Psionics

Psionics (sometimes referred to as psychic power) was an extreme mental power first developed by githzerai monks in the Stygian Lands. It was also known as the Invisible Art or mind magic.

Nature of Psionics

Psionic power was fueled by mental, rather than arcane, energy. As such, it did not tap into the Weave of magic, and it did not require access to the Weave to function. This characteristic notably gave psionics a way to sidestep an antimagic field, including the dampening effects of the Null during the Dark Age.

Since psionics did not rely on an external power, its effects were variegated and difficult to categorize. However, four main disciplines of psionics were generally understood: telepathy, telekinesis, metacreativity, and psychometabolism.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Psionics, with the exception of metacreative projections, were invisible to natural or magical detection. A psion (or psychic) was able to operate discreetly, achieving the effects of conventional magic spells (such as mage hand) without drawing attention to themselves. Psionic power was restricted by the mental discipline of the user, which often made for unpredictable encounters. A major drawback of psionics to conventional magic was that, unlike magic, psionic energy could not be imbued into any object or location.