P-Rating 1 or higher.
Part of every telepath’s initial training is the construction of vast mental fortresses and walls designed to halt the effect of any ability used by another telepath. Mind shield is used for a telepath’s own protection. All telepaths benefit from a mind shield, which grants a circumstance bonus to their Will saves against any other telepathic ability equal to their P-Rating.
Note that the telepath can willingly lower or erect this mind shield as a free action. The main reason for this flexibility is that all Telepathy checks suffer a penalty equal to the telepath’s P-Rating while the mind shield is up. The sole exception to this are Telepathy checks made due to other telepathic traits (accidental scan and danger sense).
P-Rating 1 or higher.
It is for this ability alone that Humans especially have segregated telepaths in their society and forced them to wear gloves whenever they move among mundanes. Telepaths learn at an early stage in their development how to keep back the constant noise they hear from other people’s minds, usually by running little rhymes or reciting well-rehearsed chants. However, accidents can always happen and if a telepath should make physical contact with another person, there is always the risk that a stray thought can literally jump into his head. The subject will have no knowledge that this has happened and the telepath will know what the subject is currently thinking, as well as actually feeling his present emotional state. Accidental scans occur at the whim of the Games Master.
Whenever a telepath comes into physical contact with a sentient being, the Games Master can choose to make a Telepathy check for the telepath (DC 16).
This is considered an involuntary free action on the part of the telepath and may occur even if he is surprised or caught flatfooted. If the subject is feeling extremely strong emotions, such as rage or terror, the Telepathy check gains a +4 bonus. Gloves apply their normal –2 penalty to the Telepathy check. If the Telepathy check is successful, the telepath has garnered some flashes of useful information. Normally this is the equivalent of a successful surface scan that only lasts a few seconds, as an accidental scan will only last as long as the telepath maintains physical contact with the subject. If the Telepathy check is failed, then the telepath only gets random impressions and images, reading the incoherent babble of unformed thoughts that froth at the surface of the mind. Such information is very unlikely to be of any informative use. Note that the telepath will be visibly distracted and discomforted by an accidental scan, whether it is intentional or not. In order to avoid this reaction, a telepath may make a Bluff check at the same DC as the accidental scan’s Telepathy check.
P-Rating 7 or higher.
The most powerful telepaths are continually tuned into the thought waves of those around them, even if they are not consciously aware of this at all times. Thoughts that revolve around harming the telepath filter through particularly quickly, allowing him to react to danger before any trap or ambush is sprung. The telepath will not be able to identify the source, nature or direction of the threat, only that he is in immediate danger. Danger sense will not function against completely automated threats such as drones or mechanical traps. Danger sense is considered to be continually operational so long as the telepath has learned to use this ability. If the telepath is about to be surprised by a sentient being, he may make a Telepathy check (DC 20) to avoid being surprised. This Telepathy check is a free action and occurs in addition to any other skill check that may be required to avoid the ambush (such as a Notice check to hear the tell-tale whine of a PPG warming up).