Is there a way to write a mind control story that's not a harem?

[laccoff_mawning]

I agree with Controversial Opinion. Just make the MC a nice guy.

The kind of guy who grew up in a healthy household, wants real love, and doesn't want to mind control people into sleeping with him. Because he already has a pretty girlfriend, a good job, and things are going great.

But now this mind control power is ruining everything. Now he feels awful just by existing. And people act like his natural logic, trust-worthiness, persuasiveness, likeability, all are due to him using his ability. The government is after him too, since his power is too dangerous. He needs to be nipped in the bud while his power is still weak, or that is what they believe.

Sounds fun, no?

"In a world as a nice guy with mind control: I want to be a civil servant in the dungeon response department but if my mind control abilities are ever found out my social life is ruined and a bunch of hunters will come after me." How's that for the novel title?

 

[GlassRose]

Code Geass

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Would that not be an individual case, though~.

It was a reference to the human tendency to ... selfishness and self-gratification. At least that was how I read it - so "in general, humans will use mind control to become rich, famous, and harem-endowed" (but there may be exceptions that are more ... humane than human, I guess)

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

It was a reference to the human tendency to ... selfishness and self-gratification. At least that was how I read it - so "in general, humans will use mind control to become rich, famous, and harem-endowed" (but there may be exceptions that are more ... humane than human, I guess)

I know, but I meant that in the case of a novel, it is the individual decision of the author to do so. No humanity forced them.

 

[DarkDuck09]

"In a world as a nice guy with mind control: I want to be a civil servant in the dungeon response department but if my mind control abilities are ever found out my social life is ruined and a bunch of hunters will come after me." How's that for the novel title?

Reminds me of the anime that I forget the name but it's a Guild Receptionist that solos bosses because she doesn't want to work the overtime needed when the adventurers struggle.

 

[Shiriru_B]

You'd probably have to traumatize the protagonist so that they could go the spider man route e.g. *with great power, comes great responsibilities*

 

[Zinless]

Well it is also possible in a zombie apocalypse but you have mind control powers that work on zombies. So basically you can control a zombie army without being a zombie.

There's a story with this exact premise in Novel Updates.

It turned to Loli porn a few chapters in somehow

 

[nii07]

"In a world as a nice guy with mind control: I want to be a civil servant in the dungeon response department but if my mind control abilities are ever found out my social life is ruined and a bunch of hunters will come after me." How's that for the novel title?

Well I guess the only real way to be a nice guy with mind control powers is to be a therapist. Using your mind control powers to get to the root of an issue and give them inner strength to overcome it. Although that would be a pretty lackluster story.

You'd probably have to traumatize the protagonist so that they could go the spider man route e.g. *with great power, comes great responsibilities*

That works too. And I could go the route that giving someone a mental command that goes so far against their core beliefs could cause a mental imbalance. That would cause them to act erratically develop schizophrenia or even become violent. Maybe the MC does that and it causes someone to kill somebody.

 

[Shiriru_B]

That works too. And I could go the route that giving someone a mental command that goes so far against their core beliefs could cause a mental imbalance. That would cause them to act erratically develop schizophrenia or even become violent. Maybe the MC does that and it causes someone to kill somebody.

Ohhh interesting, I also was thinking that the hypnotization doesn't have to be permanent and that the protagonist has to experience what the hypnotized person experiences after their power ends, kinda stops them going the harem route unless they are into that.