Telekinetic abilities are something of a mixed blessing to those psychics who have them. While they are among the least feared and distrusted of psychic powers, they also produce effects that are not nearly so widely-demanded as biopsionic healing or metapsionic brainguarding. A telekinetic must be canny and creative to get the most from their abilities.
Telekinetic powers are strong but somewhat imprecise. The force they generate is usually invisible, though a psychic can allow a visible glow if desired, and the source of the telekinetic manipulation is not obvious to ordinary senses. Objects being held or worn by a mobile creature cannot normally be manipulated by telekinesis, nor can unwilling intelligent targets be directly manipulated. Machines, including non-sentient robots, can be affected as any other inanimate object, however. The psychic cannot use this discipline to lift their own person without special techniques.
Some techniques refer to a “physical attack” or “physical damage”. This means a straightforward kinetic impact: bullets, punches, collisions, falls, compressions, or the like. Energy attacks are not included.
Telekinetic Manipulation
Core Technique
The adept may Commit Effort for the scene as a Main Action to direct telekinetic force toward an object or person within unaided visual range or with tactile contact with the psychic. This force isn’t responsive enough to be effective as a weapon without further refinement of technique, and cannot cause damage to living or mobile targets. If used to crush or harm immobile unliving objects, it does 1d6 damage per skill level of the psychic per round of focus. Objects move at 20 meters per round when moved telekinetically.
A telekinetic force can be maintained over multiple rounds without expending further actions, such as holding a metal platform in place under a group of al-lies, but the psychic cannot again activate this technique on a second object until they release the first.
Level-0: The psychic can exert force as if with one hand and their own strength.
Level-1: The psychic can manipulate objects as if with both hands and can lift up to two hundred kilograms with this ability.
Level-2: The psychic can lift or manipulate up to four hundred kilograms and smash a human-sized hole in structures of light wooden construction or lighter as a Main Action.
Level-3: The psychic can manipulate up to eight hundred kilograms and can affect as many individual objects at once as they have Telekinesis skill levels.
Level-4: The psychic can manipulate up to a metric ton and can smash human-sized holes in TL4-constructed exterior walls, light stone walls, or similar barriers as a Main Action.
Kinetic Transversal
Level-1
The adept may Commit Effort as an On Turn action to move freely over vertical or overhanging surfaces as if they were flat ground, crossing any solid surface strong enough to bear five kilos of weight. They can also move over liquids at their full movement rate. This movement ability lasts as long as the Effort is committed.
Pressure Field
Level-1
As an Instant action, the adept can manifest a protective force skin around their person equivalent to a vacc suit, maintaining pressure and temperature even in hard vacuum conditions. They can ignore temperatures at a range of plus or minus 100 degrees Celsius and automatically pressurize thin atmospheres for breathability, or filter particulates or airborne toxins. By Committing Effort for the scene, they can shield up to six comrades. This lasts until the user reclaims the Effort.
Telekinetic Armory
Level-1
The adept may Commit Effort as an On Turn action to create both weapons and armor out of telekinetic force.
These weapons are treated as tech level 4 and act as a rifle or any advanced melee weapon. Attack rolls can use either Dexterity, Wisdom, or Constitution modifi-ers, and may use the Telekinesis skill as the combat skill.Armor may be created as part of this power, grant-ing the psychic a base Armor Class equal to 15 plus their Telekinesis skill level. This armor does not stack with conventional armor, but Dexterity or shields modify it as usual. The gear continues to exist as long as the psychic chooses to leave the Effort committed, and they may be invisible or visible at the psychic’s discretion.
Impact Sump
Level-2
The adept may Commit Effort for the day as an Instant action to negate a single instance of physical damage.
This ability is too taxing to be used more than once per day, but as an Instant action, it can be triggered even after damage is rolled.
Slip Field
Level-2
As a Main Action, the psychic Commits Effort for the scene and decreases the friction at a point in sight. Up to ten meters in diameter is affected, making it difficult for enemies to move from their current position. All chosen targets must make an Evasion saving throw or fall prone, becoming unable to stand up or move more than a meter per Move action taken. If used against a ground vehicle, the driver must make a Dex/Pilot skill check at a difficulty of 8 plus the adept’s Telekinesis skill or go out of control, driving directly forward for a round and crashing into any obstacles. Targets who save are immune to this technique for the scene.
Telekinetic Expertise
Level-2
The adept has become familiar enough with the manipulation of telekinetic force that they may now use Telekinetic Manipulation without Committing Effort.
Thermokinesis
Level-2
Telekinetic power involves kinetic energy, but a sufficiently sophisticated grip on motion can be used to agitate the molecules of an inanimate object and cause it to melt or burst into flame. Similar focus can chill or freeze such substances.
Applying Thermokinesis to a target requires that the adept Commit Effort for the scene as a Main Action.
Thermokinesis cannot affect objects larger than the adept could lift with their Telekinetic Manipulation.
As with other telekinetic powers, this ability does not work on objects being held or used by intelligent creatures. Non-sentient robots or other objects with hit points take 1d12 damage per level of Telekinesis skill each time this technique is applied to them.
Tangible Force Construct
Level-3
Once per turn, as an On Turn action, the psychic can Commit Effort for the scene to create a telekinetic force construct at a visible point, provided it can fit within a three-meter cube. The force construct can be shaped in any way the psychic wishes, and can remain fixed in its location without external supports if desired. It is as sturdy as a TL4 construction and may be visible or invisible at the adept’s choice. The construct lasts until the end of the scene, until the psychic dispels it, or until it is smashed with 20 points of damage against AC 15.
Telekinetic Ram
Level-3
As a Main Action, the psychic can Commit Effort for the scene to target a tremendous, uncontrolled burst of force at a single target within sight. This burst requires some time to detonate, however, and will only go off at the end of the next round. Targets of this technique are aware of an oppressive, electrical tingling in the air and are apt to instinctively move; this technique is thus generally useless against any target that is not entirely immobile, as any movement of a chosen target disrupts the ram. Once the ram detonates, however, it is sufficient to destroy any immobile civilian vehicle, create a five-meter hole in anything short of hardened military fortifications, or inflict 5d12 damage on anything else as if it were struck by a Heavy weapon.
Reactive Telekinesis
Level-3
As an Instant action, the psychic can Commit Effort for the scene whenever an assailant misses them with a physical attack. The attack is then reflected back against the assailant, who must reroll the attack against their own person twice. If either roll hits, the assailant suffers damage from their own attack. If both rolls hit, the damage is the maximum possible.
Force Puppetry
Level-4
As a Main Action, the telekinetic can Commit Effort for the day to suborn a visible target’s mobility, whether robotic, vehicular, or human, provided it’s no larger than a ground car. A sapient victim can make a Mental saving throw to resist the psychic onslaught; on a failure, they lose control of their physical actions. If not piloted by the telekinetic, the target remains motionless or continues on its current direction of travel. If the telekinetic spends a Main Action to control them, they can be made to perform any physical action that is not directly suicidal, using the psychic’s skill levels and hit bonus for any attacks or skill checks they might make.
The puppetry lasts until the end of the scene, until the target leaves the psychic’s sight, or until a sapient target believes that their action or inaction is about to get them killed. The psychic’s control is fine enough to achieve even very delicate physical motions, but it is not good enough to control the target’s speech, though it can keep them silent.
Telekinetic Flight
Level-4
As an Instant action, the telekinetic can Commit Effort to begin flying, and may extend this effect to up to a half-dozen unresisting, human-sized allies within 30 meters. While flying, the psychic can move at twice their normal movement rate in any direction They can plunge earthward at up to terminal velocity without harm, and even orbital insertions are survivable with this power if a vacc suit is available or the Pressure Field technique is used. Allies must end their turns within 30 meters of the psychic to maintain this flight but control their own motion. As an Instant, this power may be triggered in time to negate falling damage. The flight lasts for as long as the Effort remains Committed.