic system in T&T is intended to be "psi-powered".

[mahrundl]

Jul 9, 2018 10:56:38 GMT -5 zanshin said:

I think Magic in T&T is considered to have psionics as its basis.

Certainly this is the case in 5th edition. It is stated as such several times in section 2.11, Character Types, and again in 2.21, The Logic of Magic.