Ok, a Librarian (for example) faces down the Tau hovering battletank, charging it as it opens fire on the Imperial lines. He leaps onto the top of the physical, slamming his force sword into the armor, channeling psychic power down its blade, opening the xenos tank like a tin can...."

Ok, how do I do that rules wise? Do I simple use the pilots willpower in the opposed willpower check for the tank? That seems kinda silly, but ok.

Any other suggestions?

It wouldn't happen to low level librarians, as you need high PR and Str to penetrate all of the soak vehicles have. You actually have to deal damage for force weapons to work, most vehicles have armor that is far to high for a for most melee weapons. If it did work there would be no opposed test, since vehicles don't have a WP stat.

Something without WP (the vehicle) would be immune to anything that required a WP check.

Dark Bunny Lord said:

Or does that mean that the psychic power use auto succeeds?

tmac832 said:

Force Weapons (page 155): The following sentence should be added to the description of Force Weapons section: “The Focus Power Test to channel psychic force through a Force Weapon can be made at any of the three psychic powers’ power levels (see page 185), and has the same chance to generate Psychic Phenomena/Perils of the Warp (see page 186-188). The additional damage dealt by channelling psychic force through a Force Weapon is Energy for the purposes of determining Critical Damage. ”

So yes its physical energy damage not just something that attacks a sentient mind. If a power sword does E damage and a Force weapon does E damage theres no reason it shouldn't damage the tank with the focus of killing power as it is E damage just like a lascannon.

“If the Focus Power Test is an Opposed Test, the psyker must successfully pass the Test and gain more Degrees of Success than at least one of his opponents to activate the power. Note that even if the psyker gathers less Degrees of Success than his opponent and does not activate the power, he still can generate a disturbance in the Warp if using the power at Unfettered or Push level.”

So it is not an auto succeed on the Focus Power test.

So if your libby gets 0DOS no he doesn't get the extra damage. All he needs is 1DOS.

But he has to actually damage the vehicle before this comes into effect because fo this passage in the DW Core:

In addition to normal Damage, whenever a psyker damages an opponent...

Aim for the rear and don't fail the Focus power test.

bobh said:

As this is an RPG, and not a tabletop game limited by abstract options designed for simplicity, why don't you aim for the tanks hatch? If you're already on top of the tank just reach down and pry open a hatch. I don't think it would be too difficult for a space marine with unnatural strength. Then drop a grenade into the compartment. Why do you all constantly think you can only smack it with your fists. In an RPG, if you can think of it you can do it, well you can at least try it... some things are just to silly to be allowed to succeed.