Control vs Telekinesis

[theotherscott]

I'm trying to model a Avatar: the Last Airbender game, and I'm trying to figure out which advantage would best model earthbending.

Control seems rather expensive compared to TK with a "specific, earth" limitation, especially when you consider that Control seems to have some rather harsh limitations. The impression I got from this thread was that basic blob shapes could be formed with TK (specific, water) using a perk to represent a container, and that Control (Water) would be needed to form more complex shapes. Could it follow that TK is enough to lift rocks out of the ground or make columns -- maybe with a perk to represent a shovel -- whereas Control (Earth) would be necessary to make more complex shapes?

While thinking about this, I also got to wondering about the limits of Control and TK. TK 10 gives you a basic lift of 20 lbs; does that mean you can carry beyond 20 lbs with encumbrance?

For Control (Air), why do the levels not scale the same way as Area Effect? Ie why not Control 2 = 2 y radius, Control 3 = 4y radius, Control 4 = 8y radius etc. The way it is scaled currently you have to buy several levels before being able to affect a decent-sized area.

Looking for ideas and suggestions. Thanks guys.

[sonic232]

Control is for when you want to take a solid substance and turn it into another form directly. You need to be touching it constantly to do this unless you take the Ranged modifier.

TK is for when you want to take a hunk of it and move it really fast. You figure out its max lift and all of that as if it were strength.


I would use Innate Attack controlled by Martial Arts for a LOT of what Bending is, though! They can be alternative abilities of Control or TK, but just using a TK throw is inefficient for what bending is supposed to be. Earth, Water and Air all have the Environmental limitation, which means that you need some of the substance available to Bend, while Fire is a lot of different Innate Attacks with Control/Create (Fire) to be able to do dramatic shapes that don't do much for combat.

[theotherscott]

Oh, the PCs will definitely be buying Innate Attacks. The reason why I'm wondering about Control vs TK is that I want the PCs to be able to use cantrip-like abilities with their element. E.g. "I throw a rock at him" may be an innate attack, but "I make a podium out of the ground to stand on" would require either TK or Control.

[the_matrix_walker]

Telekinesis gives the effect of a pair of invisible hands. If you wanted to use it to draw up the earth into a podium (or whatever) you would need to further enhance it with Area Effect (which then acts like as many hands you need in the area).

[McAllister]

Cynical response: Control is for when you have no idea how to model an ability so you'd rather handle it by mostly-fiat, and Telekinesis works coherently.

The biggest question to me would be whether to take high levels of TK and buy things like Innate Attacks as Alternate Abilities, or just take Modular Abilities so you can improvise. Hell, you could do both, that's how Sorcery works.

RE: the podium: it might make sense to give the TK for Earthbending an Armor Divisor to represent that it's not actually ripping the podium up from the earth. Does that make sense outside my head? I'm never sure.

[McAllister]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Telekinesis gives the effect of a pair of invisible hands. If you wanted to use it to draw up the earth into a podium (or whatever) you would need to further enhance it with Area Effect (which then acts like as many hands you need in the area).

Isn't there some system for variable enhancements? Something like "I take TK with Variable Enhancement [+100%] and I can use it like I have any given +50% worth of Enhancements"? Because that would be perfect.

[sonic232]

Originally Posted by theotherscott

Oh, the PCs will definitely be buying Innate Attacks. The reason why I'm wondering about Control vs TK is that I want the PCs to be able to use cantrip-like abilities with their element. E.g. "I throw a rock at him" may be an innate attack, but "I make a podium out of the ground to stand on" would require either TK or Control.

Both could work. Control would be "I touch the ground, visualize a podium and based on my skill in making a podium, I create one directly."

TK would be "My invisible hands gather the dirt in the area to make a mound of dirt roughly in the shape of a podium unless I specifically treat it in such a way that it can retain the shape of a podium. I still need to know how to make a podium to do this, and takes a lot longer. But I can throw the podium at somebody if they make me upset."

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by McAllister

Isn't there some system for variable enhancements? Something like "I take TK with Variable Enhancement [+100%] and I can use it like I have any given +50% worth of Enhancements"? Because that would be perfect.

Variable Enhancements appeared in Power Ups 2. They cost 10x the amount, so a +100% Variable Enhancement allows you to use the ability with any 10% enhancement when you activate it.

Alternative Enhancements (same book) are a better buy for the most part.

[theotherscott]

Originally Posted by McAllister

The biggest question to me would be whether to take high levels of TK and buy things like Innate Attacks as Alternate Abilities, or just take Modular Abilities so you can improvise. Hell, you could do both, that's how Sorcery works.

I actually considered Modular Abilities, but I wasn't sure what limitations would apply. Stating it would be:

Modular Abilities (Cosmic power) [10/lvl] Physical Only +50%, Specific, earthbending -???%

This gets me thinking though: buying 1-point worth of modular abilities may be enough to let players use bending "perks". E.g. a waterbender can use her/his modular abilities to get "Always Dry [1]" and an earthbender can get "Sure Footed [1]" Similar minor effects can probably be stated as perks at 1 or 2 points.

[David Johnston2]

I would definitely use TK for the most basic kind of Earthbending. It's simpler. Then maybe get Control as a alternate ability.