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The invocation spell "Compulsion" (20).

Does the Caster know if it works?

Is there an aspect of the spell that is a tell for its potential vicitim?
For example, when casting do you have to tell your victim what their compulsion is?
Like a Jedi mind trick.

Or is it more like 50 feet away you cast the spell whispering the magic words and visualizing the thing you want their compulsion to be.
This would probably give a clue to anyone with telepathy reading their mind at that moment.

Duration says 24 hours or "until it is attained."

IF someone tells the character they are under a spell or they are witness to it somehow does that break the spell?
Make it easier for them to attain the thing they are obsessed with.

The texts says only that it "should be something reasonable and attainable."

I'd probably add something proactive.

So the vicitm can't be obsessed with forgetting the characters exist or NOT going to the police.

It has to be something they can actively do.
Maybe an obsessive compulsive disorder.
In the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The mutant Kayla Silverfox says: [to Stryker] "Walk until your feet bleed... and then keep walking!"

Also, I believe survival instinct would kick in so unless the character was already suicidal or had a death wish or was a dare-devil they would not take too dangerous of a risk.
"Win a melee fight with the strongest person in the bar."
Might work on a Juicer or a Crazy.

Maybe some alignment restrictions on the actions.
So you could tell a Diabolical NPC to murder someone he hates. No certainity they succeed or how they do it (so they could secretly assassinate).

Depending on the wording and the abilities, skills and intelligence of the NPC or player character they can go about the way they doing things in their own way. Maybe even get around the intent of the spell caster.

Kill Bob Smith.
Character goes to the dog pound and says they want a dog named Bob Smith. They will pay the guy 25 credits if he can give him a dog name Bob Smith. The clerck, wanting to make a quick buck says, "Show me the money."
Character hands over the $25.
Dog Pound manager brings out the oldest sickest dog in the pound whose going to be put down that day. Says, "His name is Bob Smith, here you go."

Reward creative work arounds.

"Turn yourself in."
Goes to where he stays the night and "turns in."

"Go to the police."
Disguises themselves. Walks to the outside of the police station. Then turns around and leaves.

"Turn yourself into the authories."
Goes to his crime boss and says, "I am turning myself into you."

"Turn yourself into the police."
The baby dragon shape-shifts into the image of someone who is a police officer.
Disguises themselves as a cop.
Asks for an appliaction to join the police. Applies to be a cadet.

"Confess what you did to the cops"
Confesses to one misdeaner crime (not all his crimes). Then, after he tells it, the spell is satisfied, so he says he made it all up as a joke and to get attention.

I feel like as a GM it is the problem of making a wish with an evil genie.
Looks for a way to make it come true, in a fashion, but in a way you never intend.

Could be good for humorous role-playing.

Also for:

"Take me to where the hostages are."
"Take me to the ransom money is for John Smith."

I guess it would auto fail if they can't do it.
Like they can't write and you tell them, "Write the names and addresses of you allies or something or draw a map to your hide out."

Then again it could be useful on someone with skills:
"You are obsessed with casting healing spells on me until I am without physical injury."
Of course, afterwards they may want to bill you.

I guess the point of the spell is getting other to give you information, make something or do something you want, subdue them by keeping them busy with a fools errand, take you someone where.

Again, a lot is open to interpretation. The evil and powerful might kill a lot of people who get in their way. Then the caster after they are free from the spell. Also, might see the caster as in their way if they attempt to stop or slow the person under the "Compulsion" spell.
Obsessed doesn't mean stupid or suicidal.

darthauthor wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2023 9:53 pm The invocation spell "Compulsion" (20).

Does the Caster know if it works?

Not inherently. however, as it counts as a curse, as "remove curse" will remove it, as well as an enchantment, observing their aura should give it away instantly if it worked as they will show as both cursed and enchanted when they didn't before.

If they already did, well, I'd say they could still observe some kind of intesification of those aspects of the aura. it's supposed to be a spectrum not a binary after all. More cursed and more enchanted.

Is there an aspect of the spell that is a tell for its potential vicitim?
For example, when casting do you have to tell your victim what their compulsion is?
Like a Jedi mind trick.

Or is it more like 50 feet away you cast the spell whispering the magic words and visualizing the thing you want their compulsion to be.
This would probably give a clue to anyone with telepathy reading their mind at that moment.

It says "implants in their mind", within 60 feet and line of sight.

This means that it is actually implanted directly into their mind with no words needed to be said at all. you just have to look at them, within the range, cast the spell, and boom, if it works, the compulsion is planted without them needing to be in any way alerted to the casters existance, provided they were hidden prior to casting. Nor do they need to hear any instructions to be a victim.

Duration says 24 hours or "until it is attained."

IF someone tells the character they are under a spell or they are witness to it somehow does that break the spell?
Make it easier for them to attain the thing they are obsessed with.

Remember, Compulsion implants an Obession.

Obession is classified as an insanity.

Palladium has rules for Insanity, including obession.

You are supposed to refer to the Insanity rules for how this spell works, but basically every time the character has an opportunity to indulge in or persue the object of their obession, they must roll save vs. insanity or do so, even at negative concequences for themselves or others. But no, they don't do so suicidally.

Telling them that the spell has been cast on them has exactly as much effect as telling a Heroin addict that they're addicted and they have to resist. at best, it might provoke a save to resist if a friend or loved one is imporing them, but if they fail they shoot up anyway.

The texts says only that it "should be something reasonable and attainable."

I'd probably add something proactive.

So the vicitm can't be obsessed with forgetting the characters exist or NOT going to the police.

It has to be something they can actively do.
Maybe an obsessive compulsive disorder.
In the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The mutant Kayla Silverfox says: [to Stryker] "Walk until your feet bleed... and then keep walking!"

Also, I believe survival instinct would kick in so unless the character was already suicidal or had a death wish or was a dare-devil they would not take too dangerous of a risk.
"Win a melee fight with the strongest person in the bar."
Might work on a Juicer or a Crazy.

Maybe some alignment restrictions on the actions.
So you could tell a Diabolical NPC to murder someone he hates. No certainity they succeed or how they do it (so they could secretly assassinate).

Depending on the wording and the abilities, skills and intelligence of the NPC or player character they can go about the way they doing things in their own way. Maybe even get around the intent of the spell caster.

Kill Bob Smith.
Character goes to the dog pound and says they want a dog named Bob Smith. They will pay the guy 25 credits if he can give him a dog name Bob Smith. The clerck, wanting to make a quick buck says, "Show me the money."
Character hands over the $25.
Dog Pound manager brings out the oldest sickest dog in the pound whose going to be put down that day. Says, "His name is Bob Smith, here you go."

Reward creative work arounds.

"Turn yourself in."
Goes to where he stays the night and "turns in."

"Go to the police."
Disguises themselves. Walks to the outside of the police station. Then turns around and leaves.

"Turn yourself into the authories."
Goes to his crime boss and says, "I am turning myself into you."

"Turn yourself into the police."
The baby dragon shape-shifts into the image of someone who is a police officer.
Disguises themselves as a cop.
Asks for an appliaction to join the police. Applies to be a cadet.

"Confess what you did to the cops"
Confesses to one misdeaner crime (not all his crimes). Then, after he tells it, the spell is satisfied, so he says he made it all up as a joke and to get attention.

I feel like as a GM it is the problem of making a wish with an evil genie.
Looks for a way to make it come true, in a fashion, but in a way you never intend.

Could be good for humorous role-playing.

Also for:

"Take me to where the hostages are."
"Take me to the ransom money is for John Smith."

I guess it would auto fail if they can't do it.
Like they can't write and you tell them, "Write the names and addresses of you allies or something or draw a map to your hide out."

Then again it could be useful on someone with skills:
"You are obsessed with casting healing spells on me until I am without physical injury."
Of course, afterwards they may want to bill you.

I guess the point of the spell is getting other to give you information, make something or do something you want, subdue them by keeping them busy with a fools errand, take you someone where.

Again, a lot is open to interpretation. The evil and powerful might kill a lot of people who get in their way. Then the caster after they are free from the spell. Also, might see the caster as in their way if they attempt to stop or slow the person under the "Compulsion" spell.
Obsessed doesn't mean stupid or suicidal.

The insanity rules do a lot to help guide what kind of things it can or can't do. Because that's what it is. Just an Obession. Same rules about self preservation, sucide, and such, all apply.