DMing charms and compulsions on PCs

[Chronosome]

Hey, all.

I was wondering how you fine blue-book folk (you know which book I"m talking about) deal with a charm person or dominate spell/effect on a player's character.

Do you let 'em roleplay it out themselves, and trust their cinematic abilities and rules integrity?

Do you grab their character sheet and "become" the PC for while?

If you've taken the first option...do your PCs (or you, if a PC) "abuse" the in-game knowledge of the spell having been cast?

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera...?

I'm interested in your methods, guys. Share!

 

[BluWolf]

It really depends on the group. (i'm currently groupless).

In my old group there were 2 DMs, I was one. We would usually let the player run with it. We could usually trust each other to play it to the spirit of the situation instead of trying to be it on a technicality.

My character was actually dominated by a Mind-Bender prestige Classed opponent and told to take out my party.

Because of the way he was dominated (and the dynamics of the PCs in the group) I played it to the hilt. I almost killed two party members. I didn't want to but the situation dictated the course of action.

As a DM I would look at it as a way for a player to earn some really good roleplaying XP awards if he did it right.

It all depends on the maturity and willingness of your players.

I have had players try and complain sometimes about how harsh getting charmed can be. I simply point out how harsh it is when THEY use it on NPCs. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

 

[maddman75]

I generally allow the player to role play it out. But, if they are attempting to try to bend things to go their way, I'll give them some direction.

 

[Maerdwyn]

I let them play it out, and I have players who are very good about it.

One is playing a half-orc barbarian who is often the target of such spells, and he occasionally tries to take actions that benefit both the party and his charmer, but I think that's okay by the rules, and it always givs us a good laugh to hear his half-orcish-style logic behind the actions.

 

[Zappo]

Wait! Charme or Dominate? There's a lot of difference, you know. The first one just makes you the wizard's best friend, the second enables telepathic control like a robot.

When one of my players is subjected to Charme, I let him still run it and give him a nudge in the right direction every now and then ("He is your best friend! Would you do this to your best friend? The one you love like a brother?").

Wih Dominate, it's time to hand over the sheet.

 

[Thanee]

Just telling the player that (secretly from the other players if the situation dictates) and let them play it out.

Bye
Thanee

 

[John Crichton]

I trust the players in my current group to play the PC correctly. We have been together for over 2 years so we know each other fairly well at this point. If this was a new group I'd be a little hesitant but I'd still leave the PC in charge until I saw a problem.

 

[Celebrim]

I try to play it very subtle usually because I don't want it to be obvious to other players when the character is dominated or charmed. In fact, I often don't even tell the character's player unless I have to because the player attempts something that they wouldn't under compulsion.

It's also generally more fun for the player to give them some latitude in playing the dominated or charmed character. As long as they do a reasonable job and take cues, I let them have fun with it. When it comes to combat with a dominated character and the party, that's when I tend to take away the character sheet.

 

[steenan]

I definitely let the player roleplay the charmed character. I know I can trust my players to do it properly.

Domination is a harder case. I tend to leave the dominated character in the player's hands if the effect is long-term and take control myself if it's short (one round to one encounter). Taking over the dominated character gives the dominating NPC more fine control (that they should have) and generally is closer to the spirit of the spell, but I don't want a player sitting bored while I play their character.

 

[delericho]

I was wondering how you fine blue-book folk (you know which book I"m talking about) deal with a charm person or dominate spell/effect on a player's character.

Do you let 'em roleplay it out themselves, and trust their cinematic abilities and rules integrity?

This. I'll step in if they're really not applying the condition, but I try very hard not to do that - the player's character is the one thing in the game over which they have control, so I do try not to take that away from them.