I had a few questions regarding the telepathy power Mind Scan and I couldn't find anything in the forums.

1) Does it work on sleeping or unconscious targets since they are not actually thinking at that point?

2) When it is used on a sleeping or unconscious target do they get to make an Opposed WP save?

3) If they are sleeping and unconscious and you use mind scan and it works do they wake up from you rummaging around in their head?

4) if you don't make your attempt covert do they realize that you have been digging through their mind.

Any insight would be appreciated thanks.

1.) Yes, absolutely. The unconscious state doesn't stop you from rumaging through the guy's mind.

2.) Yes, absolutely. The unconscious state doesn't stop them from kicking your butt out of their head.

3.) Up to the GM I suppose. If the person is unconscious, they are prolly gonna stay that way, if asleep, maybe not.

4.) Yea, I think they will notice you running about in their dreams digging through their memories, unless your subtle about it, but that may not matter if they are unconscious and can't physically stop you.

I wondered recently as well how subtle certain psychic powers (especially telepathy) are and asked a not so different question in the DW forum.

In my opinion...

1) ...absolutely.

2) ...for sure, but I would give the psyker a bonus and/or the target a malus, as it is easier to invade a sleeping mind and/or more difficult to resist when sleeping such an intrusion.

3) ...hard to say, but I would assume the target would not awake and realize it, except if the description of the psychic power says otherwise. Though if the target wins the opposed WP-test by more than a few degrees, I would assume he wakes up.

4) ...I would sort of depend it on how well (or not so well...) the oppsed WP test worked out. As in 3), if the target wins the opposed WP-test by more than a few degrees, one could assume he sort of realizes what happened or is at least remembering it in some kind of weird dream-memory.

My thoughts:

1) It would definately work upon sleeping targets, however it is going to require more rounds of success to get to the information that you may well be looking for, as there is no way to direct the target's mind through conversation/interrogation.

2) Definately still opposed roles. I would not provide either side with bonuses. The subconscious mind is a fickle thing, and offers its own resistance.

3) I would say that unless the scan is being applied subtley that the target should have the oppurtunity to make an awareness role, with the normal penalties for sleep applying to wake up.

4) They would know something had happened. This is the one area where the target being asleep actually works in favor of the Psyker, sort of. I would have the target remember the what had occured in a foggy dreamy sort of fashion. Depending on the target it could be: remembering talking with someone, remembering being interrogated/tortured in their dreams, being assaulted, etc.

We use Psychonauts rules for Mind Scanning in our games. The GM kinda has to stay on their toes in regards to describing the mental worlds, but we find it's a crapload more fun. Especially the time my Psyker player went into his inquisitors mind and ended up in his Happy Place, which was ALL PUDDING.