Author Topic: Telekinetic Wizard  (Read 6477 times)

Offline Leatherneck

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Telekinetic Wizard
« on: February 11, 2011, 09:30:55 PM »
I have a player that wants to create a Wizard that uses telekinesis to throw weapons.  His idea is to carry knives, ball bearings and such to hurl at people using a telekinesis spell.  Reading different posts in the forums, I have few possibilities.

1. The throw things spell causes damage based solely on strength of the spell.
2. Use a spell to create a maneuver “Enchanted Throwing weapon” and tag if for free on the next exchange using the Weapon skill to throw.
3. Use magic item slots to create enchanted throwing weapons.  This would probably require the Weapon skill to use.
4. Get the supernatural stunt, Breath Weapon.  Consider it a spell casting effect that doesn’t require stress to use.

Is there any other way it can be handled?

Offline devonapple

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2011, 09:35:50 PM »
I think you covered them succinctly and completely! I can't think of another rules-ready way to do it. Though I did just think of using flying daggers as an Evocation Block to pin someone's clothing to a nearby wall.

Sorry - I should add that I advocate option 1. You can justify a lot.

If the material of the thrown weapon is important (say, for Catch purposes), then make it a Declaration.
Or, perhaps it's an Evocation Maneuver to (for example) cover a floor in ball bearings.

And if the issue is leaving evidence around: either the player religiously cleans his ammunition, and doesn't want any plot complications from his particular flavor of evocation, or he can take an Aspect "I Throw Things I Find" which can be compelled to lead trouble his way when his prints are discovered on a knife after a particularly involved exchange with enemies, or invoked whenever desired.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2011, 09:46:54 PM by devonapple »
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Offline Bruce Coulson

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2011, 09:38:19 PM »
My question is, why does he want to throw weapons?

Evocation, by itself, can cause horrendous damage to targets (and the general area...).  Adding a weapon is like gilding a lily.

If he's trying to avoid becoming a Law Breaker, then traditional throwing weapons, without the use of magic, should work just fine.

If he's trying to cover his tracks forensically...."Well, the M.E. has concluded that the assailant was armed with a magnetic rail-gun firing utensils."

If he's just wanting the colour-effect, I'd go with #1.  I would avoid #4...
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Offline BumblingBear

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2011, 10:15:34 PM »
My question is, why does he want to throw weapons?

Evocation, by itself, can cause horrendous damage to targets (and the general area...).  Adding a weapon is like gilding a lily.

If he's trying to avoid becoming a Law Breaker, then traditional throwing weapons, without the use of magic, should work just fine.

If he's trying to cover his tracks forensically...."Well, the M.E. has concluded that the assailant was armed with a magnetic rail-gun firing utensils."

If he's just wanting the colour-effect, I'd go with #1.  I would avoid #4...

I'm guessing it's for flavor.  Not everyone wants to be a cookie cutter Harry Dresden.
Myself: If I were in her(Murphy's) position, I would have studied my ass off on the supernatural and rigged up special weapons to deal with them.  Murphy on the other hand just plans to overpower bad guys with the angst of her short woman's syndrome and blame all resulting failures on Harry.

Offline devonapple

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2011, 10:20:06 PM »
I'm guessing it's for flavor.  Not everyone wants to be a cookie cutter Harry Dresden.

I dunno - he cuts a mean cookie. I tend to call my non-union Dresden knockoffs "Barry Preston."
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

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Offline BumblingBear

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2011, 10:22:49 PM »
I dunno - he cuts a mean cookie. I tend to call my non-union Dresden knockoffs "Barry Preston."

Lolz.  Do they have problems with women too?
Myself: If I were in her(Murphy's) position, I would have studied my ass off on the supernatural and rigged up special weapons to deal with them.  Murphy on the other hand just plans to overpower bad guys with the angst of her short woman's syndrome and blame all resulting failures on Harry.

Offline devonapple

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2011, 10:26:10 PM »
Lolz.  Do they have problems with women too?

Heh - no, not especially so.
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

Blackout, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Offline BumblingBear

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2011, 10:31:31 PM »
Heh - no, not especially so.

Poor Harry.  It's sad that a guy who has the power of a walking tank can be so clueless.
Myself: If I were in her(Murphy's) position, I would have studied my ass off on the supernatural and rigged up special weapons to deal with them.  Murphy on the other hand just plans to overpower bad guys with the angst of her short woman's syndrome and blame all resulting failures on Harry.

Offline Drachasor

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2011, 11:49:41 PM »
I have a player that wants to create a Wizard that uses telekinesis to throw weapons.  His idea is to carry knives, ball bearings and such to hurl at people using a telekinesis spell.  Reading different posts in the forums, I have few possibilities.

1. The throw things spell causes damage based solely on strength of the spell.
2. Use a spell to create a maneuver “Enchanted Throwing weapon” and tag if for free on the next exchange using the Weapon skill to throw.
3. Use magic item slots to create enchanted throwing weapons.  This would probably require the Weapon skill to use.
4. Get the supernatural stunt, Breath Weapon.  Consider it a spell casting effect that doesn’t require stress to use.

Is there any other way it can be handled?


There's another way to do it.  The number of shifts of power is your telekinetic Lift (use the lift chart).  Discipline is still control and then aiming the weapon, but it does a base damage not on number of shifts of power, but instead on the weapon rating of what is thrown.  A Claymore (sword) would be a Weapon 3, a gladius a weapon 2, a car probably a weapon 5.  Extra shifts adjust how far you can throw it (adjusting the damage is probably too much, since that makes lifting big things never worth it).  This isn't great for doing a ton of damage, but the Fallout would generally be less and you can get be immunities to magic if they are still vulnerable to cars.  Also, it gives you a small benefit if you don't have a lot of conviction.  A shift or two of power is enough to toss a weapon 2 or even 3 item potentially, so you can get a small stress benefit there (at the cost of requiring the item to toss).

While the rules don't go over using evocation for this, I think it fits with the brute force style of evocations.  (Essentially, this is like a thaumaturgy to replicate a lift check for throwing purposes).

I personally like this since it gives a reason to do it for anyone (gets by magic resistance), but it also explains why no one in the book really does it (not cost-efficient the vast majority of the time).  Of course, it doesn't necessarily work that well for a magic user that is going to solely focus on this, unless you want to either make it just do damage equal to the shifts like any evocation, but then the guy seems to have a huge advantage against creatures resistant to magic.

Offline Leatherneck

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2011, 12:11:04 AM »
My question is, why does he want to throw weapons?
Why, because he is trying to Min/Max the system.  He wanted to do the spell damage, plus the daggers weapon damage of 1.

I gave him all the options and he settled on the smart choice.  Number one.  As a fashion designer and tailor to the white council, he uses sewing needles to satisfy the fae’s catch.

Offline hank the ancient

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2011, 12:46:51 AM »
Wait, I think I've heard of this guy...

Offline Saedar

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2011, 04:28:16 AM »
Wait, I think I've heard of this guy...
*snip*

mmm... Stealing this...

Offline Leatherneck

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2011, 05:05:54 PM »
Wait, I think I've heard of this guy...

That works more than you know.  The city is New Orleans.

Offline bibliophile20

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2011, 05:11:35 PM »
Why, because he is trying to Min/Max the system.  He wanted to do the spell damage, plus the daggers weapon damage of 1.

I gave him all the options and he settled on the smart choice.  Number one.  As a fashion designer and tailor to the white council, he uses sewing needles to satisfy the fae’s catch.

If he's going to do this, I have a suggestion for a rote, an old classic: he throws a bunch of pointy things at the target and pins him to the wall via his clothing; it'd be an evocation grapple named "Arrow Outline"...  :)
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Offline Drachasor

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Re: Telekinetic Wizard
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2011, 08:48:25 PM »
Why, because he is trying to Min/Max the system.  He wanted to do the spell damage, plus the daggers weapon damage of 1.

I gave him all the options and he settled on the smart choice.  Number one.  As a fashion designer and tailor to the white council, he uses sewing needles to satisfy the fae’s catch.

Seems like he has min-maxed then.  He can theoretically carry a collection of various catches on his person and use them against enemies.  Obviously Fae are the easiest, but gather up the right wedding rings and you have the catch of white courts satisfied.  Get little slivers of inherited silver and you are ready for a loup garou.  Etc, etc.

Normally someone would have to make a maneuver and invoke for effect for this sort of thing,  I think.  I believe that's how you'd break down Harry's final attack on the Loup Garou.