Suggestion

Implant Suggestion

Power: Magic, Shaman, Faith
Rank: Seasoned
Power Points: 3–9
Range: Touch/Voice/Sight
Duration: Variable
Trappings: Special voice, mesmeric trappings, hypnotic wheels, etc.

Description
This Power allows the caster to make a single Suggestion, and if successful, the target adopts the idea as his own. The Suggestion cannot lead to suicide or any act of immediate violence or betrayal, but it may have a deleterious effect in the long run (“Put me in your will”). The target must be able to understand the caster’s words, and the caster must overcome the target’s Spirit using his Spellcasting skill. Raises generally increase the intensity and duration of the Suggestion.

The basic cost is 3 Power Points, but increasingly more complex, contradictory, or enduring Suggestions may require a greater expenditure, or even incur penalties on the caster’s die roll. For instance, “Make me dinner” may be a simple 3 PP Suggestion, whereas “Sign a treaty with the CSA and go to war with the Union” may require the full 9 PP and a raise to make it stick past the target’s next council meeting! Targets who are suffering from multiple Suggestions from the same caster are said to be “conditioned.” (Think of Gríma Wormtongue’s effect on Théoden.)

Limitations
A Detect Arcana vs. the caster’s Spellcasting skill may reveal that a target is under the influence of mind control, but only a raise will uncover the Suggestion itself. Once ascertained, a Dispel may be used to rid the target of the Suggestion. Additionally, if the initial attempt to Implant Suggestion fails, the same Suggestion cannot be tried again.

Sources & Notes

The origin of this power is actually from Call of Cthulhu, but the idea has been around for ages. It’s more of an “evil NPC” Power than a player character Power, but it certainly has its uses!

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 17 July 2017
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
PDF Version: Deadlands Grimoire – Implant Suggestion