Consequences of NPC Memory-Wiping

[Muz]

Here's something to help me ponder:

Say you've got a (D&D) spell that burns away a year of someone's memories, but leaves their skills and abilities intact (so, say, a person would forget having taken French lessons but would still know how to speak French). And say also that this spell can be cast multiple times, burning away another year of memories.

Assuming an NPC survives the process, what happens if you burn away all the memories of an evil mage or a heroic fighter? More importantly, how easy would it be for someone (PC or otherwise) to subsequently mold them into a new personality, making the evil mage good, or the heroic fighter an arch-villain?

I realize this may be an impossible question to answer, what with the whole nature vs. nurture argument, but how would you handle it, if you were a DM?

[Ernir]

Diplomacy checks, with a starting attitude of indifferent?

Edit: To make the one actually listen to what you have to say, that is. After that, loooooots of RPing ensues.

[Eurus]

Judicious use of subtle mind-influencing spells like suggestion and charm person over the course of the "re-education" would probably be a good start. Get them to trust you, wear down any residual disinclination that they have toward whatever you're trying to get them to do.

[Sinfire Titan]

Programmed Amnesia>Dominate Person. Why risk them getting loose when the effect is dispelled when you can make it 100% permanent.

Anyway, yeah. Diplomacy is the way to go with this. But you could just pump your Diplomacy anyway and make them fanatically loyal to you for 1 month, and then your best friend ever after.

[Muz]

Yes, but how would you handle it as a DM if the PC is the one doing the wiping? How much would you, personally, have the NPC's old alignment play a part? What complications might arise?

[Sinfire Titan]

Yes, but how would you handle it as a DM if the PC is the one doing the wiping? How much would you, personally, have the NPC's old alignment play a part? What complications might arise?

Heh, as a DM, I've seen my players force a dragon into the River Styx enough times that it eventually failed the save.

Alignment is based on personal experiences and choices. Lose those, and it's up for grabs.

[jiriku]

As the DM, your answer to this question should really be guided by concerns specific to your game.

For example, would giving the players what they want dramatically screw up party balance, allowing the mind-wiping character to effectively acquire a free cohort who's more powerful than the other PCs? Would it upset your campaign planning, forcing you to discard tens of hours of work and scramble to prepare for the next game at the cost of all your free time between now and then? You should say no to those outcomes.

OTOH, if saying "yes" to the players takes the campaign in a surprising and interesting direction and presents the opportunity for all to have a good time, then by all means go for it.

[Entropee]

As others have suggested going with diplomacy is probobly the best option.

I'm not sure how "complete" a memory wipe in DnD would be, but sometimes supressed memories can be reactivated with certain stimuli - so you could put modifiers on the diplomacy check for big alignment shifts or have them revert to old personalities overtime (e.g. evil mage gets turned good, meeting his familiar "reactivates" some old memories, making him more evil).

Also modifiers would be a good thing on intrinsicly good/evil classes such as paladin and blackgaurd, unless you remove the class (though with keeping skills that would mean totaly rebuilding them).