What would you do with this mind altering ability?

[I_liek_door]

Hello everyone.
I am a role-player who is currently playing a D&D 5e campaign as a rogue (currently level 3). I recently acquired a mind altering ability that allows me to alter one memory of a creature that I touch for thirty seconds. Do you guys have any game-breaking/getting back at my GM ideas? ;) In all seriousness what would you guys do with an ability like this?

PS: To elaborate on the ability, I only have to touch the creature once. After that, the memory will be altered for half of a minute. However after the thirty seconds are up, the creature regains its original memory and doesn't recall losing it in the first place. It's a very limited ability, but I figure if I can use it just right... I may be able to break my Dungeon Master's game. (30 seconds is equivalent to 5 turns in combat)

[Draconi Redfir]

make love to someone, so long as it lasts longer then 30 seconds, you can make them remember it as much better then it actually was, or if you're really a jerk, not remember it at all.

[Lord Torath]

Need more information. Can you alter 30 seconds of memory, or will the memory remain altered for 30 seconds before the person regains their correct memory? Does it need to be the most recent 30 seconds, or can you pick any 30 seconds of their memory?

[I_liek_door]

Need more information. Can you alter 30 seconds of memory, or will the memory remain altered for 30 seconds before the person regains their correct memory? Does it need to be the most recent 30 seconds, or can you pick any 30 seconds of their memory?

Sorry about that, my post should be updated by now with a more accurate description.

[Draconi Redfir]

ohh my mistake. i thought you had to touch them for thirty seconds and you permanently rewrote a memory. nevermind, my idea wont work.

[I_liek_door]

ohh my mistake. i thought you had to touch them for thirty seconds and you permanently rewrote a memory. nevermind, my idea wont work.

My apologies, I should have been more descriptive at first.

[Quertus]

Hmmm... I suppose my "standard" alteration would be that they had been cursed, and the only way to break the curse was to tell a specific someone their deepest secret. They researched, and determined that the person was you. They've traveled months to find you, now they just need to tell you their deepest secret, and the curse will be lifted.

[Kaptin Keen]

'Hey, remember all that money you owe me?'
'Yea, you sold me your horse/house/wife/magic sword/whatever-else-springs-to-mind.'
'You swore loyalty unto death to me, remember?'

Whether people chose to act on their altered memories is another thing, but essentially, if you can change the (remembered) past to suit you - you're god. Tell your GM to get you another power, that's honestly my suggestion.

[Nettlekid]

Maybe make someone "remember" that you had just bought/sold something valuable from/to them and they still need to give it to you/pay you for it. Receive from them, and when their memory reverts back to normal they won't remember that they gave you something they shouldn't have.

[N810]

Don't you remember, I Paid for this +3 Sword of dragon slaying yesterday,
I was just picking it up today on my way out of town...

[Segev]

To a guard or similar blocking my access to important people: "You were told to expect me and send me right in."

[Tinkerer]

PS: To elaborate on the ability, I only have to touch the creature once. After that, the memory will be altered for half of a minute. However after the thirty seconds are up, the creature regains its original memory and doesn't recall losing it in the first place. It's a very limited ability, but I figure if I can use it just right... I may be able to break my Dungeon Master's game. (30 seconds is equivalent to 6 turns in combat)

Should this be 5 rounds or did they change the length of a round to 5 seconds instead of 6?

But most posters don't seem to be bearing in mind the creature loses the altered memory after 30 seconds. Which... just makes this ability really hard to try and judge what the results will be.

I mean since you didn't state any restrictions on how much of the memory can be altered the obvious thing is that you have a one touch end to a fight with any sapient creature. Just replace all of their memories with a lifetime fighting by your side and you can convert anyone with a single touch for thirty seconds. Heck you might not even need sapient creatures. Then when it's only you and them replace the memories with a lifetime of being trained to surrender when confronted.

If the GM rules that you can only alter a single memory... it's tricky. I mean people will go to some pretty amazing extremes to rationalize actions that they took so it depends on if that comes into play. For instance it's what makes the difference of if 30 seconds after Segev's suggestion of "To a guard or similar blocking my access to important people: "You were told to expect me and send me right in."" the guards will try and rationalize the behavior or if they will raise the alarm. If you tell a guard that you aren't the droid rogue they're looking for and you walk away will they realize 30 seconds later that you were the rogue they were looking for or will they just remember that they thought you didn't look like the rogue they were looking for? I'd really have to know the GM to best know how to exploit this.

[I_liek_door]

If the GM rules that you can only alter a single memory... it's tricky. I mean people will go to some pretty amazing extremes to rationalize actions that they took so it depends on if that comes into play. For instance it's what makes the difference of if 30 seconds after Segev's suggestion of "To a guard or similar blocking my access to important people: "You were told to expect me and send me right in."" the guards will try and rationalize the behavior or if they will raise the alarm. If you tell a guard that you aren't the droid rogue they're looking for and you walk away will they realize 30 seconds later that you were the rogue they were looking for or will they just remember that they thought you didn't look like the rogue they were looking for? I'd really have to know the GM to best know how to exploit this.

Knowing my DM, he will most likely allow the creature to remember what happened during the 30 second time period of the effect. However, I know for certain that the creature will not be aware that he was under the effect in the first place. (Unless told, the creature will never know.) Knowing this information I will elaborate on the guard example: If the guard knew beforehand that I was the "runaway rogue" that needed to be captured, then the guard will most likely remember that after the effect is over. In this case, he may try to pursue me after the effect. On the other hand, if the guard hadn't known me beforehand and was just put on duty to not allow the unknown to pass, then I could probably get through without being pursued. The guard would recall allowing me to go through, but may be confused whether or not I was an allowed individual to go through. In this case, the guard will most likely pass it off with an excuse such as having a long day.

[Lord Torath]

So if you alter the guard's memory, say, by implanting the memory of his superior granting you access to the <insert prohibited location here>, then 30 seconds later, he will no longer have that memory, but he will remember you coming up to touch him, and then him letting you in?

Just trying to clarify just how this ability functions in its targets.

[N810]

or run past him and give him a memory of not ever seeing you but rather, just staring off into the distance and wondering if it's lunch time yet.

[Tinkerer]

or run past him and give him a memory of not ever seeing you but rather, just staring off into the distance and wondering if it's lunch time yet.

But the altered memory reverts after 30 seconds so the guard will remember seeing you after it's done.

[Lord Torath]

I suppose if you tell the guard that his boss gave you permission (while implanting the false memory of his boss doing so - assuming you know who his boss is), then while he won't remember his boss giving the permission, he will remember you telling him you had it, and himself not protesting or challenging that assertion before letting you pass.

It seems like you need to give the target a real memory that supports the fake, temporary memory, so that when the fake memory vanishes, they still have at least some reason to justify their actions on your behalf. I'd try running a couple scenarios past your DM to see just how he plans on letting you use this power. Or, better yet, ask him how he would successfully use this power. Poke as many holes in his example as you can, and see how he justifies it working. This should give you a pretty good idea of how he will rule when you try it.

[N810]

But the altered memory reverts after 30 seconds so the guard will remember seeing you after it's done.

You can get pretty far past the guard when you are sprinting for 30 seconds though.

[Mastikator]

The enemy you touch remembers that they switched sides and is now trying to defend you from your other enemies.

The enemy you touch remembers that one of their allies is secretly working against them and they have to kill them now to stop it.

I don't think you can in good conscience do this to anyone who isn't already trying to kill you, this is not far from mind rape.

[Segev]

My guess, then, is that, "You were told by your boss, this morning, to expect me and send me right on through," would cause him to remember that for those 30 seconds, then remember no such thing later. However, his immediate memory is of having allowed somebody through because he was told to expect them.

Given human nature, I think what would happen is the guard would, after the 30s have passed, remember that he let somebody who he was expecting, and who should be ushered right in, through. He will no longer remember his boss telling him that this person was expected. Until he is forced to think about who told him to expect you and to usher you through, he probably won't think about it too hard. Nothing alarming happened, so it isn't worth reviewing in that much detail. When interviewed, though, he'll say, "Yeah, I was told to expect him and usher him through." "Who told you that?" "Uh--- huh. I... don't remember." "When were you told to expect him?" "...I can't...recall. But I know I must have been told to expect him, because I let him through BECAUSE I was told to expect him."

[Tinkerer]

My guess, then, is that, "You were told by your boss, this morning, to expect me and send me right on through," would cause him to remember that for those 30 seconds, then remember no such thing later. However, his immediate memory is of having allowed somebody through because he was told to expect them.

Given human nature, I think what would happen is the guard would, after the 30s have passed, remember that he let somebody who he was expecting, and who should be ushered right in, through. He will no longer remember his boss telling him that this person was expected. Until he is forced to think about who told him to expect you and to usher you through, he probably won't think about it too hard. Nothing alarming happened, so it isn't worth reviewing in that much detail. When interviewed, though, he'll say, "Yeah, I was told to expect him and usher him through." "Who told you that?" "Uh--- huh. I... don't remember." "When were you told to expect him?" "...I can't...recall. But I know I must have been told to expect him, because I let him through BECAUSE I was told to expect him."

Indeed, but the question is does the GM think that way. Especially considering this is a world where magic mind abilities exist and that could affect the way the guard responds.

[denthor]

In 2nd edition this was called forget a 2nd level spell if I remember correctly I forget.

You c old make something forget they wanted to attack you

[Segev]

Indeed, but the question is does the GM think that way. Especially considering this is a world where magic mind abilities exist and that could affect the way the guard responds.

That is the question. I was basing my guess on what the OP said his GM does. But I could be way off base.

[N810]

Oh you could probably do some shenagins with explosive runes or alchemist fire flask...

Make the guard remember to not under any circumstances read this piece of paper, then hand him a page with an explosive rune.

or have him remember an order to stand perfectly still, and then put an alchemist flask on his head.

[Jay R]

It's crucial to remember that it needs to cause the recipient's death or capture within thirty seconds, or you need a plan for when it wears off.

Something that will end a melee in your favor quickly is in the first category.

"Your ally beside you took away your girlfriend, and you've been waiting for a chance to kill him in melee."
"You're dying and this guy is the only one who can cure you, if you surrender to us and let us tie you up immediately."
"You've seen your buddy's sword before. It's cursed. Cut his arm off quick before the demon takes over his mind."

Other types are great, but you need to get away in a hurry.

"You borrowed 10,000 gp from me which is due today."
"You had a prophetic dream last night that if you gave me your magic ring today, you would get a great reward tomorrow."
"No, you just rolled low, so you lost this round."

[Xuc Xac]

"Your ally beside you took away your girlfriend, and you've been waiting for a chance to kill him in melee."
"You're dying and this guy is the only one who can cure you, if you surrender to us and let us tie you up immediately."
"You've seen your buddy's sword before. It's cursed. Cut his arm off quick before the demon takes over his mind."

You can change what he remembers but you can't change what he decides to do about it.

[Quertus]

You can change what he remembers but you can't change what he decides to do about it.

You can change what he remembers deciding to do about it, though.

[Xuc Xac]

You can change what he remembers deciding to do about it, though.

Then everybody gets cold feet. "I remember that I decided to give you all my money, but now that you're here, it seems a pretty stupid thing to do. What the hell was I thinking?"

[Quertus]

Then everybody gets cold feet. "I remember that I decided to give you all my money, but now that you're here, it seems a pretty stupid thing to do. What the hell was I thinking?"

True, that can happen. This is why I worded mine as the end point of a lengthy, determined quest... And why I'd advise a) maintaining physical contact, and b) carrying liquid courage, just in case.

[McNum]

How do you know what memories exist to be altered? Can you read all their memories? Because if so, the 30 second change seems kind of like a neat bonus in comparison.

That said, it sounds great for fast paced situations. A chase, a fight, something where forgetting about something important for 30 seconds can be really bad for you. Like remembering that you totally killed a guy, except you didn't, or remembering that they went that-a-way, except they didn't. It's not all that useful for a long bluff, but for a distraction it should be good.

"Hey, remember how your shoes are untied?" "Remember how the wall you're running towards is totally an illusion?"