Immobilization with TK: Binding or just cool?

[CeeDub]

Salutations!

Suppose a TK with sufficient TK ST grabs (skill check or quick contest (IDHMBWM) required) an opponent and lifts him 60 cm (2 feet for the imperialists) into the air. Unless the opponent has a ranged attack, Flight, or Warp, he's helpless - he cannot attack the invisible, insubstantial TK "hands" and he cannot gain traction or leverage against anything but thin air.

Does the character with TK need to buy this as Binding with the Alternate Ability modifier, or is this just a neat application of Telekinesis?

[Nereidalbel]

Nope. This is just a Grapple.

[Anaraxes]

Does Technical Grappling cover cases of invisible opponents, as well as disembodied hands that give you no arms or joints for counter-holds?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Does Technical Grappling cover cases of invisible opponents, as well as disembodied hands that give you no arms or joints for counter-holds?

I did in Pyramid #3/69: Psionics II (p. 18).

[PK]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Does Technical Grappling cover cases of invisible opponents, as well as disembodied hands that give you no arms or joints for counter-holds?

Technical Grappling has a box discussing Telekinesis and Binding specifically.

[Gnomasz]

Originally Posted by CeeDub

Salutations!

Suppose a TK with sufficient TK ST grabs (skill check or quick contest (IDHMBWM) required) an opponent and lifts him 60 cm (2 feet for the imperialists) into the air. Unless the opponent has a ranged attack, Flight, or Warp, he's helpless - he cannot attack the invisible, insubstantial TK "hands" and he cannot gain traction or leverage against anything but thin air.

Does the character with TK need to buy this as Binding with the Alternate Ability modifier, or is this just a neat application of Telekinesis?

The victim isn't completely helpless, they can still attempt to break free from the hold (the advantage specifically states that), as they're still being held by two hands with specific leverage (that can be broken), and not by some anti-gravity field.

If You wanted to make the victim helpless, I'd model it with Affliction (modified Flight). Binding would have to have a huge ST advantage over Your opponent to make them unable to break free.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by CeeDub

Does the character with TK need to buy this as Binding with the Alternate Ability modifier, or is this just a neat application of Telekinesis?

Depends. If he can make a breakfree attempt, that's just a normal TK grapple. If you figure that those immaterial hands means he can't just use his ST to break out, you'll have to go with an Affliction.

[CeeDub]

Thank you for the replies.

Follow-up question: What if the TK has the Area Effect enhancement, would that still allow the opponent to try and break free?

[Maz]

Originally Posted by CeeDub

Thank you for the replies.

Follow-up question: What if the TK has the Area Effect enhancement, would that still allow the opponent to try and break free?

Yes. That just means you could potentially grab more than one target at a time, by dividing your ST out. Not so useful with say ST:20...unless your a grabbing a group of gnomes. But with ST:100...