[MH] [RPM] Willing Sacrifice & Mind Control

[kenclary]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

I don't think the coercion case is compatible with the common understanding of "without reluctance" if you're dealing with impersonal forces like most spell magic, and with respect, "by choice" is a value judgment more suitable to be made by the placated or petitioned being than given a blanket treatment by a supplement writer. Feeders on dark emotions might reward decisions under duress equally or more generously than the virtuous unsolicited martyrdom that would impress a more paternalistic, moral divinity.

Magic/psionic coercion violates "by choice" insofar as someone else is pulling the puppet strings. If the person was a PC, would you ask the player "do you do X, and suffer the consequences, or do you do Y, and suffer the consequences?" If their mind is controlled, you wouldn't ask them, you would ask the controller, and thus they are not willing.

(Sure, this dodges around any philosophical notions about whether or not free will exists.)

More interestingly, what about attempting to subject a target to delusions that they must willingly sacrifice or be subject to arbitrarily bad consequences?