Mental Contagion Power

[jackalope]

Hi there. I'm in the process of creating a new challenge for my players, and I wanted to get some advice.

 

The basic plot is this: A "mad scientist" villian in my campaign has begun a secret experiment on a group of school-children, dosing their school lunches with his secret mutagentic compound to see what sort of powers manifest. Things go horribly awry when one of the children turns out to have an untapped power level that is simply off the charts.

 

The child, Billy (7), can unite the minds of others into a single collective whole. Anyone he touches becomes a part of the group mind. Anyone THEY touch becomes a part of the group mind. Because Billy's mind is still developing, his ego is not strong enough to maintain a grip on realitty while in contact/control of so many minds. The group mind becomes dominated by Billy's id, his raw instincts. And the raw instincts of a 7 year old boy can be a frightening thing. The groupmind, known as Groupthink, is only interested in expanding as rapidly as possible and defending Billy from harm.

 

So this little boy goes to the nurse's office complaining of a headache, she touches his forehead to check his tempature, and within a few minutes the entire school has been brought into the Groupthink. The Groupthink then spills into the city, the various controlled members charging anyone and everyone, grabbing them, forcing skin contact, forcing them to join as well. And so it spreads, first a city block, then a small town, then an entire city, eventually the world...

 

So, this is how I built Billy's power:

 

Mental Contagion: Mind Control 15d6 ( Human class of minds), Cumulative (+1/2), Continuous (+1), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Sticky (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), (337 Active Points); Mandatory Effect (EGO +30 or Greater; -1), Skin Contact Required (-1), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Knocked Out (-1/4), Real Cost: 92 points

 

According to Hero Designer v.2 I can't apply Sticky to a mental power without making it based on CON. Since that isn't the effect I want, and since I'm the GM, I just ignored that "rule". I thought about making the power Invisible, but I decided it was much creepier if everyone in the Groupthink had glowing eyes.

 

Any suggestions? Does this power do what I think it does? Anyone interested in seeing Groupthink's full character sheet?

[nexus]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

Hi there. I'm in the process of creating a new challenge for my players, and I wanted to get some advice.

 

The basic plot is this: A "mad scientist" villian in my campaign has begun a secret experiment on a group of school-children, dosing their school lunches with his secret mutagentic compound to see what sort of powers manifest. Things go horribly awry when one of the children turns out to have an untapped power level that is simply off the charts.

 

The child, Billy (7), can unite the minds of others into a single collective whole. Anyone he touches becomes a part of the group mind. Anyone THEY touch becomes a part of the group mind. Because Billy's mind is still developing, his ego is not strong enough to maintain a grip on realitty while in contact/control of so many minds. The group mind becomes dominated by Billy's id, his raw instincts. And the raw instincts of a 7 year old boy can be a frightening thing. The groupmind, known as Groupthink, is only interested in expanding as rapidly as possible and defending Billy from harm.

 

So this little boy goes to the nurse's office complaining of a headache, she touches his forehead to check his tempature, and within a few minutes the entire school has been brought into the Groupthink. The Groupthink then spills into the city, the various controlled members charging anyone and everyone, grabbing them, forcing skin contact, forcing them to join as well. And so it spreads, first a city block, then a small town, then an entire city, eventually the world...

 

So, this is how I built Billy's power:

 

Mental Contagion: Mind Control 15d6 ( Human class of minds), Cumulative (+1/2), Continuous (+1), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Sticky (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), (337 Active Points); Mandatory Effect (EGO +30 or Greater; -1), Skin Contact Required (-1), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Knocked Out (-1/4), Real Cost: 92 points

 

According to Hero Designer v.2 I can't apply Sticky to a mental power without making it based on CON. Since that isn't the effect I want, and since I'm the GM, I just ignored that "rule". I thought about making the power Invisible, but I decided it was much creepier if everyone in the Groupthink had glowing eyes.

 

Any suggestions? Does this power do what I think it does? Anyone interested in seeing Groupthink's full character sheet?

 

I would make it a Transform (Target to member of Groupthink Collective) which would add a Unlimited Psychic Bond Mindlink and several Psych limitation to reflect their new status. Oh, and of course the Transform Power. Or just make the original Sticky (I don't use that Advantage much so I'm not sure if that would be legal).

[jackalope]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

I would make it a Transform (Target to member of Groupthink Collective) which would add a Unlimited Psychic Bond Mindlink and several Psych limitation to reflect their new status. Oh' date=' and of course the Transform Power. Or just make the original Sticky (I don't use that Advantage much so I'm not sure if that would be legal).[/quote']

 

That's an interesting idea, but then the attack would no longer be based on EGO, which is why I rejected the Based on CON angle in the first place. Also, it wouldn't have that neat effect of instantly snapping off once you cold-cock Billy.

 

And I'm seriously unfond of transforms. Though I did create this one recently, for a character called 13, as a 20 point Disadvantage for a character:

 

Jinx: 1d6 Minor Transform (adds 1 level of Unluck, withdrawal from 13), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Continuous (+1), Area Of Effect Nonselective (12" Radius; +1), Invisible Power Effects, Hide effects of Power (Fully Invisible; +2) (65 Active Points); Gradual Effect (1 Hour; -1 1/4), No Range (-1/2), Always On (-1/2)

[nexus]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

That's an interesting idea' date=' but then the attack would no longer be based on EGO, which is why I rejected the Based on CON angle in the first place. Also, it wouldn't have that neat effect of instantly snapping off once you cold-cock Billy. [/quote']

 

You could make it an Ego Based Transform which can work against Ego instead of Body. Make the "cure" condition knocking the tyke out and there you go.

 

And I'm seriously unfond of transforms. Though I did create this one recently, for a character called 13, as a 20 point Disadvantage for a character:

 

 

That's understandable.

 

The reasoning behind suggesting it was that with Mind Control there's always the chance of breakout which the victims would be getting constantly and I got the impression being assimilated was pretty much permenant until broken. Technically, the MC would have to rolled whenever the victim had to do -anything- abnormal and they would still have their normal personality.

 

Oh, mental powers are normally invisible.

[jackalope]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

The reasoning behind suggesting it was that with Mind Control there's always the chance of breakout which the victims would be getting constantly and I got the impression being assimilated was pretty much permenant until broken. Technically' date=' the MC would have to rolled whenever the victim had to do -anything- abnormal and they would still have their normal personality. [/quote']

 

Ah, yeah, that's actually how I want it to work. Billy also has a Mind Link with anyone infected, and so they are very well coordinated, but each of the infected adds his/her own skills, knowledge, ideas, to the mix. It's just that they all share the same goal: defend and expand the Groupthink.

 

Oh, mental powers are normally invisible.

 

Really? I thought they had to be visible to three sense groups just like other powers. Does that mean I can apply a limitation to the power, Visible to Sight Group since one doesn't need Mental Awareness to tell that someone has been infected?

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

This "groupthink" is a neat idea. The closest I have ever come to using such a thing was a demon (villain) who had a sticky Ego Blast damage shield, many moons (and editions of Champions) ago.

 

Cool idea. I hope your players get a kick out of it.

[MisterD]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

So that is where the borg came from.

 

Wicked old Aunt comes to visit, touches child and her EGO is high enough that she super imposes her will over the child (and the group think) becoming the queen.

[nexus]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

Ah' date=' yeah, that's actually how I want it to work. Billy also has a Mind Link with anyone infected, and so they are very well coordinated, but each of the infected adds his/her own skills, knowledge, ideas, to the mix. It's just that they all share the same goal: defend and expand the Groupthink. [/quote']

 

Ok then, so there is a chance someone can break out of the collective or have a strong enough will to override Billy's control if he/they need them to something really henious?

 

Really? I thought they had to be visible to three sense groups just like other powers. Does that mean I can apply a limitation to the power, Visible to Sight Group since one doesn't need Mental Awareness to tell that someone has been infected?

 

Yep, they're invisble to everything but mental sense by default. You might be able to get a limitation for the glowing eyes. I would give one but others might disagree or call it -0.

[jackalope]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

Ok then' date=' so there is a chance someone can break out of the collective or have a strong enough will to override Billy's control if he/they need them to something really henious? [/quote']

 

Oh yes. I mean, it's pretty hard, but it's possible to reassert your individuality. It's also possible for someone to take control of Billy and gain control of the Groupthink.

 

In fact, I already have the character's second appearance planned. In my game world, there is a quasi-legal superhuman detention/experimentation facility that holds dangerous supers, even children like Billy. Already incarerated there is a fellow named Killcrazy, a failed super-soldier experiment that ended up creating only a superpowered homocidal maniac. His kill count is in the neighborhood of 500, all done with a knife or his bare hands in the course of about three bloody days.

 

During an accident (or perhaps planned sabotage), Groupthink and Killcrazy are both released. Killcrazy gets infected, and his megapsychosis infects every other member of Groupthink, creating a horde of bloodthirtsy maniacs. Many of them with barely controlled superpowers.

 

I am an evil, evil GM.

[jackalope]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

So that is where the borg came from.

 

Wicked old Aunt comes to visit, touches child and her EGO is high enough that she super imposes her will over the child (and the group think) becoming the queen.

 

See my response to nexus, and you'll see I've already had some thoughts along this line. In the CU, it might also be possible for someone like Menton to take control of Groupthink. That might put him on a even level with Dr. Destroyer.

 

And it really wouldn't take much (a few more doublers on Billy's mind link mostly) to make Billy powerful enough to collectivize the entire planet.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

This sounds like quite an excellent concept you have, jackalope! Mind if I steal it?

 

Out of curiosity, what are the advantages of being in Groupthink? Does each member share the skills of the others? What about Psych Limits?

 

P.S.: Based on the concept of how the power works, I don't think there's a need to make it BOECV. Depending upon the ratio of BODY to EGO in your campaings, switching a Transform to work against EGO might simply be a +0 Advantage. I'll be set up to make the person a member of Groupthink, grant them the ability to Transform others, a Psychic Bond and any other advantages you come up with. In addition, it gives each target a Distinctive Feature: Glowing Eyes. Check the description of Transform to see how the target BODY (or EGO) is modified if you add Powers to the target.

[nexus]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

This is a really evil idea.

[dbsousa]

Re: Mental Contagion Power

 

I don't have the book in front of me, but a megascale transform attack on the whole earth, with the limitation that affected people display no symptoms until they touch another person displaying symptoms. Roll the attack before the game starts, and have it reach full effect. Then when people spread the disease, they have already been "transformed", but don't display the effects except as you have described.