TELEKINESIS

Source Material: The Hunters Hunted, White Wolf Publishing; Sorcerers Revised, White Wolf Publishing

Telekinesis (also called Psychokinesis) is the powerful and potent ability to move physical objects without touching them, solely with the power of the mind. Objects under the Psychic’s telekinetic control may be manipulated as though she were personally holding them: They may be lifted, spun, juggled, and even thrown. 

Mental Strength vs. Physical Strength
How much weight a Telekinetic can "lift" is directly related to his/her/their "mental strength" not physical strength. It doesn't matter how physically weak or strong a Psychic is. This has no impact on how big or heavy of an object they can mentally effect. These abilities slowly gain strength to allow the Psychic to lift objects of greater and greater weight. Much like a weightlifter in training, this happens gradually over time with practice and pushing one's abilities to their limits. 

Lifting a Resisting Object
Though few psychokinetics possess the strength to do more than manipulate small objects, a skilled psychic can remotely exert terrific force or delicately perform various operations. If the Psychic has sufficient strength to lift a living creature, the target can (if it’s aware of the psychic’s intent to lift it) hold on to something sturdy to anchor itself and then roll to resist. If the target has nothing to grab, it cannot resist.

If the Psychic attempts to wrest an object from someone’s grasp, this requires a contested roll pitting the Telekinetic’s psychic strength roll versus the target’s Physical Strength.

Line of Sight
A psychokinetic must be able to see the object he/she/they wishes to manipulate and must use a modicum of concentration to manipulate an object. However, the Psychic can lift multiple objects, so long as he/she/they dedicates an action for each object lifted.

Telekinetic Abilities Gone Haywire
Some Psychics, ignorant of their special abilities, unknowingly unleash their telekinetic power, evoking the poltergeist phenomena of many of hauntings. Any Botched roll will have the object, and any random nearby objects, fly about the room wildly and potentially strike anyone in the vicinity - including the Psychic.

NUMINIA: TELEKINESIS

◉◎◎◎◎: Telekinesis 1 - Lift (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 60
• Energy Cost: 2
• Damage: 1
• Mods: Mental Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Athletics/Reflexes
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Defense
  • +2 Initiative

Description: 

The Psychic can lift small objects, no larger or heavier than a golf ball and move it up to 5 meters in any direction. The Psychic will need to use his/her/their hands to gesture the object's movement to help focus on the task of mentally lifting. While physical strength has nothing to do with how much weight a Telekinetic can lift, the use of hand gestures helps the Psychic by physically manipulating what they wish to mentally manipulate. Think of it like a child moving his lips while reading to himself. Eventually the Psychic's mastery allows for a more refined performance in later levels.

System:
The Player spends 2 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character can now lift any object the size or weight of a golf ball ( about 45.93 grams/1.62 ounces). The Psychic can hold this object in the air for the duration of the scene, or until he/she/they decides to either drop it or set it down.

◉◉◎◎◎: Telekinesis 2 - Propel (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 70
• Energy Cost: 6
• Damage: 3
• Mods: Occult, Mental Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Athletics/Reflexes
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +2 Physical Attack
  • +2 Physical Defense
  • +2 Mental Skill
  • +2 Athletics/Reflexes

Description:
This ability The Psychic can easily lift medium-sized objects weighing no more than 8 lbs. These can be propelled at a distance of no more than 10 meters as a ranged weapon.

System:
The Player spends 6 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character can easily levitate an object that weighs no more than 8 lbs/3.6 kg. and keep it levitated for the duration of the scene, unless it is used as a projectile.

◉◉◉◎◎: Telekinesis 3 - Crush (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy Cost: 8
• Damage: 8 HP
• Mods: Occult, Mental Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Athletics/Reflexes
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Attack

Description:
This ability allows the Telekinetic Psychic to crush or bend medium-sized objects weighing up to 16 pounds. An example of this is the common image of a Psychic as bending a spoon. Again, gesturing is required to direct the desired motion.

System:
The Player spends 8 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character can then levitate and throw an object no bigger than a bowling ball, and weight no more than 16 lbs./7.3 kg. If levitating the object, the Psychic can keep in floating in the air for the duration of the scene. If used as a projectile, the object does 8 HP of damage if the target fails to defend.

◉◉◉◉◎: Telekinesis 4 - Levitate (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 90
• Energy Cost: 12
• Damage: 17
• Mods: Occult, Mental Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Athletics/Reflexes
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Defense

Description:
You can lift things that are up to 150 lbs./68 kg and no longer need to gesture while doing so. You can pick up anything within line-of-sight, and you can pick up multiple objects at once as long as the combined weight does not go above 150 lbs. You can also move the objects up to any distance at a normal walking speed. Dropping the full 150 lbs. onto a Target causes massive damage.

System:
The Player spends 12 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character can now lift an object (or objects) of any size as long as it/they do not weight more than 150 lbs./68 kg. If this weight is levitated above a target and dropped from 20 feet or more, the physical impact can be massive, delivering 17 HP of damage.

Lifting, moving and dropping an object is three actions. If the Psychic has one action per turn, attacking with a 150 pound. object (or multiple objects weighing about 150 lbs.) would take three turns.

◉◉◉◉◉: Telekinesis 5 - Launch (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy Cost: 18
• Damage: 22
• Mods: Occult, Mental Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Athletics/Reflexes
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Attack
  • +5 Mental Skill
  • +5 Initiative

Description:
You are a master of mind over matter. Anything in sight can be lift, levitate or launch, as long as it is not heavier than 300 lbs. You can manipulate as many objects as you have points of Dexterity. Launching an object of around 300 lbs./160 kg does massive bludgeoning damage.

System:
The Player spends 18 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character can now psychically lift and manipulate objects of any size weighing up to 300 lbs./160 kg. This can be a single large object, or multiple smaller objects that do not exceed 300 lbs. 

When used as an attack, lifting, moving, launching or dropping an object all takes one action. If the Character only has one action per turn, it will take two turns to 1) lift the object or objects, 2) Launch the object at an opponent. Or four turns to 1) lift the object or objects, 2) levitate the object 20 feet into the air, 3) move the object over the opponent, 4) drop the object or objects on the opponent for damage.

Flying?
Technically, yes. The Telekinetics at this level are capable of lifting themselves above the ground and technically flying. However, it's really more of a graceless slow-motion tumble through the air. Height and distance are not an issue but the movement is at a walking pace. Landing is also a bit of a challenge. It's best if nobody sees you do this if you want them to think you're actually "cool."

So why can a Telekinetic levitate an object with such finesse but not themselves? This has been an ongoing debate among parapsychologist. The best theory to explain this so far is a matter of perspective. When lifting an object into the air, the Psychic has a type of "muscle memory" of the action, having physically lifted objects by hand and has an excellent mental image of how this is accomplished. However, lifting oneself is an entirely alien experience with nothing in their history to guide the motion. 

Another theory is that lifting an object is a matter of simply just lifting the object. The Psychic is only aware of the object as a single thing. But being self-aware, the Psychic can only view themselves as an entity made up of many, many moving parts. The Psychic's mind cannot help but attempt to move these parts as if they were separate, but together - arms, legs, hands, fingers, feet, toes, a head, and neck, etc. Hence, the awkward stumble through the clouds motion. 

While it's possible it's just a case of the Psychic overthinking it, it's actually much more complicated than that. Even seasoned and experienced Psychics can levitate another human being with much more skill and finesse than they ever could themselves.