Provoke Monologue

[bigdamnhero]

That's nice for the person finding out the Villain's thoughts. It does nothing to compel them to actually speak. So the build doesn't work for the OP IMHO.

But the actual goal here is to find out what's in the players head. Forcing them to make an action (ie - speak) is just a means to that end. So you could consider "compel them to speak" as just the sfx. There are plenty of published examples of using Telepathy this way, and other examples using Mind Control. The main functional distinction is that Mind Control's effect is based on how resistant the character is to talking, whereas Telepathy's effect is based on whether the target character is currently thinking about their plans or not. Either can work - GM's call which one you'd rather adjudicate.

 

The fact that the villain speaks their plans aloud where everyone else can hear, not just the compelling character, could be considered an Advantage or maybe a Limitation. But in most Champions games "I tell everyone else" is a free action anyway, so I might be inclined to hand wave it.

[dmjalund]

Telepathy : Useable by nearby (all those within hearing range)

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah I'd go with a variant on presence attack or persuasion.  In fact, I'd expect the player to role play it "what do you mean your plan?  You never had a plan!" then boost it with a roll to get the villain to start talking.

[bigdamnhero]

Telepathy : Useable by nearby (all those within hearing range)

I thought of that, but I think that would get awfully expensive for the (relatively minimal IMO) in-game effect.

[pinecone]

OK, why hasen't anyone suggested X-Dim move to where the villan Monologues?

[Christopher]

OK, why hasen't anyone suggested X-Dim move to where the villan Monologues?

Because you would leave the rest of your team in the original Dimension, without any knowledge. So even if we come to wierd ideas, they are at least more pratical then EDM.

Of course Transdimensional on Hearing/Clairsentience(Hearing) might work based on the same idea, now that you mention it.

 

It is one of those cases where we just can not agree on how to skin that particular feline.

Monologing is primarily a Genre Convention.

Maybe it is the Genre Convention that villains are vulnerable to being goaded using default Conversation Skills.

 

If neither applies and it must work on nearly every villain, then we need something beyond conversation.

PRE-Attack is one way.

Mental Powers work safer, with both Mind Control and Telepathy being possible approaches.

Transform (into being with fitting Psychological Compliaction) is also an option, but might go overboard.

[Hadmar von Wieser]

First: Why do Super Villains monologise?
Dramaturgically: Because the audience has to understand the plot before the story ends.
Psychologically: Because a Super Villain is a lone soul looking for acknowledgement. Being a genius means you never meet someone who can understand what you think, not to mention appreciate it. And then that one guy turns up, so much interested in your master plan that he is obsessed with it, tracking you for weeks and months, fighting through your minions and death traps. Who cares he wants to stop you? Finally an expert, finally a worthy partner for a dialogue - which (you being a sociopath) still turns out one-sided.

I am building all my megalomaniacs with

Psych. Complication: Wants to triumph and monologuise
And the campaign's Final Boss with

Vulnerability: 2 x STUN by Attacks while triumphing (so the heros dangling bound over the Pit of Unnecessary Complicated Death can get that one lucky shot to free them for the showdown)

But this thread even justifies a
Vulnerability: 2 x Effect by PRE-Skills and PRE-Attacks only to spill his master plan

I definitely go with "If there already is an established mechanism, don't overcomplicate it with a power build."
So: Conversation Roll vs. EGO Roll. Because conversation is defined as doing exactly that. And it is a Everyman skill.

(Interrogation needs the villain to be at the interrogator's mercy. Persuasion has an aspect of "Look, it is reasonable to tell us" that usually will not be applicable.)

PRE Attack as a fallback. Because that means you get his acceptance. Usually he is the one PRE bullying everyone around him. But the moment your PRE beats his EGO you managed to break through his isolation and he wants to talk

 

[Hadmar von Wieser]

Second:
But IF we go for Mental Powers then it definitely is Mind Control.

Telepathy is the power for the super profiler who dives into the criminals mind, understands his plan, and then tells this team mates. That's a totally different scene usually set in the team's base before they move on to the villains base.

And for the effect:
Surface Thoughts Only (-1/4) does not fit for me. This is about a guy who had been hiding his evil master plan for years, even in front of his minions, who only know as much as they have to. We want that guy to spill his inner motivation, all that hurt and hate that made him do it, and all the secret thoughts why a Orbital Laser and a biologic weapon would not do it and it has to be that Cyber bomb.

 

 

I admit I do kindof like the granularity from using something like Telepathy: EGO+0 you get the villain's immediate plans; EGO+10 you get more details, EGO+20 you get his longrange plans; EGO+30 you get his computer password. But I think you could build something similar into a Skill contest.

 

EGO+30 gives you that special part of the speech "... and so no one can stop me because no one knows that THAT red button is the only weak spot about my unfallible master plan, but who would have the genius to find out that THAT red button is the only weak spot about my unfallible master plan, so you all will die miserably because no one of you will find out that THAT red button is the only weak spot about my unfallible master plan." :-)

 

 

[TheQuestionMan]

That's why they always have a "Captive" audience.

[Cassandra]

Showoff, Overconfidence, and Obsessive are all standard Psychological Limitations for Supervillains.  

 

They always explain their brilliant scheme while the heroes are tied up.

[TheQuestionMan]

Persuasion bonus to Presence Attack!