Question on Mind Probe, how many questions? Options

[Moon-Hawk]

Mind Probe, SR3 pg. 193. The Force comes in to play when the target resists, and the number of net successes generated determine how deeply the caster gets into the subject's mind, but the spell states that "The subject may probe for one piece of information per Initiative Pass." Obviously the subject and caster are the same for MP, and the target is the poor slot being brain-raped. Also, there is a +2 TN penalty for casting the spell on someone again within a few hours of the first casting. My question is, is there any limit to the number of questions the caster/subject can get from the target's mind? It used to be (SR2) limited to one or two questions depending on successes, but I see nothing like that here. Can they really ask 100 questions per minute, indefinitely!? (assuming really good initiative)

[Drain Brain]

Yes, but the level of information will remain the same. So if you've got enough successes to get all the way into the subconscious then you can sift through it, one question per pass, for as long as you sustain the spell. If you've only made it to the foreground of the brain, you can do the same - but you'll still only get rubbish information, because it's what the subject is thinking about - which might not be much! (heh, try it on my wife...)

If you "log out" and try again, then you have a +2 on your target number, to represent the hassle of trying to retread ground that you've just walked - as an analogue, try cutting a wavy-ish line with a craft knife, then cutting a straight one through the centre - the knife will keep getting stuck in, and following, the imperfect line.

That's the way I look at it, anyway... ;)

[Jrayjoker]

[Fortune]

The Caster and Subject are not always the same person, nor is the Subject and the Target one and the same. Detection spells (and some Manipulation spells) can be cast on others for them to subsequently use against a Target.

Billy-Bob the Water Buffalo Shaman (the Caster) casts Mind Probe on his friend Larry the Sammy (the Subject). Larry can then use the spell on the Bubba the local moonshiner (the Target) to find out the special ingredients used in his grog, while Billy-Bob keeps lookout for the revenuers.

[Moon-Hawk]

Fair enough, but in my example, to keep things from getting overly complicated, they are the same.
:P
Thanks for pointing that out, though, I was misleadingly vague. I like the wavy-knife-line analogy, too. I never noticed that you got unlimited questions before. I was still assuming the SR2 definition, I think. Oh well.

[Fortune]

I was also addressing Drain Brain's use of the word Subject instead of Target. It does make a difference. ;)

[hahnsoo]

If a player gets stuck with not knowing what to ask with a mind probe, usually we allow them to make an Interrogation (Magical Interrogation) test (defaults to Charisma) to glean information (i.e. GM throws them a bone).