View source for Mind Rape/Tabletop Games

{{trope}}
== Psychic Assaults ==

* In ''[[Magic: The Gathering|Magic the Gathering]]'', most cards that force a player to discard cards from their hand or their deck are flavored like this. It doesn't help matters that these cards tend to be blue (the color of the mind, mind control and trickery, among other things), black (the color of corruption, insanity and power at all costs, among other things) or both.
* The Nightbringer of ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'', an [[Omnicidal Maniac]] [[Physical God]] that usually takes the form of a [[Rule of Cool|forty-foot-tall, flying, metal]] [[The Grim Reaper|Grim Reaper]] is reputed to have, at the dawn of time, Mind Raped proto-life so comprehensively that he ''instilled the fear of death'' in all living creatures in the galaxy (except the Orkz).
** As well as creating entire races just so they would fear it and then proceed to feed on that fear.
** Eldar Farseers can have a psychic ability called 'Mind War,' essentially a Mind Rape as a weapon to burn out an enemy's brain and kill them.
** The process of creating an astropath involves a normal human psyker making psychic contact with the Emperor for a brief instant. The process is so traumatic that it burns out the subject's eyes.
*** And since [[Psychic Powers]] are drawn from a [[Hyperspace Is a Scary Place|hell-dimension]] Psykers in general face a lifetime with the threat of suddenly being Mind Raped at any moment. For the lucky ones, [[Mind Rape]] is the worst thing that happens. For the unlucky ones [[The Corruption|there]] [[Body Horror|is]] [[The Dark Side|worse]]. [[Demonic Possession|Much worse]]. For the very lucky, it's a [[Burn the Witch|short]] [[Better to Die Than Be Killed|lifetime]].
*** The entire [[Training from Hell]] of a ''normal'' psyker is like this too, as evidenced by the "sanctioning side effects" table in [[Dark Heresy]]. Among the results are: [[Eye Scream|eyes burned out]], [[Locked Into Strangeness|white hair]] and gibbering, hair loss, chanting scripture in your sleep, visibly grimacing and twitching whenever you hear mention of Holy Terra, and believing that parts of your personality that were ''forcibly removed'' have gained sentience and are tracking you down.
*** Also, a number of sources describe [[Anti-Magic|Pariahs]], or Untouchables, as having this effect on psykers. In fact, the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120323015858/http://www.sg.tacticalwargames.net/fanatic/96ca.pdf rules for using Culexus Assassins in Inquisitor] describe them as doing this to everyone - including ''themselves'', at least while using their [[Amplifier Artifact|Animus Speculum]].
** Inquisitors frequently use this one. Inquisitor [[Ravenor]] is particularly adept at this. Partially subverted in the Ravenor series of novels where the titular character performs the closest thing to a benign [[Mind Rape]], taking physical and mental control of the wearer but still being them at the same time. This is almost always traumatic and allows Ravenor total access to any and all of the persons memories. He only does it as a last resort.
** What the Emperor uses on Horus destroying, destroying his soul, which was some really nasty business -- ending the [[Horus Heresy]].
* A spell ''called'' Mind Rape appears somewhere in the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' "Book of Vile Darkness" sourcebook. It lets you completely rewrite or erase the victim's memories, feelings, and alignment. Naturally, it has an [evil] tag, which is D&D's way of marking a spell as, well, ''[[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|evil]]''... amusingly, there is another spell, ''Programmed Amnesia'', that does nearly the exact same thing with no evil tag. Presumably it's all about the name, or maybe just how you use it.
** The implication is that with the Mind Rape spell is something that a) hurts a lot and b) is actually forcibly removing the memories and character traits. Selective Amnesia is a subtle blocking of certain parts. Both are a violation, but the implication is that the Amnesia is supposed to be used for blocking traumatic experiences and such.
** Another spell exists in the divination category called Terrible Secret, which causes the caster to reveal a mind-shattering secret to his opponent. The secret is so horrifying it causes the creatures brain to simply malfunction and potentially. It can also be applied to a group with the upgraded Terrible Revelation.
** Normally the good guys don't get to do this, but in the book "Exalted Deeds", the good counterpart to the "Book of Vile Darkness", there's an Exalted Spell that does this.
*** Specifically, "Sanctify the Wicked" traps an evil person's soul in a crystal and aggressively [[Care Bear Stare]]'s them until they are ready to be let out. When they emerge, their alignment has radically shifted to be the Good alignment you prescribed. You basically break their mind and permanently change their entire personality. And this is supposed to be a ''Good'' act.
**** The process is less "breaking their mind" and more "exposing the error of their ways". The alignment change is of the creature's own will - it's just that in the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' setting, the world is supposed to be such that any sentient creature that sees pure Good is always going to choose that path. Extremely powerful Good creatures, like the higher angels and gods, have similar abilities that are in some cases instantaneous. Note that even Demons and creatures literally created from pure evil can be sanctified - unlike most settings, the fall from heaven works both ways.
** Surprised no one has mentioned the Mindflayers (Illithids). They have tentacles that they use, at close range, to actually penetrate the head of the victim, suck the brain out and eat it. At a distance, they have psionic powers that can mind rape a character as well; possible effects include permanent insanity, rage, confusion, coma, and death. I'd say that pretty well qualifies.
** In 4th Edition, there is a "psychic" damage type, implied to be exactly this. ''[[Fridge Horror|It can kill people.]]''
** In the [[Pathfinder]] [[Splatbook|supplement Ultimate Magic]], there is a whole raft of these sort of spells. They range from ''Murderous Command'' which is [[Exactly What It Sounds Like]] (you order someone to kill the person closest to them), ''Malicious Spite'' (make someone hate another person for days and work to harm them constantly), and the granddaddy of them all, ''[[Fate Worse Than Death|Prediction of Failure]]'', which forces you to experience the pain and grief of every single failure and mistake you will ever make ''in your life'' [[And I Must Scream|all at once. FOREVER.]]
* ''[[Mage: The Awakening]]'' has a spell called "Psychic Violation" which essentially does this to people. The effects include sapping their will, potentially driving them insane, and giving them a pathological need to avoid confronting the caster. There is another spell, "Nightmare Journey", which takes the concept of [[Mind Rape]] a step further by detaching the subject's consciousness, and ''projecting it into the mind of a [[Cosmic Horror]]''. Both spells are mostly practiced by a group of mages whose ''whole creed'' essentially revolves around [[Mind Rape]], and can only be performed by a person with a criminal mentality without potentially putting a ding in the [[Karma Meter]].
** There is also "Dislodge the Soul" a spell that allows one to mess around with a person's soul so that they lose all feeling of connection or empathy for other humans (this is represented in game terms by automatically failing any roll to prevent a ding to the [[Karma Meter]]), an experience that can be intensely disturbing for those who experience it. The only way to recover (without magic) is to engage in activities that reaffirm one's connection to humanity (such as a parent playing with their children); this naturally becomes more difficult as [[Karma Meter|Morality]] decreases. It is also possible for the casting mage to take a glimpse at what lies behind the damaged soul. Most find it ''incredibly'' disturbing; the Echo Walkers (who invented the spell) find it ''inspirational'', as they believe it lets them see the [[Our Angels Are Different|angels]] they want to emulate.
** Partially subverted with the [[Cosmic Horror|acamoth]]. Sure, they're evil, reality-hungry spirits who recreate [[Another Dimension|their horrific home]] in the minds of those they enter...But it was [[Deal with the Devil|entirely consensual]], to the point that whatever they do with their host dings the [[Karma Meter]], since ''you literally let them in'', and are thus a willing accomplice to their deeds...
** For the [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Banishers]], the Awakening (the moment of becoming a mage) itself is [[Mind Rape]]. The point is particularly driven home because it is usually a profound and joyous, inspiring moment (even in some of the less pleasant places, like [[Hell|Pandemonium]] or [[The Nothing After Death|Stygia]]). To Banishers, it is unwanted, misunderstood, or traumatic, in a way that causes them to want to destroy all magic.
** Two vampire clans have this as a power. In the ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', Malkavians used Dementation to drive potential victims and rivals insane. In ''[[Vampire: The Requiem]]'', Nosferatu use Nightmare to inspire great fear... and break minds with it.
** [[Mind Rape]] tends to be what [[Changeling: The Lost|changelings]] go through during their stay in Arcadia. Notably, the driving ethos of many of the changeling Courts seem akin to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
** The Earthbound of ''[[Demon: The Fallen]]'' have access to the Lore of Violations. Its second rank is called "Mind Rape," which allows an Earthbound to rummage through a mortal's thoughts and memories, causing physical damage in the process.
* Thanks to the (somewhat bizarre) metagame explanation for ''[[Magic: The Gathering|Magic the Gathering]]'' (basically, two almost-all-powerful wizards fighting, with cards representing spells and allies) most spells forcing players to discard cards come across this way. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080531135912/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=34789 cases] [https://web.archive.org/web/20090502042210/http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=157422 in] [https://web.archive.org/web/20200731033620/https://status.wizards.com/ point.]
** The ''flavor'' explanation is that a discard spell functions by reaching into the enemy mage's mind and destroying their knowledge of particular spells before they can be cast. There's an example in the Ice Age block novelisations where the protagonist, Archmage Jodah, engages in a battle with an evil wizard. He gains an advantage by using mass-discard spells to tear apart his opponent's mental library of spells.
** And there's an in-story example in ''Agents of Artifice'', where {{spoiler|Jace Beleren does this to Tezzeret after winning a duel against him, in a rare hero-to-villain example.}}
** On a different line of logic, if a player cannot draw a card because his/her library (Magic-speak for a player's deck while in a game) is empty, he/she immediately loses, described in-universe as that planeswalker going insane and being unable to continue fighting. There are some spells like [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=190177 Traumatize] and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=83597 Glimpse the Unthinkable] that put cards directly from your opponent's library into their graveyard, which tend to have this type of theme.
*** And the original [http://www.coolstuffinc.com/images/Products/mtg%20art/Sixth/Millstone.jpg Millstone]{{Dead link}} is essentially magically-aided brain torture through loud and repetitive noises.
** The [[Our Dragons Are Different|Elder Dragon]] [[Physical God|Planeswalker]] [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Discussion.aspx?multiverseid=201213 Nicol Bolas] removes your entire hand if he damages you. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140214161649/http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Nicol_Bolas This was translated flavor-wise] as an innate ability to completely shatter the mind of anyone he touches.
* ''[[Exalted]]'' has quite a lot of mindrape powers, most spectacular being the Border of Kaleidoscopic Logic Kung Fu style, which cannot only fundamentally and permanently rewrite one's mind, but also do things like permanently locking the target in an illusion of being a perfect, flawless being, or denying the target the capability to comprehend any spoken or written language, ever.
** Oh, there is one that beats this by several orders of magnitude: the process of [[Deal with the Devil|becoming an akuma]]. The ''mind''rape part, which goes on for hours, is bad enough. The next part, the ''soul'' rape, goes on for ''days''. At the end of it, your personality and memories have been hacked up with a rusty cleaver and put together in a variety of horrible fashions (such as your happy childhood being converted into fifteen years of hellish abuse), and your former Motivation has been violently ripped out and replaced with an Urge, essentially a command that you can't gainsay (such as to end the worship of Ahlat or corrupt the Dragon-Blooded with demonic taint). And [[It Got Worse|it gets worse]]. If you complete your Urge, you have to ''go through the whole thing again in order to get a new one''. (And if your Urge becomes impossible, such as if you're programmed to kill someone and he gets hit by a stray Death of Obsidian Butterflies, you almost invariably go mad.) Unsurprisingly, the Yozis take care not to advertise that this is what happens when you sign up to their "get more power by serving the Yozis" deal.
** There are a good number of Charms that do this, but it's no surprise that the most detailed of them emerge from [[Complete Monster|the Ebon Dragon]]. Some of these fun tricks include Golden Years Tarnished Black (which target a beloved memory and paint it in the worst possible light), Want Becomes Need (which targets any memory and turns it into an almost fetishistic compulsion for the target), and Everything Gets Worse (which targets hated memories and makes them all that much worse).
* ''[[GURPS]]'' has a number of ways to do this. The Terror advantage can cause permanent insanity and even reduce intelligence at high enough level. The spell Fear, Panic, Terror, Madness and Nightmare all can cause this.
** ''[[GURPS]] [[Discworld]]'' brings in the Break Mental Walls spell, which strips away the barriers people erect to deal with all the things about themselves they don't want to acknowledge; while it's in effect, the character is largely incapacitated and has to make a Fright Check every ten minutes. The more unpleasant mental traits the character has and cruel things they've done recently, the longer the spell lasts. It doesn't work, or doesn't work entirely, on three categories of people: people who're truly saintly, people who already know and like themselves, and complete psychopaths.
** The "insanity beam" from ''Ultra-Tech'' first hits the target with incapacitating hallucinations of terror, then he drops into a coma where the horror continues unabated. If he survives ''that'' the nightmares continue for a few weeks afterward.
* ''[[Infernum]]'' is full of this. First, you have powers like "Eat the Mind" (you literally tear apart and consume an opponent's mind through a psychic link), or "Nightmare Form" (not only can you become the living embodiment of a creature's worst fears, you become so convincing an embodiment you can kill them ''through sheer terror''). Then, you have more subtle attacks... Imps can shrink down to such a tiny size they can crawl in through your ear and take control of your body by physically manipulating your brain. [[Horny Devils|Malcubi]] can physically enter your dream if they touch you. Many demons have the power to possess you, either simply riding around as a spirit in your head or outright using your body for themselves. The kicker? ''These are your player characters'', and you're encouraged to do this ''to your enemies''.
* ''[[Scion]]'': The Justice Purview has this as part of its schtick. Everything from making the victim suffer the effects of a crime they committed, to haunting them with the ghosts of their victims, to making them suffer decades of imprisonment, in their minds, in the space of minutes of real time. And most of these powers result in long lasting damage to the victim. And for a fair number of these powers, there's not even a requirement that the victim be guilty of anything.
* ''[[Deadlands]]'', the only game that has a space in the character's sheet for "your Worst nightmare.". Believe it or not, this description is actually functional to the game.
* Some of the racist armor in [[FATAL]] screws with the wearer's character.
** Hell, playing that game is [[Mind Rape]].
* In ''[[Mutants and Masterminds]],'' the most expensive version of the Mental Transform power can reprogram memories, mental traits, and personality. Additionally, the optional dreamscape/soulscape combat rules introduced in the Mecha & Manga supplement allow one to implant suggestions, simulate sleep deprivation...[[Mind Rape|or]] [[Empty Shell|worse.]]
* ''[[Eclipse Phase]]'': Don't get involved with [[The Virus|the Exsurgent virus]]. Mindrape is the ''nicest'' thing that will happen to you if you do.

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