Superpower (Power)
EFFECT
Cost 5 JP
Activate 2 PPs per 100 lbs.; standard action
Sustain 2 PPs per 100 lbs. per round; standard action
Range 30 feet; Power Resistance no (object)
DESCRIPTION
With this power, the superhero can manipulate objects from a distance, wield weapons, or throw objects as an attack. The activate/sustain is 2 PPs per 100 lbs. or less.
When manipulating an object, the superhero can basically do anything that could normally do with two hands, like working a panel of buttons, opening doors, undoing clasps, or just lifting it up and moving it. The rule is that if the superhero could perform a given action with his hands, then he can do it with Telekinesis, and it requires the same number of actions to do so. The power isn’t actually a hand, of course, it’s a localized field of force, but for the purposes of sorting out what the superhero can and can’t do with it, the “two-hands” rule is about right.
If the superhero cannot see what he is doing, then he is just as limited as if he was working blind with his actual hands. Telekinesis does afford a mental form of force-feedback, so the superhero can feel his way around with it, for example, to reach around a corner for a light switch, but he is just as likely to accidentally knock something over when working blind with Telekinesis as he would be with his hands. Also, sheer distance from a delicate or complex job can impair his ability to perform it correctly.
His Dexterity (see below) dictates how generally adroit the superhero is with his Telekinesis. Wielding a weapon or using a firearm from a distance qualifies as a “delicate or complex job,” therefore it has a 5-foot range increment. The superhero can throw objects in a straight line, directly away from him using either a 30-foot increment or the increment of the object, if it’s a range weapon, whichever is greater. The superhero can also throw weapons at angles to him—picking something up that’s to his right and throwing it to his left, for example—but doing that reduces the range increment to 10 feet or half of the object’s given increment, whichever is greater.
Telekinesis uses four stats: speed, range, Strength, and Dexterity. The superhero can move objects through the air at a speed of 30 feet. His Telekinetic range is 30 feet. Increasing the range of the power does not increase the range increments for manipulating objects, including wielding weapons, throwing things, or firing weapons.
His Telekinesis has a Strength score. When wielding a mêlée weapon, it can grant a bonus to attack and damage. Use this score to roll opposed Strength tests, including Telekinetic grapple checks (the superhero gets a +4 circumstance bonus to grapple checks, attack rolls and opposed tests, because Telekinetic force is invisible). This score also determines the maximum load/lift of his Telekinesis. Encumbrance rules apply here just as they would normally. His Strength starts at 10, but the superhero can enhance it (see Increased Strength).
His Telekinesis also has a Dexterity score. When throwing objects or weapons, this score can add an attack bonus and the superhero can apply Weapon Finesse to ranged Telekinetic attacks. The superhero can use Telekinesis to perform any Dexterity-based skill at a distance, though he potentially takes penalties as described above. His Dexterity starts at 10, but the superhero can enhance it (see Increased Dexterity).
Enhancements and limitations
- Enhancement: Extra Hands (Cost: 3 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero gets an extra “hand” when using Telekinesis. The superhero can take this enhancement up to five times for a total of six hands.
- Enhancement: Extreme Dexterity (Cost: 3 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero increases the Dexterity score of his Telekinesis by 1. The superhero can take up to 20 levels of this enhancement, for a total Dexterity score of 50. Prerequisite: The superhero must have the Increased Dexterity (20 levels) enhancement to buy this enhancement.
- Enhancement: Extreme Strength (Cost: 3 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero increases the Strength score of his Telekinesis by 1. The superhero can take up to 20 levels of this enhancement, for a total Strength score of 50. Prerequisite: The superhero must have the Increased Strength (20 levels) enhancement to buy this enhancement.
- Enhancement: Imbue Hardness (Cost: 1 JP per level): Activate: 1 PP per point of Hardness; move action. Sustain: none; free. For every level of this enhancement, the superhero can imbue an object he is controlling with his Telekinesis with a point of Hardness. Imbuing Hardness requires a move action, and once it’s done, it remains until it’s reduced in the conventional manner (i.e., by doing damage to the object). Remember that Hardness scores do not stack. An object with a Hardness of 10 will not be raised to Hardness 12 by Imbuing it with 2 points.
- Enhancement: Increased Dexterity (Cost: 2 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero increases the Dexterity score of his Telekinesis by 1. The superhero can take up to 20 levels of this enhancement, for a total Dexterity score of 30.
- Enhancement: Increased Range (Cost: 2 JP): The superhero increases the range of his Telekinesis by 30 feet. The superhero can take this enhancement up to three times, to a total range of 120 feet.
- Enhancement: Increased Speed (Cost: 2 JP per level): Increase the speed at which the superhero can move metal objects through the air by 10 feet. The superhero can take this enhancement up to three times. The effects stack.
- Enhancement: Increased Strength (Cost: 2 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero increases the Strength score of his Telekinesis by 1. The superhero can take up to 20 levels of this enhancement, for a total Strength score of 30.
- Enhancement: Mental Muscle (Cost: 5 JP): The superhero’s Telekinetic Strength equals his Intelligence score, and his Telekinetic Dexterity equals his Wisdom score.
- Limitation: Common Substance (Value: 3 JP): The superhero can affect only one general category of solid substance with his Telekinesis. Common substances include metal, wood, stone, and plastic.
- Limitation: Decreased Dexterity (Value: 1 JP per 2 points): This limitation decreases his Telekinesis Dexterity score by 2 points. The superhero can take this limitation up to 3 times, thus, reducing his Dexterity to 4. Prerequisite: The superhero must have a Telekinetic Dexterity 10 to gain credit from this limitation.
- Limitation: Decreased Strength (Value: 1 JP per 2 points): This limitation decreases his Telekinesis Strength score by 2 points. The superhero can take this limitation up to 3 times, thus, reducing his Strength to 4. Prerequisite: The superhero must have a Telekinetic Strength 10 to gain credit from this limitation.
- Limitation: Uncommon Substance (Value: 4 JP): The superhero can affect only one specific kind of solid substance with his Telekinesis. Uncommon substances include specific metals or alloys (steel, gold, copper, iron), specific kinds of wood (ash, oak, cedar), or particular types of stone or other minerals (concrete, granite, limestone).