Creating a fighting style

[sophinatorina]

Hello everyone!

I need to create a fighting style that involves hypnosis. Not sure how I'd go about it lol.

 

[Devor]

You should watch some TED talks on hypnosis. It’s a strange world you’re diving into and understanding it will help.

Inducing hypnosis takes some time, so a fighting style to me sounds like it needs to be layered, with different techniques based on how deep the target has succumbed, as well as what to do if it’s not working.

IMO a hypnotist fighter would have multiple ways of inducing hypnosis, some more obvious than others, and those obvious ones are kind of like a mask to make the target think they know what they’re resisting. So what’s in your hand, like tassled weapons, but also the pattern on your outfit, and the way the person moves.

 

[sophinatorina]

You should watch some TED talks on hypnosis. It’s a strange world you’re diving into and understanding it will help.

Inducing hypnosis takes some time, so a fighting style to me sounds like it needs to be layered, with different techniques based on how deep the target has succumbed, as well as what to do if it’s not working.

IMO a hypnotist fighter would have multiple ways of inducing hypnosis, some more obvious than others, and those obvious ones are kind of like a mask to make the target think they know what they’re resisting. So what’s in your hand, like tassled weapons, but also the pattern on your outfit, and the way the person moves.

Hi Devor!

I appreciate your response. I realized that this "fighting style" is rather hard to pull off and after putting some thought into my story, I can get away with good ol' butt kicking lol. But, as you mentioned, I could always incorporate hypnosis with other methods. Thanks buddy!!!

 

[DustinBilyk]

That's a super interesting idea.

I imagine putting your aggressor into a state of hypnosis would guarantee a kill/win, no? It's essentially mind control/making the target see and believe what isn't there. So perhaps a variety of movements, paired with speech (in the heat of battle), could put the target into a state of suggestibility? Or perhaps your hypnotist can speak directly into the minds of his/her target, and lull them into a sense of security before coming in for the kill?

Even more interesting would be using hypnosis on allies. Imagine, in the theater of war, you could hypnotize your troops into a state of bravery, or control them like pawns, the hypnotist being the ultimate chess master.

I think this has the potential to be overpowered in any built world, so use it carefully. Mind control is one of those powers that, if abused in a story, becomes boring very quickly. It should be a difficult power to pull off, even for a master, and especially so against other "powerful" individuals they come across.

Good luck! I'll be excited to see how it turns out ^^

 

[sophinatorina]

That's a super interesting idea.

I imagine putting your aggressor into a state of hypnosis would guarantee a kill/win, no? It's essentially mind control/making the target see and believe what isn't there. So perhaps a variety of movements, paired with speech (in the heat of battle), could put the target into a state of suggestibility? Or perhaps your hypnotist can speak directly into the minds of his/her target, and lull them into a sense of security before coming in for the kill?

Even more interesting would be using hypnosis on allies. Imagine, in the theater of war, you could hypnotize your troops into a state of bravery, or control them like pawns, the hypnotist being the ultimate chess master.

I think this has the potential to be overpowered in any built world, so use it carefully. Mind control is one of those powers that, if abused in a story, becomes boring very quickly. It should be a difficult power to pull off, even for a master, and especially so against other "powerful" individuals they come across.

Good luck! I'll be excited to see how it turns out ^^

Hello Dustin!

Thank you for your response! You bring up some very good ideas that I will keep in mind.

 

[Saigonnus]

Another thing to consider beyond the "natural" hypnosis is an enduced hypnosis through magic. I can see a powerful empire whose soldiers are all hynotized and trained from a young age. You could accomplish this by using a special "mcguffin" (I see a gemstone/stone in their foreheads); one that cannot be removed short of death and becomes useless after death. I can see a hoard of soldiers who fight like they have the muscle memory of 1000 years worth of warriors, just dominating pretty much every battlefield they march onto. A side-effect of the hypnosis would be that they wouldn't complain about how they are treated, (i.e. you could give them minimal rations/shelter, run them nearly to death etc.) and they wouldn't question their orders much less disobey them.

If I were to use this, I would make it a thing of the distant past, a long-dead empire, but the practice has lingered in small circles throughout the decades since the empire fell.

 

[ChasingSuns]

I could see this being a lot of specific motions incorporated into strikes and parries, combined with a sort of style of verbal warfare, similar to the Sith technique Dun Moch. I would say look into that, and maybe cross reference with some talks about hypnotism, and you might have something.

There is also the idea of using magic, either in the form of spells or maybe some kind of jewel or item the fighter carries on their person, but I am hesitant to fall back on to the "a wizard did it" kind of trope. Although, this does bring an interesting thought...

Perhaps, take the first idea, and have that function for the actual style. Take the second idea and use that as how their exploits and skill gets blown out of proportion by the common folk. They could have this perception that warriors who use this style are powerful mages, and therefore need to be respected or feared. A bit of a showman/illusionist relationship with the populace, but with combat.

 

[S J Lee]

Inducing different psychological states will not improve SKILL? It will induce willingness to kill etc? Very useful for slaughtering prisoners etc, torturing people without getting your own hands dirty. Making raw recruits instantly become super-skilled veterans sounds a bit silly. I doubt it would convince. Why not hypnotise everyone into becoming master hypnotists themselves, for that matter? Why not hypnotise the whole population into becoming master wizards?

I heard that hypnosis doesn't suddenly make people do what they would refuse to do.... but they CAN be tricked? "You are only cutting grass / slaughtering pigs, not people..."

It could be really cool for the moral Qs after - throw in a whole horde of hypnotised peasants, swamp the smaller veteran enemy army with sheer numbers? Do you feel guilty about the huge number of expendable plebs you sacrificed? Or from the POV of a soldier - they wake up and find blood all over their weapons, and drop them with horror, not remembering much? Or they DO remember it? Some REAL MILEAGE in THIS part of the idea?

check out "frenzon" drug in Warhammer 40K
Frenzon - Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum

or the implanting of the memory of training for years at "tuning" in the finale of "Dark City"', the Kiefer Sutherland movie