TK Grab

[Gadfly69]

Is it just me or is TK Grab just a lesser straight TK but costs more?
What am I missing?
Is it reasonable to take and apply the skills in Psionic Powers in the TK section and use them directly with an existing TK advantage as "power stunts" to refine the TK ability as the base discription is already close in description?
Levitate is already in the TK base description, you just need enough levels to lift yourself. Verying it off of flight does make it easier to start off with it with prepackaged calculation done for you, but doesn't otherwise seem to actully require it if you already have TK.

Thanks for any insights into clairifying this for me.

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by Gadfly69

Is it just me or is TK Grab just a lesser straight TK but costs more?
What am I missing?

It's not lesser, it's improved. It's based on IQ and has line of sight range. Sure you can't lift yourself and can't punch but these are better value buying through IA and flight anyway and can be taken as alternative abilities if needed.

Is it reasonable to take and apply the skills in Psionic Powers in the TK section and use them directly with an existing TK advantage as "power stunts" to refine the TK ability as the base discription is already close in description?

Of course, you can do that with any of the techniques listed. But unless you use the psionic rules for skills with powers I'd say it is unbalanced to allow PCs to invest points in those techniques. Anyone can try them at their default though.[/QUOTE]

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Gadfly69

Is it just me or is TK Grab just a lesser straight TK but costs more?
What am I missing?

It is weaker than straight TK in some respects, but it does have the LOS range enhancer, which increases its reach quite a bit.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Gadfly69

Is it just me or is TK Grab just a lesser straight TK but costs more?

There are significant differences between TK Grab (from Psionic Powers) and straight Telekinesis (from the Basic Set).

1. TK Grab has an unlimited range; you can affect anything you can see. TK only works out to 10 yards. (This is, by far, the biggest difference. In fact, if you take Short-Ranged TK, it costs you only 4 points/level, cheaper than TK, and yet still has better range than TK at 20 yards.)

2. TK Grab skill can be substituted for any skill roll made while using the ability; e.g., to quickly ready a gun, shoot it, then hit someone with it, you can roll against TK Grab all three times. TK requires you to use the appropriate skill for each ability; e.g., in the example above, you'd need to roll DX, then Brawling, then Guns (Pistol).

3. TK Grab cannot be used to lift yourself or punch someone directly; you have to take Levitation or pick up something, respectively. TK can. (This is an intentional limitation, done to draw clear lines between the four different Telekinesis-based abilities.)

Hopefully this clears things up! TK Grab is a worked example, and while it happens to be based on TK (from the Basic Set), it is a unique thing.

[Gadfly69]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

There are significant differences between TK Grab (from Psionic Powers) and straight Telekinesis (from the Basic Set).

2. TK Grab skill can be substituted for any skill roll made while using the ability; e.g., to quickly ready a gun, shoot it, then hit someone with it, you can roll against TK Grab all three times. TK requires you to use the appropriate skill for each ability; e.g., in the example above, you'd need to roll DX, then Brawling, then Guns (Pistol).

Thats ready made for abuse isn't it, keep minimal or default skill in dozens of skills, and only have to keep building you TK Grab skill to improve all of them. You loose the +4 of normal TK, but now thats more like an unlimited + to those skills.

But yes, that does explain it as a separate variation to the basic TK and balanced to explain why it is higher cost.