Momentum Theft
Name
Momentum Theft
Type
Devotion
Field
Psychokinetic
MAC
7
PSP (Initial)
5+
PSP (Ongoing)
3+
Range
90 ft.
Area of Effect
one creature/object
Prerequisites
kinetic control
Power Score
The removal of momentum immobilizes the target for one full round.
Critical (20)
The psionicist knocks himself sprawling and must save versus death or be stunned 1-3 rounds.
Description
This power allows a psionicist to drain a target of its momentum, causing it to stop moving. The stolen momentum is dissipated harmlessly in the ground at the psionicist’s feet. Arrows, catapult missiles, and even flying creatures can be halted in mid-air and begin to fall. (Winged creatures can usually break their fall after a drop of 10 to 20 feet, however.)
Creatures walking or fighting are temporarily thrown off-balance and must make a Dexterity check to avoid stumbling and losing their action for the round. A running or charging creature must make a Dexterity check with a –4 penalty or take a running tumble for 1d4 points of damage. The victim is stunned for 1-2 rounds.
If this power is used on a falling character, it stops him instantly—and he begins to fall again. However, since his speed was reduced to 0, falling damage is only counted for the distance he fell after his momentum was neutralized.
It is hard to remove the momentum of heavy and fast-moving objects. The larger and faster an item, the more PSPs it costs to arrest its movement. It requires 5 PSPs to stop a man-sized creature (200 pounds) with a movement rate of 12, which is equal to walking at about four miles per hour. Each doubling of speed or weight costs an additional 5 PSPs, so it costs 25 PSPs to stop a charging half-giant in his tracks.
