Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm
Telekinesis is just a grapple at a distance. It requires a roll to hit (it doesn't "just work"), it allows an active defense, and it permits attempts to break free. It has to win all the usual close-combat Contests to achieve a takedown or a pin, or even to turn someone around (per Martial Arts, p. 118, that's a Quick Contest); none of that stuff is automatic. The effects on Dodge are the usual -1 for being grappled (see Martial Arts, p. 121) – and if you have enough TK to lift the victim, he can't get bonuses for retreating or Acrobatic Dodge. Telekinesis is in no way an "I win" button; mostly, it's a "you can't run away until you break free" button.
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But, any of those restrictions already do apply with any grapple, telekinetic or not, don't they?
According to Basic, you definitely cannot retreat if you are grappled and an acrobatic dodge should not be possible either.
Of course lifting someone up should not be an easy "I win" button, but it seriously violates the suspension of disbelief, mine and my players, if it is not affecting someone's defensive abilities AT ALL.
In the situation, I applied a malus akin to lying down since it seemed like a good fit for an equally disadvantageous situation, but I did want to know if there is anything aside from the rather unhelpful section about lifting people which is at least 50% redundant by the basic rules as stated before.
As fictional portrayals of people being lifted into the air usually involved them being more or less helpless, adapting a form of pin for that seemed like a possible fix, as stated.
And since that would be one attack with active defence (to initiate the TK grapple) and a quick contest of ST (for "pinning") with the extra nuisance of needing up to four seconds to lift the person up, it does not seem broken to me, unless grappling someone is considered broken.