If I had to pick one mind control technique, it would be...

[Daphne]

So, if you had to pick *just one* mind control technique, which would you pick? By "psychological," we mean hypnosis (either realistic or fantasy), etc.

[Geo]

Bah. Psychological is rarely coupled with expanding breasts and thus is worthless.

[Haight]

I put 'technological' in that I'm a big fan of drug and hormone-based mind-control; combine it with BE and I'm set.  Honestly, they're all fun if done well.

[amoxirakuzan]

I voted for technological, but I really couldn't decide between technological and magical.

The thing is, sometimes the line between the two is almost non existent.

Is the gem used in the bearing gifts series magical? Because I prefer to look at it as a brilliant invention by Bertram, personally. Like a nano device hidden in the crystal, emitting light waves that create the brainwashing effect.

Point is, isn't any techno scifi thing a kind of magic?

[Daphne]

Point is, isn't any techno scifi thing a kind of magic?

Oh, sure!  For me as a writer, it's a matter of presentation rather than how it actually works.  Fetish is like that; the package can be as important as the content.

[orifalcon]

I suppose mental (telepathy, psionics) would be under other, but would have a lot of overlap with magic.  So that.

[jmundt29]

I'm a love potion fan.  So, I voted magical.  I like telepathy and watch inductions...and alien tech.  I like a lot of different methods, but I'm finnicky about tone.

[sohta123]

I have to go with tech as it seems the most absolute to me. And I prefer long-tern to permanent enthrallment.
I enjoy a villain that has multiple methods too. Tecno magic is neat if done right.

I really don't care for hypnosis (watch, etc) much at all. Subliminals are ok as that tends to progress.

Variety helps too in all things. Sometimes brute force attacks that instantly overwhelm are great but most of the time it's the struggle by someone to resist becoming something else (drone, corrupted, lesbian, etc). 

Biological might be another category. Like in "Blue" by Tabico. - http://mcstories.com/BlueTabico/index.html

[Geezy]

I like the Martian Harem technique so I put that under other.

[Haight]

I like the Martian Harem technique so I put that under other.

Yeah, and GTtLD is still one of my favorite stores from the EMCSA... I guess it is 'other.' It's never explained.

[teemusid]

I chose magical, but maybe it's for the showmanship, because stage hypnosis is right there with it. Maybe because most stage hypnosis scenes are written unrealistically, with a hypnotist that can put anyone under at will. Most techniques can, ahem, get me going, if the writer has skill.

[jlpicrdh]

I like Tech because it's the most visual. With psychological, it's just a lot of talking. Great for a story, but not all that exciting in a comic. With magic, there is usually some kind of glowing effect, but not much else. For instance, I know that Beyond Rubies is supposed to be tech, but the visual effect of it is more what I would consider magic than tech. Not that I don't like that series, it's my favorite one on here. The visual aspect of how the rubies work isn't all that much, but the physical and psychological effects that we see on the girls more than makes up for it. Compare that to Free Trade Zone, which is very visual and you can see how each step in the process is effecting her directly.

[ulyssesgrant]

Seeing most mind control is predominantly a sexual 'fantasy', I tend to enjoy more unexplained forces such as magic, mental abilities, words of power, pheromones, and other such supernatural elements. Still, what I love more about it is seeing or 'hearing' the effects of such things upon target of such abilities. Say a man has the power to turn his voice low and speak a command and it becomes completely true within the mind of the subject. I like the idea that such command is physically altering brain chemistry within the target, and the more out of character, complex, or completely alien the command is being all the more dangerous to both the speaker and the receiver as it could cause physical harm.

Struggles between the subject of control and the force of it over time are also fantastic, as are such side effects as progressive body alteration (to a degree). One of my favorite magical mind control stories is actually a little tragic and sweet, and reminds me of The Hidden Knowledge in a way. Where a older teen boy ends up in possession of a magical item that alters a girl he never intended in his life, and in ways he was deeply unprepared for. Over the story there haphazard attempts to understand and control the power, but near the end we see the possibilities of his rather innocent and nice guy personality show the possibilities of corruption to his new power.

[stretchgilbert]

Hypnosis ala Stage Hypnotist Or Therapist. Thanks

[ozymandias]

It's not the technique... it's how it's used. I'm not a fan of all-powerful instant mind control.  I want to see the victim know there's a problem, and struggle a bit.