Braska wrote:Q: Does anyone have specific rules regarding the use of TK (Super) to throw/manipulate PC's/NPC's? There is insufficient descripion imo to whether a character should be able to "fight" back against the psychic. My player has an 8th lvl Mind Melter and I am finding that his ISP pool is allowing him to throw very large objects as well as groups of NPC's and has become sort of a one man army.
Greetings and Salutations. There is an article written by Mark Hall (a Palladium Freelancer) that discusses Telekinesis and Ectoplasm in Rifter 44 on page 45. It mentions a saving throw and the reasoning behind it. That's the closest answer given in a book, but Rifter material isn't official (at least most aren't, and the article in particular isn't official). Though I do know people who liked it all the same.
Personally, in my games, I have (usually) ruled the Telekinesis can't be used on living beings. The description says "object" and I ruled people are not objects. The same as I don't let Teleport Object work on living beings. Abilities such as Levitation even say "object or person" (separating the two). My reasoning is that the aura of living beings is different than inanimate objects, and that telekinesis doesn't function on the living aura.
Also keep in mind if the player can do it then NPC can do it too. If ever facing an opponent with Telekinesis and a higher level, the NPC will win in range (so the player character mever gets a chance to use it). Usually when players argue they want an ability that can kill without a defense and that I gimp it otherwise, I point that out and most players don't like the thought of it being used back on their character. Those are just my experiences and thoughts though. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys.
Rifter #45; Of Bows & Arrows (Archery; expanding rules and abilities) Rifter #52; From Ruins to Runes (Living Rune Weapons; playable characters and NPC) Rifter #55; Home Away From Home (Quorian Culture; expanded from PF Book 9: Baalgor Wastelands)
Official PDF versions of Rifter #45, #52, and #55 can be found at DriveThruRPG.
I allow it, but it requires entangle checking for the Psionic and the target. I don't view Telekentic abilities as having perfect accuracy, and you're applying force to a space, not just a thing, thus it's prone to missing or slipping its grip, or be over powered if the Psionic miss places or lets their focus wane a split second.
Getting a mage to tell you where the hydra is...10,000 gold Hiring a summoner... 40,000 gold Hiring one hundred 10th level mercenaries... 98,567 gold Giving a hydra skull to your necromancer... priceless
the way the IRL group did it, was if the char to be thrown failed his save vs psi they could be thrown. If they made their save, then they couldn't be thrown.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
So the character's mental strength was used to ward off physical attacks? Seems . . . counter sense to me (like saving against a Fire Ball, or Immunity to cold against giant ice bolts, Cold or not, they're still physical objects stabbing you).
Getting a mage to tell you where the hydra is...10,000 gold Hiring a summoner... 40,000 gold Hiring one hundred 10th level mercenaries... 98,567 gold Giving a hydra skull to your necromancer... priceless
Braska wrote:To add to my original post, I had been researching further options for a possible save or defense and found that within the text of TK(Super) it states that only metalic or objects with an MDC equivalent strength can do MD with a TK(Super) attack, yet it specifies that "people" can not to MD. This would lead me to believe that since palladium took the time to add this small detail that it is well within the limits of the power to be used to manipulate living beings. However this does not resolve my issue with how to properly handle the power in regards to abuse.
Also, does anyone have the passages within the Rifter? I have been unable to obtain a copy and no one seems to have that specific one.
Greetings and Salutations. I'll say I actually know of the quote from Rifts GM Guide and there are some quotes in R:UE that suggest it's possible on humans as well. I personally never cared for the ruling though (for a variety of reasons), and none of the references give any type of mechanic for using it on people (so it's an automatic success like on other objects?).
As for the passages, yes I do have them, but no I can't quote them. We're allowed to quote small passages here or there for one reason or another, but otherwise the board rule tends to be the person needs to buy the book. I'm usually not sure where exactly the board moderators draw that line, so I tend to play it on the safe side. Though if you can't find the book near you, I can provide you with a few links to places you could by it online.
If you don't like any of those places, hopefully you can do a small web search and I'm sure you'll find several other options as the book is still fairly new. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.
Rifter #45; Of Bows & Arrows (Archery; expanding rules and abilities) Rifter #52; From Ruins to Runes (Living Rune Weapons; playable characters and NPC) Rifter #55; Home Away From Home (Quorian Culture; expanded from PF Book 9: Baalgor Wastelands)
Official PDF versions of Rifter #45, #52, and #55 can be found at DriveThruRPG.
Well, one reason I can imagine for receiving a saving throw is the lack of tactile sensation with Telekineses. I always wondered how the MM knew how much force to input to create the desired effect. For example, if he/she wants to pick up a mug and puts too much oompf into it, it'll shatter. If he/she puts too little force, then it would never move. So, if you have someone who is the target of the mage's attack, the mage might not put the right amount of force into trying to pick the person up and the attempt fails. You can force the MM to roll a strike, then let the defender roll a dodge just as if somoene were trying to grab him/her with arms.
That's a possibility, Vek, but it requires the assumption that Telekinesis actually involves a "tactile" sensation (depending on your view of psionics, it's at least possible that the psychic is concentrating on something other than the contours of the object when he's trying to move it - for example, the amount of potential energy inside the object that will be transferred to kinetic energy) It also requires the assumption that psychics are prone to failure in a way that other classes or not. A miscalculated attempt is handled by rolling a 1-4 on the roll to use the power; this is the same as a mage undercooking or improperly channeling a Fire Bolt. Adding yet another chance to fail just because the psychic has a powerful ability seems highly inappropriate when compared to most magi. One object of note: the psychic can still fail the roll to strike, especially against a moving target, someone shrouded, etc. This seems balanced to me.
The same as I don't let Teleport Object work on living beings. Abilities such as Levitation even say "object or person" (separating the two). My reasoning is that the aura of living beings is different than inanimate objects, and that telekinesis doesn't function on the living aura.
