Tutaminis (Force Absorb / Dissipate)
Control Difficulty: Very Easy for sunburn; Easy for intense sun; Moderate for solar wind; Difficult for a radiation storm. Characters may use this power for energy attacks such as blaster bolts and Force lightning – the difficulty is Moderate plus the damage roll of the attack.
This power may be kept up as long as the source of the energy is constant.
Effect: This power allows Jedi to absorb/dissipate energy, including light, heat, radiation, and blaster bolts. If the user fails the roll, he takes full damage from the energy.
This power may be used to ward off sunburn, heat-stroke, and radiation exposure, as will as withstand intense heat. This power may also be used to absorb blaster bolts, as Darth Vader did on Cloud City.
The character must activate the power in the same round to absorb the blaster bolt or Force lightning — the character must be able to roll the power before the attack lands. He can’t use this power after the attack has hit.
Background: Tutaminis was an umbrella title used by the Jedi Order to classify Force abilities related to energy absorption. Designated as one in a family of Control abilities, tutaminis techniques were taught to Jedi Initiates within the Jedi academy throughout the history of the Order. While taught to all Jedi during the days of the Galactic Republic, it was a rare feat to be capable of dissipating concentrated energy such as what makes up a blasterbolt or lightsaber blade. While it was named and practiced by the Jedi Order, tutaminis was not restricted to use by Jedi. In fact, most Force-based groups and Force-users in general learned to use or at least control some of the abilities taught at the Temple.
The skills associated with tutaminis all related to the idea that, through the Force, Force users could draw potentially harmful heat or electrical energy into their bodies and diffuse it or channel it away completely. Viewed as a starting point for further study in the Force, the Council of First Knowledge designated the study of tutaminis to be taught during the very first classes at Jedi academies. While the basics were expected to be mastered upon graduation from the academy, development of these skills would come over an entire life time, for a Jedi was never done learning. In addition to deflecting energy weapons, this ability could eliminate the harmful effects of other energy-based Force powers such as Force lightning. With additional effort, after absorbing a blaster bolt or Force power, the user could utilize the absorbed energy to heal his or her wounds or manifest other Force powers. Tutaminis was also described as a “non-harmful Force drain.”
As the basis of many abilities, tutaminis included many skills that were given proper or common names within the Jedi Order. Other abilities stem from this skill but were more personalized and not taught throughout the entire academy, if at all. Many skills, such as a simple body shielding or as advanced as catching and/or dispelling a lightsaber blade with one’s bare hand, were all considered applications of tutaminis.
Mastery in self-protection would include the capability to encase oneself in an energy field that could drain heat and electrical energy from incoming attacks. This ability would make the bearer invulnerable to kinectic and a wide range of energy-based attacks until the user discontinued its use, or it wore off when the user became fatigued. With this skill, it was possible to deflect blaster bolts with one’s bare hands, though mastery of this skill was very difficult.
