Fun with Telekinesis

Pappy · May 27, 2003

So I am currently playing a Psion and was reading the Psionics Handbook the other night to plan out where I would like my character to go when I came upon the manifestation Telekinesis.

According to the book, there are 2 types of ways to manifest telekinesis. Sustained force of violent thrust.

Now I am completely understanding on the rules regarding sustained force. However, there are a couple of questions regarding violent thrust that I must ask the peeps here.

1.) It seems that violent thrust is merely regulated by the amount of weight that you are trying to move. If that is the case, would it be possible for say an 8th level Psion to lay down 200 Surikens and launch them all at once at an enemy? It would seem possible (at least to me) given the explanation in the book (and the FAQ does not cover this)?

2.) Suppose a Psion is in combat with a ranger wielding a longbow. Can the Psion delay his action until the ranger fires, and then use Telekinesis to stop the arrow in mid-flight?

Appreciate the help fellas.

Pappy

Camarath · May 28, 2003

1- yes. A psion could using violent thrust can throw 25 lb/lv of objects, creatures, or weapons. So thats 250 Surikens/lv at lv 20 you could throw as many as 5000 Surikens (500 lb) at one traget if you had that many in with in 10 ft of each other. They would each do normal damage if you hit. Also crossbow bolts weigh the same as Surikens so you might be able to do 5000d8 if your DM alows them to do the same damage as bolts shot from a light crossbow.

2 - yes. I think that is resonable conculsion based on the power description. I think the psion could even attack the ranger with the arrow with the violent thrust option. Unless I have forgotten something about held actions this seems ok.

Lord Pendragon · May 28, 2003

Pappy said:
2.) Suppose a Psion is in combat with a ranger wielding a longbow. Can the Psion delay his action until the ranger fires, and then use Telekinesis to stop the arrow in mid-flight?

No. When you choose to Delay, you cannot delay until mid-way through someone else's action. You Delay, Ranger fires, arrow hits you, then you can choose to jump back into the initiative order, if you so choose. Likewise, you cannot Delay, then move out of the way of a wizard's Fireball. Delay only works before or after other characters' turns, not during.

You also cannot Ready an Action to do this. Readied Actions go off immediately before the action that triggered them, so in this case you'd ready to use Telekinesis, the Ranger would move to fire, you'd use Telekinesis, then he'd actually fire and hit you.

Olive · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Fun with Telekinesis

Lord Pendragon said:
You also cannot Ready an Action to do this. Readied Actions go off immediately before the action that triggered them, so in this case you'd ready to use Telekinesis, the Ranger would move to fire, you'd use Telekinesis, then he'd actually fire and hit you.

does this mean that you can't ready an action to firwe your arrow when the bugbear pokes his head around the corner? Assuming you're already in combat of course, i know you can't ready out of combat.

DiFier · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Fun with Telekinesis

Lord Pendragon said:
You also cannot Ready an Action to do this. Readied Actions go off immediately before the action that triggered them, so in this case you'd ready to use Telekinesis, the Ranger would move to fire, you'd use Telekinesis, then he'd actually fire and hit you.

While I sorta agree with you on this I think that this is a neat idea and I would allow it. of course by the rules you could (probablly) just use the telekinesis to crush his arm or the bow or depending on how powerful you are you could crush him before he fires. or you could force the arrow out of his hand and into his chest.

LokiDR · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Fun with Telekinesis

Lord Pendragon said:
You also cannot Ready an Action to do this. Readied Actions go off immediately before the action that triggered them, so in this case you'd ready to use Telekinesis, the Ranger would move to fire, you'd use Telekinesis, then he'd actually fire and hit you.

If this is the stance of your DM, you would state that you want to "ready action to telekinisis the first projectile that hits you". Before it hits you, you get your readied action.

Yes, it does work.

Camarath · May 28, 2003

Re: Re: Fun with Telekinesis

Lord Pendragon said:
You also cannot Ready an Action to do this. Readied Actions go off immediately before the action that triggered them, so in this case you'd ready to use Telekinesis, the Ranger would move to fire, you'd use Telekinesis, then he'd actually fire and hit you.

So you can't manifest the power on the arrow and stab him with it just before he fires?And, you can't ready an action to manifest the power on the first arrow to hit you thus acting before the arrow hits you but after the arrow is shot? These seem resonable Readied Actions based on the rules I saw in the Players Handbook.

Camarath · May 28, 2003

I also think you can ready an action to move out of the area of a Fireball. But I argee you can't interrupt another's turn if you Delay.

Pappy · May 28, 2003

But it seems that everyone agrees with the multiple shuriken idea? And you are suggesting the I approach my DM in regards to stopping in flight ammunition?

Pappy

LokiDR · May 28, 2003

Pappy said:
But it seems that everyone agrees with the multiple shuriken idea? And you are suggesting the I approach my DM in regards to stopping in flight ammunition?

Pappy

The multiple shuriken is valid under the rules, as is the stopping projectiles mid flight. However, shuriken are cheesy and the stopping of projectiles is weak.

If you want to stop a single projectile, you must ready an action to do so. You waste a whole turn to prevent 1 attack from an enemy. Even a 1st level archer can fire 2 arrows a round. Cool as a parlor trick, not very useful as combat manuver.

For shuriken, if there are 10 shuriken to a pound, 25 pounds thrown per level, an 8th level psion can throw 2000. 2000 damage is FAR above what an 8th level character should be able to do in one attack. Don't use this trick, it will just annoy your DM and fellow players.

Fun with Telekinesis

Pappy

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Camarath

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Lord Pendragon

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DiFier

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LokiDR

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Camarath

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LokiDR

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