Tekekinesis

[steph]

Page 294 Hero System Vol 1

On telekinesis

However, there’s no action/ reaction with TK, so a character can’t pick himself up with Telekinesis (or pick up an object he’s standing on and move himself that way) 

 

Why is that ?

 

Steph

 

 

[Grailknight]

So, that you don't get Flight for free.

 

You're free to change this in games that you run but then you need to make all the rules for TK Movement and keep them balanced so that Movement Powers are not rendered unnecessary.

[Duke Bushido]

2 hours ago, steph said:

Page 294 Hero System Vol 1

On telekinesis

However, there’s no action/ reaction with TK, so a character can’t pick himself up with Telekinesis (or pick up an object he’s standing on and move himself that way) 

 

Why is that ?

 

 

 

 

Because of the separation of actual mechanic and special effect.  Frankly, the definition of "no action / reaction" is totally unnecessary: if I lift something with my strength, there is action/ reaction, but I still can't lift myself. 

 

 

Back on topic:  Telekinesis the Power / mechanic isn't necessarily "moving something with the power of your mind."  It is moving something without touching it, period.  Looked at another way, it is Strength: only for lifting / moving (grabbing, I believe is RAW, but I know for a fact that it varies from GM to GM as to whether or not you can grab and hold someone with it), Ranged.

 

Flight: 22"  SFX: telekinesis / "I move myself through the sky with the power of my mind."

 

It is simply a matter of not stepping onto other existing mechanics.  As Flight can exist as something other than telekinetic tomfoolery, Flight exists as it's own power. As the ability to move yourself through the air with your mind is, mechanically-speaking, well-covered by Flight, you buy Flight and declare it to be a telekinetic ability.  Same if you wanted to declare that you could use your telekinetic powers to whisk you away instantly to some other location: you buy the _mechanic_ "Teleport" and declare the special effect to be Telekinesis.

 

I know there are _several_, but as I need them right now, I can't think of a single one, but there are several instances of "telekinesis" being bought for something that is not a mental power at all: magic ropes, gravity wells, etc.

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Wind, a magical disconnected hand, gravity control, summoning a creature that moves things around, etc are all special effects of Telekinesis other than psychokinesis.

[Duke Bushido]

Thanks, Christopher!

 

[LoneWolf]

One thing that a lot of people new to the system don’t release is that the Hero System separates the special effect from the game mechanics.  In the hero system any power can have any special effect.  In most games Telekinesis would be specific power with a predefined special effect.   In the Hero System it can be both a game mechanic and a special effect. Sometimes they may be the same thing, but they do not have to be.

 

Each power allows you to do a specific thing as defined by the game mechanics.  Often the special effect of a "Power"(not the game mechanic) will have many different applications.  When that is the case the character needs to purchase all the abilities they want to be able to perform.  Often these are grouped into a framework, or take the unified power limitation.

 

So basically what it comes down to is that if you want to your telekinetic character to be able to move himself with TK you simply purchase flight.  
 

[unclevlad]

5 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

Wind, a magical disconnected hand, gravity control, summoning a creature that moves things around, etc are all special effects of Telekinesis other than psychokinesis.

 

I do electormagnetic fields as a basis for it as well.  An energy generator, whose powers always trace a line of effect from his body to the point of delivery.  Classic example:  Green Lantern.

 

Flight is one example;  Leap is another.  Particularly in 6E where STR doesn't add to Leap any more.  Can also make a philosophical argument that TK should imply Clinging.