Creating "Push" from Firestarter

[Lameth]

Attempting to mimic the ability of the father in the story/film Firestarter, Push. It was essentially Mind Control or Suggestion, but worked very limited and they where aware of the control.

The ability worked on him basically dominating another persons control, but it required constant control for every step of the commands, therefore most often used for "put that down", "sit down", "stop" like commands. They where aware they where being controlled and could feel it. But more importantly it caused heavy feedback on the user with overuse of the push gives him crippling migraine headaches and minute brain hemorrhages. I want this side effect to be even if used once, with a slight feedback, and it becomes more and more server the more times used in a day, with maybe needing a few days to rest to reset it.

Can someone help in this ability write up?

[The Benj]

Yeah, it sounds like Mind Control or Suggestion with plenty of Limitations. I forget what it's called ("Visible", maybe?) but the one where an ability that would normally be subtle is ... not.
The pain could be anything from Temporary Disadvantage: Chronic Pain to Costs HP.

[Donny Brook]

IIRC, in the movie it worked on machines too.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by The Benj

Yeah, it sounds like Mind Control or Suggestion with plenty of Limitations. I forget what it's called ("Visible", maybe?) but the one where an ability that would normally be subtle is ... not.
The pain could be anything from Temporary Disadvantage: Chronic Pain to Costs HP.

Limited Mind Control looks better than the Enthrallment skill. Dunno about Visible. Maybe just a Nuisance Effect level of it. And I was thinking of Backlash for the drawbacks, but maybe TempDisad or Costs HP could work instead or in addition. Requires Concentrate seems like a fit.

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

IIRC, in the movie it worked on machines too.

I thought I remembered a scene where he used his ability on a vending machine to steal some money, and that was where I had gotten the idea that he had telekinesis? Was that something my memory filled in? It's been almost 30 years since I've seen the movie.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Limited Mind Control looks better than the Enthrallment skill. Dunno about Visible. Maybe just a Nuisance Effect level of it. And I was thinking of Backlash for the drawbacks, but maybe TempDisad or Costs HP could work instead or in addition. Requires Concentrate seems like a fit.I thought I remembered a scene where he used his ability on a vending machine to steal some money, and that was where I had gotten the idea that he had telekinesis? Was that something my memory filled in? It's been almost 30 years since I've seen the movie.

In the movie, the father used it on a pay phone so they'd have some money. In the book, it was the girl who had that ability.

One side effect of the mental push on people was a bit of mental disassociation, which is how Charlie knew her father had "pushed" the one gov't agent right before the climactic scene. Not sure what that'd be in GURPS terms.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

One side effect of the mental push on people was a bit of mental disassociation, which is how Charlie knew her father had "pushed" the one gov't agent right before the climactic scene. Not sure what that'd be in GURPS terms.

If it's a full on condition (like 'confused') it's an Affliction. Otherwise I'd call it some form of Signature. If powers are naturally Low/No Signature in world, this leaves it's tell. If they aren't naturally Low/No Signature, this would probably be a part of Low Signature.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

In the movie, the father used it on a pay phone so they'd have some money. In the book, it was the girl who had that ability.

Do payphones have some kind of electric component that could be hacked to cause money to release? Maybe his mind control is electrokinesis on a very limited scale? GURPS traditionally links Pyrokinesis and Telekinesis so the TK explanation from book makes more sense.

[Lameth]

I am more interested in the forced mental domination effect then any physical object, that is more what I am doing.

I see it as a Suggestion effect, with Requires concentration as a baseline [he needed to keep complying a person to do a task and maintain eye contact with them], or if the PC wanted they could roll the tech at -7 for a "fire and forget simple command". Per Psionic Powers.

Maybe add something that allows the person to know they are being controlled against their will. That would be a horrific feeling on the targets, feeling the control being done. Then maybe add the tech if the PC wanted to add "Amnesia" to it if they wanted to try to make them forget the experience.

The cost on the user would start small, like Costs HPs, maybe 1-2 Pts. per use. Maybe add Feedback with Moderate Pain. This would have a snow ball effect now, the more times its used the lower the HPs go, therefore effect everything else. Side effect of nose bleeds and headaches as time goes by.

Then I wonder how a crowd effect would work? I know you just add area to it, but how about the cost of the ability, is that PER person, or per use? If its 2HP per use, and she does 4 people, is that 8hp? or just 2?

[Culture20]

Originally Posted by Lameth

Maybe add something that allows the person to know they are being controlled against their will.

That’s the default state for GURPS Mind Control. You have to add No Memory as an enhancement to make sure they don’t know what happened.