[RPG] Can Telekinesis hold objects in place

dnd-5espells

I find the use of telekinesis on objects confusing, and I'm trying to DM for a PC that recently found a ring of telekinesis and often confuses it for a ring of levitation (that's literally what he keeps calling it by mistake)

You can try to move an object that weighs up to 1,000 pounds. If the object isn’t being worn or carried, you automatically move it up to 30 feet in any direction, but not beyond the range of this spell.
If the object is worn or carried by a creature, you must make an ability check with your spellcasting ability contested by that creature’s Strength check. If you succeed, you pull the object away from that creature and can move it up to 30 feet in any direction but not beyond the range of this spell.
You can exert fine control on objects with your telekinetic grip, such as manipulating a simple tool, opening a door or a container, stowing or retrieving an item from an open container, or pouring the contents from a vial.

I read a lot about moving objects but I don't see anything about holding them in place. The closest I can see would be the fine control, specifically pouring a liquid because to me that says you're floating the vial and slowly turning it… but can fine control be exerted on objects closer to the 1,000 pound limit?

Could the party load themselves into a wooden cart or similar object and be lifted into the air to reach a window, and then be held there long enough to safely disembark?

If yes, can the caster be counted among the passengers, or must he remain on the ground?

I could easily houserule this to fit my needs but I would like to hear how others would deal with situations like this.

Best Answer

Yes, based on the "fine control" statement

If we look at the examples that are given for "fine control," they could potentially involve holding things in place. For example, pouring out the contents of a vial would require holding the vial still (or still enough), and manipulating a simple tool could potentially require pushing the tool against a surface, holding it still. Additionally, there are no stated limits on that fine control, so there aren't any. After all, this is magic, not muscle power; our only limits are the ones explicitly delineated in the spell and the fundamental system restrictions.

Additionally, requiring that an object be in motion doesn't make sense. If you're trying to remove an item from a creature's grip, what happens if the two opposing forces cancel out and the item doesn't move?

Replicating Levitation is fine

You want to differentiate between levitation and telekinesis, but levitation is really just a subset of telekinesis. Note that telekinesis is a 5th level spell, but levitation is only 2nd level. Thus, it seems balanced to allow your player to replicate the effects of a lower level spell using a higher level spell.

There are many high level spells that could be used to duplicate lower level spells. Wish is the archetypical example, but the various resurrection spells and the "mass" spells also fall into this category.

Your player might be confused about the ring, and he might not use it to its full potential. Still, it makes more sense to make sure that he knows the full extent of telekinesis, rather than banning his preferred usage of that power.