Disadvantage: Would You Kindly?

[WaterAndWindSpirit]

Hello all!

So I was wondering how much a "Would you Kindly" disadvantage (a disadvantage that only happen when a trigger phrase is spoken) would be worth?

Basically it's for a character with Partial Amnesia who has been brainwashed by the party's enemies to act as a Manchurian Agent, but allowing the player to blow his use of luck to make his self-control roll.

Thanks!

[ajardoor]

Maybe a combo of Partial Amnesia and Divine Curse (Cannot Resist Commandphrase)?

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by WaterAndWindSpirit

Hello all!

So I was wondering how much a "Would you Kindly" disadvantage (a disadvantage that only happen when a trigger phrase is spoken) would be worth?

I'd probably start from Reprogrammable Duty. Even for the amnesia - forget everything (reformat your data storage) would after all be a perfectly valid instruction to a robot with that disadvantage.

[clu2415]

Sounds like Slave Mentality with a frequency limitation of -60% or -80%, (only after command phrase is spoken).

[PTTG]

Originally Posted by clu2415

Sounds like Slave Mentality with a frequency limitation of -60% or -80%, (only after command phrase is spoken).

The command phrase probably isn't that big of a limitation: anyone who knows he can be commanded likely also knows the phrase.

[clu2415]

Originally Posted by PTTG

The command phrase probably isn't that big of a limitation: anyone who knows he can be commanded likely also knows the phrase.

"Can be ordered around by a select group of agents of a secret organization" is far, far different from "can be ordered around by any member of the public". The spy organization will take steps to keep the psychological programming secret as well as make the commands as inaccessible as possible. Leave little trail and there will be few clues to tip people off to the programming.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by clu2415

"Can be ordered around by a select group of agents of a secret organization" is far, far different from "can be ordered around by any member of the public". The spy organization will take steps to keep the psychological programming secret as well as make the commands as inaccessible as possible. Leave little trail and there will be few clues to tip people off to the programming.

I tend to do something like that as a Secret - i.e. you get a fraction of the value of the disadvantage up front and a chance the secret organization will interfere in your life per session.

If there is already somebody from the secret organization on-stage and interfering, it really is pretty much full value. No not everyone can order you around, but if somebody who can will show up in every session to make things hard for you, you're getting pretty much full value out of the disadvantage anyway.

Of course I consider full on Slave Mentality unplayable (and hence undervalued at its official cost) anyway.

[GodBeastX]

I think it is dependent on how often the phrase is said.

[Mithlas]

I think that part of the problem with Slave Mentality is that, as it's defined in the core book on page 154, it also afflicts the character with incuriosity beyond the scope of Hidebound. If it was only (or allowed) just a compulsion to obey orders (and better, a further subcategory of orders just from a specific group) that might get closer to what we're talking about.

After all, I believe the source of inspiration, Jack from BioShock, had plenty of creativity. He was just compelled to obey whenever that voice said "Would you kindly...". As I haven't played it, that's about as far as I can speak on that specifically. However, there is room in the idea to resist. In the Manchurian Candidate (1962), the very unlikable protagonist (also mentally programmed) does struggle against some of his commands.

[Anthony]

Honestly, having a passphrase that lets people give you commands sounds like perfectly standard Reprogrammable; without slave mentality, you can resist by creative interpretation of orders.