Weight limits for telekinesis

[Spectator]

OK guys, first off I have the 1st edition set of books, so here's my question:

What are the weight limits for a scholar using Telekinesis and Greater Telekinises? I looked around my bnooks and I don't think I saw an answer.

Is it level dependent? IE can 7th level scholar lift a heavier object than a 5th llevel?


How is this addressed in the 2nd edition?

Can you throw people around in 2nd ED? Or is it limited to objects?
What if you are telekinesis-ing a chain mail suit which happens to be worn by a character?

I mean ccould you make a slam attack if you Telekinesed a big log to the targets head?

 

[Stygian Devout]

The spell descriptions have no mention of weight. Oddly, the telekinesis ability of the basic spell conjuring does have an adequate description (move an object up to 5 lbs up to 20ft/round) but nothing you mentioned is covered in the advanced spells.

As written, Telekinesis basically has no effect other than to remove range modifiers for thrown weapons/objects, and Greater Telekinesis lets one 'throw' items that are not one's person but in range.

Personally I think the Telekinesis spells are very weak in Conan - normally a telekinesis spell in a game is highly versatile, but in this case they appear to have a very narrow application

 

[Spectator]

I really design a lot of my sorcerors with a Telekinesis spell, since it is not FLASHY magic, rather like hypnotism, it seems to be a good fit in the REH universe.

I have put some basic house rules on the TelKinesis spell: 100 lbs per level. And the sorceror can double that amount for double the Powerpoints, ad infinitum.

IT never made sense why you could levitate an object, but not yourself, so I made that an option at a higher PP cost.

In theory could you Telekinesis some-one's sword out of there hand to fly straight up 120 feet? If he didn't let go, I guess he'd be hanging on 12 stories up, right?

I really think this sorcery style gets slighted by the designers. IT really is a versatile and useful and Conan appropriate magic, but it seems the only use it has is for sorceror throwing demon fire.

 

[Hervé]

Well, personally , I would call your spell description "Flashy"...

If flying sorcerers hurling fireballs of Demon Fire and rains of daggers are not "flashy", I don't know what you would call "flashy"...

 

[Demetrio]

I think the implication in the spell descriptions is that telekinesis is limited to items of relatively low weight, things that could be easily wielded/thrown with one hand like a candlestick or sword.

Objects which
can be thrown in this manner include
all the herbal and alchemical items
marked by an asterisk (*) later in
this chapter, as well as such items
as rocks, weapons and so on.

'such items as rocks, weapons and so on' being the key part. Not a well written desciption because it is vague but I think the intent is clear.

 

[Spectator]

You make a fair point.
I was thinking that heavy items could be tossed around as well with Greater Telekinessis spell just casue the other advanced spell Burst Barrier made it seem like massive vault doors were not safe from the power of one's abilities.

I always liked the concept of a scholar with a massive tree trunk circling him and walloping oncoming Picts out of the way like a giant flyswatter.

Oh well I think I may have to fudge the rules a lot.

 

[Stygian Devout]

"The first and most important rule of Conan the Roleplaying Game is that if you do not like it, change it"


:lol: