Mind Control Question

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Parabola

I watched the "Jessica Jones" series recently with Kilgrave. Granted he's sort of in the unstoppable mind control category that just doesn't work in a game. Until Jessica, it's as if nobody ever ever rolled a critical success or he ever fumbled (in game terms, of course). That's fine for a story but it doesn't work in a game.

Agreed. It does seem to be fairly absolute. However, there is a way to get that sort of control if you've got the points for it.

Originally Posted by Parabola

But it got me to looking at the new (4e) version of Mind Control. Now, I really haven't gamed since the 4e stuff came out so I've read it but haven't explored it in detail. However, the impression I get is that Mind Control in the new rules is, well, pretty useless. What I mean is that, reading the advantage, it is basically the Mind Controller rolling his IQ versus the Will (IQ + Will) of the target. It would seem that, in most situations against another player or significant NPC, the Mind Controller is going to have way less than a 50-50 chance of having any effect. In my experience, players like to have resistance to things like mind control and it's far cheaper than buying IQ. Plus you've got the rule of 20 though people can still buy Mind Shield.

The Rule of 20 for defaults doesn't come into this at all. The Rule of 16, however, does. What makes Kilgrave dangerous is not that he's trying to affect PCs - that's something that anyone would expect - no, he uses NPCs as weapons, shields, and general throwaway cardboard people. Kilgrave knows that the best way to attack others is through there morality and personal held beliefs. He's essentially a master manipulator who also just happens to have bloody mind control. That's a horrific combination.

Originally Posted by Parabola

I was wondering if this is fairly accurate or are there a lot of qualifiers and boosts to mind control that I don't know about?

Again, don't attack the PCs. Attack the NPCs in the world. If they are any kind of hero then this will affect them worse than if they themselves were attacked. If they're not, then still use people - mob them with everyday joes - eventually the dice will result in a critical and it will be ugly.

Overall, were I building Kilgrave's powers from the show I'd do something like...


Kilgrave Control: Mind Control (Accessibility, Commands will be followed literally, -10%; Based on Lower of IQ or Will, +40%; Based on Will, Own Roll, +20%; Cosmic, No Rule of 16, +50%; Cosmic, Irresistible Attack, +300%; Decreased Immunity 3, +150%; Extended Duration, 300x, +100%; Fixed Margin, +0%; Hearing-Based, -20%; Independent, +70%; Long-Range 1, +50%; Nuisance Effect, Trauma and a successful Will roll make subject immune*, -5%; Rationalization, +20%; Reliable 10, +50%; Smell-Based, -20%) [428]. Notes: So basically a subject needs to hear him and inhale the virus (that's why they were safe when he was in the hermetically sealed room). He didn't seem to take Range penalties or have the usual 24 hour immunity for retrying to give a order- as long as you could smell and hear him he could give you a command and then you'd make a roll against the lower of IQ or Will vs. his Will+10. Fail and you do what he says. Since it's described as being a virus - Resistance to Disease, Sickness, or Metabolic Hazards would add their usual bonus. Immunity would add +14 and guarantee that you couldn't be "Kilgraved" even though normally Irresistible Attack would blast through them. 458 points.
* As a set of loose guidelines, follow those found under Extra Effort, p. B357.

You add that to Kilgrave's Will, which was described as "iron" by the surgeon who operated on him (while he was awake mind you!) and you're good to go. I'd pin his Will at at least 16 and probably an 18 or 20. It's why no one can resist him usually - he's rolling at 26 or higher and gets to ignore mental shields. That's without Talent (he may not have one - he seems like a one-trick pony).