Messing with peoples heads by using telepathy

[Asheram]

A little question I'd like to ask for 3.5, or actually any relevant game.

Say that you have a character that can use telepathy.
Now you go and find another person, an NPC. You start following him around, stalking him, finding out what his name is and what he does...
When you believe that you know him, you strike and start a telepathic conversation with him while he's doing something extremely boring, trying to convince him that it is really his subconcious that's talking to him.

How well do you think it'd go?

[Sinfire Titan]

A little question I'd like to ask for 3.5, or actually any relevant game.

Say that you have a character that can use telepathy.
Now you go and find another person, an NPC. You start following him around, stalking him, finding out what his name is and what he does...
When you believe that you know him, you strike and start a telepathic conversation with him while he's doing something extremely boring, trying to convince him that it is really his subconcious that's talking to him.

How well do you think it'd go?

Bluff checks would be called for, but it seems plausible to do. Ever see Batman Beyond (one of the episodes has a sound-based villain do something along this line to Bruce).

[Alex Star]

My DM had rules for this. It used a Disguse and bluff check check of course with penalty modifiers for several things and bonuses based on how much you knew the person.

Language provided no bonus but a huge penalty.
+2 bonus for same alignment, -2 penalty for every alignment step away from yours. (people of separate ideologies do not think alike).
Then other situational modifiers as required.

It was never an easy check.

[drengnikrafe]

A little question I'd like to ask for 3.5, or actually any relevant game.

Say that you have a character that can use telepathy.
Now you go and find another person, an NPC. You start following him around, stalking him, finding out what his name is and what he does...
When you believe that you know him, you strike and start a telepathic conversation with him while he's doing something extremely boring, trying to convince him that it is really his subconcious that's talking to him.

How well do you think it'd go?

Wait, you mean... when I'm walking from class to class, talking to myself, the other voices, having different viewpoints than my primary self, are actually different people?

I imagine the bluff check would be really easy. If I hear a voice in my head, I'd almost immediately believe that it was my subconscious (or some other part of my mind), and so would many other people who don't experience telepathy.

Also, that idea is fun.

[Yuki Akuma]

I think telepathy is supposed to be readily identified as someone else talking to you, so it'd probably need a Bluff check. but it seems plausible.

[2xMachina]

Eh, I'd notice. He'd sound different from the regular guy.

Umm, maybe it's just me who thinks to himself regularly. I also tell him to shut up sometimes, so...

[Ichneumon]

I'd rule for it, but only because it is awesome. I'd require a bluff check though.

[Telonius]

It might be a lot more amusing to start playing Harvey the Rabbit with him. Strike up a regular conversation with him when nobody's around, then Still Silent Invisibility whenever somebody else comes around. (Keep talking to him telepathically while you're invisible).

[Lysander]

I don't think you can convince someone that its any natural kind of thought. You might be able to make them think they're going crazy though.

It all depends how widespread telepathy or magic in general is in that world. A person might think of both possibilities and not be sure which is true: Is this magic or have I gone insane? Then they'd probably consult a healer the first chance they get.

[Asheram]

It might be a lot more amusing to start playing Harvey the Rabbit with him. Strike up a regular conversation with him when nobody's around, then Still Silent Invisibility whenever somebody else comes around. (Keep talking to him telepathically while you're invisible).

I had a smiliar thought a year back, thinking about how a psion could make his psicrystal a lesser God if it's just given to the right person in the right culture. :P

[The Glyphstone]

Wait, you mean... when I'm walking from class to class, talking to myself, the other voices, having different viewpoints than my primary self, are actually different people?

I imagine the bluff check would be really easy. If I hear a voice in my head, I'd almost immediately believe that it was my subconscious (or some other part of my mind), and so would many other people who don't experience telepathy.

Also, that idea is fun.

I think it'd depend on the circumstances heavily. An ignorant peasant commoner who barely knows the difference between a sorcerer and a cleric could be easily convinced. Someone who lives near a wizard's college and sees weird stuff every day could be much, much harder to fool. Anyone else could fall between the spectrum somewhere.

[drengnikrafe]

I think it'd depend on the circumstances heavily. An ignorant peasant commoner who barely knows the difference between a sorcerer and a cleric could be easily convinced. Someone who lives near a wizard's college and sees weird stuff every day could be much, much harder to fool. Anyone else could fall between the spectrum somewhere.

That's a really good point. I guess I fall into the "really easy" side of the spectrum, and foolishly extrapolated that to all people.

[Asheram]

I don't think you can convince someone that its any natural kind of thought. You might be able to make them think they're going crazy though.

It all depends how widespread telepathy or magic in general is in that world. A person might think of both possibilities and not be sure which is true: Is this magic or have I gone insane? Then they'd probably consult a healer the first chance they get.

And crazy is good. Especially since that crazy voice give good, but slightly dangerous, advice.

[Keld Denar]

I had a Bard/Mindbender in a game who, after coming across a cave of trolls, snuck in, found the smartest among them with Mindsight, and after casting Glibness, concocted this huge story about how I was their god, and I wanted them to seek an artifact devoted to me off in some distant land and to wait there until I give them another sign, and if they displease me, I'll send fire from the heavens to sear the flesh from their bodies. Got like, a 50something on the check. Never seen trolls run so fast!

Telepathy can be crazy fun.

[Lysander]

For bonus points only contact them telepathically when they're near a dog. Make them think they can hear dog thoughts.

[Corbeau]

I've toyed with the idea of a changeling telepath somewhat along the lines of the one in the mark of death series. The possibilities for mahem when combined with a hat of disguises could be awesome.
Similarly, I've always wanted to try out the old changeling cabinet trixster/mind warrior build. (Mind warrior may not be the right name, but the PrC in CW with the pic of the doppelganger)
As far as difficulty of using telepathy, I'd refer to other spells/powers and their respective DCs for determining bluff checks to convince the subject. I.E. charm person only allows rather harmless suggestions whilst dominate can be a bit more sinister. +-bonuses to taste and you're ready to rock.

[Deth Muncher]

Bluff checks would be called for, but it seems plausible to do. Ever see Batman Beyond (one of the episodes has a sound-based villain do something along this line to Bruce).

A Batman villain that uses sound? You mean the Music Meister?

Wait, no, wrong Batman.

[erikun]

I think it'd depend on the circumstances heavily. An ignorant peasant commoner who barely knows the difference between a sorcerer and a cleric could be easily convinced. Someone who lives near a wizard's college and sees weird stuff every day could be much, much harder to fool. Anyone else could fall between the spectrum somewhere.

While a peasant commoner won't be able to identify a wizard from a cleric from a psion from a gerbil, they still know what magic is. A voice suddenly talking in their head might make them think they've been possessed by a demon, but it's unlikely that even a commoner will assume it's their conscience talking. An educated person would be more likely to correctly identify that it is a Telepathy spell or power.

Hence why it would be a very difficult bluff check to convince someone that you are their conscience. I generally recomment Telepathy for more temporary trickery, or when they're otherwise distracted. Making a guard think they heard someone sneaking by, making a noble think that others are supporting his argument, or making someone think you're still standing nearby are all a lot easier. So is using telepathy for Suggestion or using it when the target is drunk.

[Sinfire Titan]

A Batman villain that uses sound? You mean the Music Meister?

Wait, no, wrong Batman.

Yeah, like 50 years wrong (canon, that is).

[Fortuna]

It would depend on the person, I think.

Myself, I hear my thoughts in my head. And then I hear other thoughts in exactly the same voice arguing against them. And the whole time, I can decide to step out a little and watch those voices run around, but that just produces the same voice talking about the other voices. So to do that to me (I have no idea about other people, of course) would require a Disguise check at a hefty penalty, followed by a Bluff check at little to no penalty.

[Sinfire Titan]

It would depend on the person, I think.

Myself, I hear my thoughts in my head. And then I hear other thoughts in exactly the same voice arguing against them. And the whole time, I can decide to step out a little and watch those voices run around, but that just produces the same voice talking about the other voices. So to do that to me (I have no idea about other people, of course) would require a Disguise check at a hefty penalty, followed by a Bluff check at little to no penalty.

I myself am similar, except the voice in my head sounds like Morgan Freeman.

[Foryn Gilnith]

It would depend on the person, I think.

Myself, I hear my thoughts in my head. And then I hear other thoughts in exactly the same voice arguing against them.

Same with me, except the voices vary. On the other hand, there are people who don't hear their thoughts in different voices. IMHO this gambit would heavily depend on the target (i.e. DM fiat)