Rewrite Person [Spell]

[Lysander]

Here's my idea for the ultimate brainwashing spell... I think it's a terrifying fate, and a potent tool.

Rewrite Person
Sor/Wiz 9
Evil Enchantment
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Will negates

This spell utterly destroys the mind of the target, eliminating all memory, class levels, skills, and feats and allows the caster to remake their consciousness however they choose. After being stricken the subject falls into a coma lasting 24 hours. During that time if the caster has access to the body they can create any new personality and memories they like, and grant them a number of levels equal to their previous count in any class or classes, as well as select their skills and feats. The only detail that is not changed is the subject's stats and alignment, the latter of which may lead to the subject refusing to act exactly like the caster desires, even if programmed to serve compliantly. The original personality is in essence dead, their mind and soul reshaped beyond recognition, and cannot be resurrected. Spells targeting the original's mind or soul will find that it no longer exists on this plane or any other. Without continuous access during those 24 hours the subject will not die and be replaced; they'll wake up with their original class, personality, and abilities, but suffering from irreversible retrograde amnesia. They'll be the same person though. For those that are rewritten fixing them is difficult. Even Rewrite Person cannot restore the subject to normal since any attempt to fix things would only turn the subject into an estimation of what they used to be since it is impossible for the caster attempting a cure to know every memory, thought, and inclination that person once had (although it is possible nobody would notice the difference the original would still be dead). The only way to undo the spell is to first cast Rewrite Person and then use a Wish spell to guide you in the process of molding their mind to the way it used to be.

Material Component: A brain of the same species as the target studded with black diamonds worth 30,000gp.

[Winged One]

Give it the [evil] descriptor, but note that using it with Wish to undo it's own effects cancels out said descriptor. Possibly even the [Vile] descriptor, though as it's undoable, I'm not sure if it counts as destroying a soul.

[Jalor]

Awesome spell. It should definitely have the [evil] or [Vile] descriptors though.

[Lysander]

Ah, but what if used to forcibly reform a villain?

[jindra34]

Might there be a will save or two to resist the effects?

[BisectedBrioche]

Ah, but what if used to forcibly reform a villain?

Then its basically the same effect as killing them permanently and then humiliating them. Sounds pretty evil to me.

[Lysander]

A will save negates the rewrite. I should also specify that this only works on living targets, no rewriting constructs or liches, anything like that.

[Winged One]

Ah, but what if used to forcibly reform a villain?

Mindrape can be used for this purpose(though I think it's more easily undone, which is why it avoids the [Vile] descriptor), and casting it is still an evil act.

Also, I'd actually not make it [mind-affecting], since it would just become an inferior version of the aformentioned mindrape spell. If you do make it [mind-affecting], that might push it down into 8th-level power.

[Lysander]

Does Mind Rape let you replace their class levels and feats too? Because if it only rewrites personality then this is still different. Otherwise it's the same.

[Lysander]

Also I'd point out that using it with Wish to reverse the effect is not necessarily a good deed. That would kill the new personality, an individual that retains the alignment of the original character.

Theoretically fixing a good rewritten character involves destroying the soul of another good person in the same body.

[Poppatomus]

Fair point, just as the first spell involves birthing a new personality, a seemingly good act.

I would give it the evil descriptor (as it is a particularly twisted way to kill an enemy.) If you want to give it the vile descriptor I would say it needs to be a bit, well, viler. (for instance, perhaps the evil version of using it with wish, which, rather then rewriting the old personality instead binds it within the new personality, it can't be released without annihilating both, and it can only watch as its body and what's left of its soul live an entirely seperate life.)

[Jack_Simth]

As written, a simple Greater Dispel Magic will take care of it.

In other words, you want Instant, not Permanent.

And yes, it needs the [Evil] or [Vile] descriptor. Badly.

[Lysander]

Evil and Instant added.

Poppatamus, I like your idea of doing a Being John Malkovich style trap that forces the original personality to watch themselves being controlled. It might be theoretically possible with the current spell though. The mage can recreate the mind anyway they like, I suppose a split personality with the original now dominated by the new isn't out of the question. Although by the current wording of the spell they have their mind erased immediately upon casting which should preclude saving any pieces of the original. I should figure out how to redo that since my intent was that when they're in the coma their mind is just loosened up, like pouring water on clay, but retains it's original shape unless altered. It's why if you put them in the coma but don't actually do anything past that they only suffer amnesia.

[Callix]

The requirement of a humanoid brain as a material component adds something to the evilness, and the ability to turn an 8-Cha fighter into a Sor20 is decidedly sadistic and cruel. Commoner 20? Probably tougher than this.

[Anxe]

What if you used it on a friend to give them any build you wanted? Otherwise seems fairly balanced. I'd throw an XP cost in there too. Maybe 100 for each level.

[Lysander]

Yeah, turning a 20th level whatever into twenty level commoner would be a low blow.

Actually, in my opinion, one of the most sadistic things you could do with this spell is kill someone...and have nobody ever know. Imagine this: kidnap your nemesis, hide them away for 24 hours, rewrite them so their personality seems the same but is inclined to be slightly more incompetant in battle, less eloquent, and personable, and design it to ramp up this mediocrity gradually over time. You also leave them with flaws like lechery, a gambling addiction, and alcoholism.

In a few months your bright and promising foe is now a discredited loser, with everyone shaking their heads and wondering "What happened to that guy?"

Anxe-
Well, you could use it on a friend to change their build. It would also effectively kill them.

If I were DMing a game and someone arranged for themselves to be altered with this spell I'd rule them dead and have the new person and their old body be an NPC, even if they tried to keep the same personality and memories.

[Corolinth]

This spell is like Programmed Amnesia or Mind Rape, with an added effect (which makes it more powerful than said spells, much like acid fog is more powerful than solid fog).

So the spell, as you've outlined it, should be an epic spell, not a level 9.