History Main / CharmPerson

-->-- ''Franchise/StarWars Episode IV: Film/ANewHope''

* ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': Dio Brando was already considered charismatic as a young man, but upon becoming a vampire, his good looks and charm become supernatural. While some people serve him out of fear or desire for power, others are devoted solely because of his charms, with various women allowing him to drink their blood without any struggle.

* Priest units in ''[[VideoGame/AgeofEmpiresI Age of Empires I]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/AgeofEmpiresII II]]''. Ditto in VideoGame/EmpireEarth. Also EnemyExchangeProgram.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Runa Amberthorne in ''VisualNovel/SweetEnchantments'' specializes in charm magic. The ethical implications of using such a power on other people are touched upon in her route: the heroine learns that [[spoiler:in the past, Runa charmed Kamila to fall in love with her, which is the reason Kamila is so hostile towards Runa in her route. Kamila subsequently charms the protagonist to love her as a means of vengeance towards Runa]].
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* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', there is a character who does this to one of the hero's allies, more precisely, [[spoiler: she compels him to murder the hero. She later says he probably would have broken the spell in time, but it doesn't matter as he was killed by another ally, who saw him trying to backstab the hero.]]
* In ''Literature/{{Masques}}'', Geoffrey ae'Magi is a master of this, and compels an entire room of people to see what he wants them to see, and entire ''towns'' to admire and love him so much that they attack anyone who says bad things against him. The main protagonist, too, feels compelled to like him, but after she saw him murder people in cold blood, she's a bit more resistant to his charming smile, and only allows the part of her that wants to love him take over to not endanger herself. (She's a spy and entered his palace disguised as BeautifulSlaveGirl)
* In ''Literature/TheInvisibleLibrary'', the librarians have the Language, which the protagonist mostly uses to tell inanimate objects to do her bidding, but can also use on people in an emergency. (It is also used by the librarians to identify each other, as only they can speak it.) Objects and people alike can only be commanded to do things that are not too much against their inherent nature, and the more against nature a command is, the sooner the effect will break.
* One of the powers consistently displayed by the human form of the god Nyarlathotep in Creator/HPLovecraft's Franchise/CthulhuMythos (his abilities tend to vary a bit depending on the writer, but this is one of his core abilities). He is unnaturally charismatic, and able to make people listen to him and obey his commands without them knowing why they are doing so.
* China Sorrows has this in ''Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant'', and uses it for her personal gain whenever she can. However, its effect seems to lessen once you've known her for a while.
* Tabitha, the VillainProtagonist of the ''Literature/DelicateFire'' series, can invoke this via magically-enhanced sexual allure, resulting in what's effectively a supercharged version of TheDulcineaEffect. Her power affects both men and women, and seems limited only in that the target needs to start with at least some sliver of attraction towards her, no matter how small.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Expanded Universe ]]
** ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'' shows the difference between this and CompellingVoice as the corrupted Jedi Joruus C'baoth uses both. In the first instance he simply forces an Imperial officer into delivering a secret message and then forgetting all about it, leaving the Imperial none the worse for wear, except for a few missing memories - the [[AllThereInTheManual sourcebook]] says that his willpower was permanently damaged, but considering what this officer got up to in later books, he had a lot to begin with. In the second case C'baoth uses a sustained version of CompellingVoice to [[spoiler: break the will of a different officer, ''[[MindRape destroy most of his personality]]'', and turn him into a near mindless puppet who can't survive without C'baoth's constant mental control.]]
** ''Literature/OutboundFlight'': Jorus C'baoth, who Joruus was cloned from, really wasn't any better. He was quite domineering and always wanted to control everything - and, given his view that morals are basically optional, he tried it. As he fell to the Dark Side he forced protesting civilians to be silent.

* Literature/StarTrekNovelVerse
** The [[SpaceElves Selelvians]] in ''Literature/StarTrekNewFrontier'' have a technique they call "The Knack", which basically lets them manipulate other races. When the Federation found out (after a Selelvian crew member was found murdered), they went to war. [[http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Selelvian The Selelvians]] were introduced in the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]] novel ''Strike Zone''.
** In ''Literature/StarTrekTheBraveAndTheBold'', the character Aidulac, as well as the females of the Peladons (a race into which she spread her genes), can influence most males into doing their bidding. Originally, anyone and everyone was affected, but over time the ability atrophied to affect only males.
** Lirahn in ''Literature/StarTrekDepartmentOfTemporalInvestigations''.

* ''Literature/GracelingRealm'' [[spoiler: Leck's]] Grace is basically a permanent and very strong version of the JediMindTrick. Everyone believed what he said no matter how implausible it was. This power even extended to people hearing it second- and third-hand, though it weakened the more people it went through. [[spoiler: It could be resisted by ThePowerOfLove.]]
* Creator/ShannonHale's ''Literature/BooksOfBayern'' series features "people-speakers" with a magical gift that enhances their interpersonal skills, so they can read people accurately and always come up with the right thing to say to get someone to do what they want. They can be unnaturally persuasive, although others with magical gifts have some resistance to this. However, people with this gift are in danger of becoming corrupt and power-hungry, always feeling driven to manipulate others and bend them to their will.

* ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' (the sequel series to ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'') reveals that some children of Aphrodite can "charmspeak", and hints that children of Hermes have similar powers.

* The Bene Gesserit in ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' learn a technique called the Voice, which lets them persuade people to follow their instructions. The technique involves speaking in just the right tone and timbre to make the person most susceptible to your suggestions (though the film and mini-series adaptations have Voice users speak in a creepy, growling voice). It does have limitations, though: for obvious reasons it won't affect deaf people, and it also won't work on mutes, because a Voice user has to hear their target talk in order to figure out what tone to use with them.
* In ''Literature/DarkLife'', [[spoiler:Pretty]] has a form of amped-up hypnosis, using infrasound to alter people's brainwaves, and then implanting suggestions.
* Mesmeric powers are what allows the ''Literature/MagisterTrilogy'''s Souleaters to be the natural predators of humans. Souleater Queens are especially dangerous, since they can charm ''other Souleaters'', providing the only unity and leadership this otherwise insanely competitive and independent species knows.
* In Teresa Frohock's ''Literature/MiserereAnAutumnTale'', Catarina uses this on Lucian, managing to persuade him that it was all a misunderstanding -- getting him to overlook her DealWithTheDevil and the ColdBloodedTorture that had lamed him.
* In Creator/DevonMonk's ''Literature/AllieBeckstrom'' series, Allie's father can do this. He managed to get her enrolled at Harvard and last there for two years before she broke loose from one such effect.
* In Dean Koontz's "Demon Seed" a super-computer can control people in this way, using its artifical voice. At the end the computer has been beaten but continues to try to influence people. [[spoiler: We then find they've cut off the voice and all its messages are being printed out and have no effect]]
* In Fredric R. Stewart's ''Literature/{{Cerberon}}'', [[ManipulativeBastard Aladavan]] uses this ability frequently, often accompanied by a "subtle gesture." It doesn't seem to work well when people are actively resisting him. One character knows he's doing this to her, while he's doing it, and later thanks him for it because she wouldn't have listened to him otherwise.
* The ''Literature/WildCards'' series has several individuals who could potentially fall into this category. The most prominent is David Harstein, known as the Envoy. Harstein's ace gave him the ability to emit {{pheromones}} that made anyone who scented them immediately like, trust and listen to Harstein above all others. The only weakness of this skill was that the effects of the pheromones vanished when Harstein left the vicinity, but the influenced individual still retained the memories of what they had done while affected.
* This is one of the more prominent powers of the [[MakingASplash shamais]] in A.L. Phillips's ''Literature/TheQuestOfTheUnaligned''. It is an extremely subtle effect, described as "like water wearing down a stone". You can fight off the effect if you realize what's happening or are prepared, but this rarely happens. We actually see this effect firsthand when the most powerful pure shamai in the land uses it on the hero and viewpoint character Crown Prince Alaric. The bonus story "Fire, Water, Air, and Pigs" reveals that shamais are resistant to the powers of other shamais, and that the other three elements also protect you to a lesser degree. It is also implied that personality plays a part, as Nahruahn seems to be especially bad at blocking it.
* In ''Literature/TheTomeOfBill'' this is a basic ability of Vampires. They have the ability to compel younger vampires, and if they're old and strong enough, weak-willed humans. The main character is a Freewill, a legendary Vampire breed that gets its name from its immunity to this effect.
* Soothers and Rioters from ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy'' can damp or inflame other's emotions, respectively. Since you can choose exactly what to affect, it's a pretty strong power.
* Lissa Dragomir from ''Literature/VampireAcademy'' is naturally charismatic even when not using compulsion. People want to please her and the WeakWilled are slavishly obedient to her.
* In ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'', the most powerful sorcerers, called the Powers of the Wild, can bend minds of other Wild creatures to obey them and fight for them.
* In ''Literature/TheSpiritThief'', Eli is supernaturally good at sweet-talking spirits, convincing them to do what he'd like them to. It's partly derived from the fact that he's [[spoiler:the Favourite of the Shepherdess, the goddess of spirits.]]
* In ''LightNovel/TheWeaknessOfBeatriceTheLevelCapHolySwordswoman'', Tselika has this ability due to being a succubus. She can charm anyone who sees her, [[spoiler:even if it's through a video recording. This makes her dangerous even to a modern army]].
* In the ''Literature/ChaosGods'' series, Missus Belana, a devotee of the High Sister goddess, is capable of imbuing her voice with magic that makes everyone who hears her want to please her.
* Wizards are capable of this in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', but it violates one of the Laws of Magic, and is increasingly likely to result in their pursuit and execution by the Wardens of the White Council. It's also addictive as hell, and Wizards that use mind magic like this find it difficult to stop. There is a subtle, faint line between a "domination" and a "compulsion", however, with the second being somewhat more acceptable: a compulsion is more like a suggestion to do something, like "sleep" or "don't walk over here right now", and done properly, it doesn't even register as an external influence. Domination forces the target to comply and ''know'' that it's being forced to do it.
** The White Court of vampires are all capable of this. Being essentially incubi and succubi, they feed on emotions and can kindle the kind of emotions they feed on. The most common (and currently most powerful) White Court vampires are the Raith family, who feed on lust and don't bother to turn it off. When they want to, they can prompt orgies centered on them to spontaneously occur. When they don't want to, they ''still'' get looks of lust and more than a few offers for a quickie.
* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' Lightbinders can channel [[{{Mana}} Light]] into their voice to achieve this effect, which only stubborn or iron-willed individuals can resist.
* ''Literature/ThePower'': Some of the people who have the Power learn how it can be used for affecting others' brains and thus doing what the user wants.
* ''Literature/BazilBroketail'': Lessis commonly uses spells to make people trust and like her, starting with her very first scene when Besita is affected by it.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' plays with this using Jafar's magic serpent staff. Usually when Jafar uses it to control people's minds it's 100% effective, but when he tries to make the Sultan order Jasmine to marry him, the spell fails for a second. "But you're so ''old''!" It seems Jafar's powers do have some limits.

* Shiro from ''Manga/SewayakiKitsuneNoSenkosan'' is capable of reading mortal's minds and unearthing their deepest desires, then using that information to control and influence their actions. This sometimes backfires on her.

* Vampires from ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' can compel humans. Original vampires from ''Series/TheOriginals'' can compel humans and other vampires.

** Percy also gained the Friends spell[[note]]functionally identical with Charm Person as explained in the ''Dungeon & Dragons'' section[[/note]] as a sort of scar on his soul left behind by the shadowdemon that once convinced him to make a [[DealWithTheDevil deal]] with him, when Percy was young and [[QuestionableConsent not quite in his right mind]]. But he hardly ever used it. Once, a [[TheTrickster satyr]] in the Feywild used the same sell on Percy at a crucial moment to make him agree to a magically enforced deal against his better judgement. Percy eventually managed to fullfill the terms of the deal through [[LiteralGenie trickery]] of his own, so avoiding the very negative consequences that could have resulted from actually doing what the satyr wanted. While gloating about the satyr's frustration, he then proceeded to [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] the ethical problems with this type of magic.

* ''Literature/{{Graceling}}'' [[spoiler: Leck's]] Grace is basically a permanent and very strong version of the JediMindTrick. Everyone believed what he said no matter how implausible it was. This power even extended to people hearing it second- and third-hand, though it weakened the more people it went through. [[spoiler: It could be resisted by ThePowerOfLove.]]

** Rather than mages getting the ability to inflict the Charm condition through a spell as in most [=RPGs=], ''thieves'' do it. With enough "Job Points", they can learn the ability to steal not only the usual money and weapons but also [[IncrediblyLamePun hearts]].

* ComicBook/{{Gambit}} (depending on who's writing at the time) has a degree of "hypnotic charm". However, it ''doesn't'' work if the charmee knows about it.
* Stacy X of the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics had {{pheromone|s}} powers which could induce bliss and stimulate bodily sensations and functions allowing her a certain amount of control over her enemies.

* A major plot point of ''Literature/SingTheFourQuarters'' is that nobody can lie to a bard under interrogation: they have the ability to magically compel the speaker to tell the truth regardless of their preference. [[spoiler:Except nobody really quite believes it when Pjerin, Duc Ohrid, is revealed by this compulsion as a traitor, because it just plain seems out-of-character. Turns out part of the FrameUp involved planting what amounts to a post-hypnotic suggestion that forced Pjerin to respond in a self-incriminating manner to the Bard Captain's legally prescribed question.]]

* ComicBook/{{Vampirella}} has hypnosis as one of her powers. This ability is sometimes called "The Aspect of Lilith".

* ComicBook/{{Vampirella}} has hypnosis as one of her powers.

* In ''Podcast/TheAdventureZone'', Taako uses this spell to convince a hostile bugbear named Klarg to help the party. Klarg offers them a valuable hostage, a gift of gold, and ASpotOfTea.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect''
** The Charm and Intimidate skills, which work exactly the same way it did in KOTOR, except there's no magical Jedi power to it.
** [[BlackWidow Morinth's]] special ability "Dominate" works much like the traditional "Charm Person" spell.
* If your Charisma stat is high enough, some conversations in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' will have a conversation option labeled "Turn on the Charm". It will not allow you to flub a charm attempt -- either you have enough skill to succeed at it, or you aren't allowed to choose the charm option, instead having to choose a regular dialog choice. Same with Intimidate. ''Planescape'' also has Wisdom and Intelligence reveal these options. The implication is that you have enough Charisma/Intelligence/Wisdom/Charm/Intimidate to be able to understand JUST the right thing to say.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', with a high enough Speech stat, you can convince people to do just about anything. (well, as long as you get a chance to, anyway). Similar to the ''Planescape'' examples above, having high (or extremely low) stat scores can also unlock unique dialogue options. ''Fallout 3'' changed many non-stat based charm, persuade and intimidation -type options to have a chance to fail, though, this was reverted in ''New Vegas'' and un-reverted in ''Fallout 4''.

* Gene's special ability in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps'' works like this, his voice having some special quality that makes those listening do what he says.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series, Jeane is the only character with a rare and permanently affixed Charm Rune, which she uses to charm people into liking her and monsters into occasionally fighting for her. (Of course, the [[{{Stripperiffic}} type]] [[ImpossiblyLowNeckline of]] [[VaporWear clothing]] she wears might have ''something'' to do with the way all of the men go ga-ga around her.)
* Dark Rangers in ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} 3'' have Charm as their ultimate spell, allowing them to permanently take control of non-hero enemy units.

* Notorious in ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa'' series (Remake of the first RS Game has the ailment, the original doesn't) and ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier'' (Charm Gaze)
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics''
** Rather than mages getting the ability to inflict the Charm condition through a spell as in most [=RPGs=], ''thieves'' do it. With enough "Job Points", they can learn the ability to steal not only the usual money and weapons but also [[IncrediblyLamePun hearts]].
** The thief's version of Charm is temporary; it's essentially an improved form of Confuse, in that the victim will ''only'' attack their allies instead of anyone at random. Just like confusion, all it takes to snap them out of it is a [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan physical attack]]. For the permanent version, which not only lasts the whole battle but allows you to recruit the affected, you'll need an Orator.
** Reis can also do this with her ''bare-handed attacks'' after you complete her subquest. But given that she's [[spoiler:a dragon in human form[[note]]Technically a human who was turned into a dragon and then back into a human, but she retained all of her dragon abilities, including the raw physical strength, even after the curse was lifted.[[/note]]]], the enemy has to ''survive'' the hit first.
* In ''VideoGame/BioShock'', the plasmids Hypnotize Big Daddy (from [[VideoGame/BioShock1 the first game]]) and Hypnotize (from ''[[VideoGame/BioShock2 the second game]]'') can be used to hypnotize many of the enemies in the game to fight alongside you. Eventually they will break free however.
** The third game in the series, ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' has a nastier version in the Charm Vigor. It can be used to sway enemies into fighting with you, however when upgraded, the enemey will [[DrivenToSuicide kill themselves]] out of guilt for attacking their own friends when the vigor wears off. Usually while [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone crying out in anguish]] about what you have made them do.
* {{Deconstructed|Trope}} in the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} IV'' mod ''VideoGame/FallFromHeaven''. In the FlavorText, the Charm Person spell is basically described as a MindRape, warping the genuine feelings of love and protection that the target feels for his friends and family, and mapping it to the caster instead. The victim still hates the person who's doing this to them, but the mental manipulation is so great that it leaves the victim completely unable to fight back or even defend themselves while the caster's allies cut them to ribbons.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'', [[spoiler:Shana, the Moon Child]] has this power, in which people will follow her and do as she wants. Unlike most examples of the trope, she has no control over this power (indeed, she doesn't even know she has it). It's a plot point as well, [[spoiler: as anyone who sees the Moon Child will help her in her goals, which is to say, usher in the God of Destruction.]]
* Priest units in ''[[VideoGame/AgeofEmpiresI Age of Empires I]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/AgeofEmpiresII II]]''. Ditto in VideoGame/EmpireEarth. Also EnemyExchangeProgram.
* ''VideoGame/EverQuest'' has charm spells available for various spell-casting classes, which turns the target into a minion willing to defend the caster and follow orders, no matter how suicidal. In keeping with the trope, the spell can break randomly at any time, depending on the target's magic resistance. Some classes are limited in what they can charm, such as Necromancers/Shadow Knights being limited to controlling undead, or Druids/Rangers being limited to charming animals. The Enchanter class, however, can charm almost any type of creature.
** Once upon a time, Enchanters could also charm players, effectively robbing that player of control of their character by allowing the caster to issue commands and forcing the player's character to follow them. It was eventually deemed [[GameBreaker too powerful]] and removed from [=PvP=] gameplay.
* ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'': Eirena has the ability to make enemies fight for you. She also comments sometimes about the time she cast a charm spell so powerful one of her sisters was fawning over her for days. She says it was mortifying, but the tone of her voice makes it sound like she actually enjoyed it.
* Seraphina from ''VideoGame/Disgaea5AllianceOfVengeance'' can use her Balor Gaze to mind control any male person. [[HopelessSuitor Unfortunately for her]], it doesn't work on Killia. In-game, it's a LimitBreak that inflicts Charm [[spoiler:(or complete manual control after it's upgraded)]] on all male enemies in a large radius for a turn.
* ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' has the CASIE mod augmentation available to the player character, which enables its user to pinpoint the most effective means of persuasion and releases subtle {{pheromones}} that make people more susceptible to agreeing to whatever's asked. Doing so is never an instant win, however; the player must slowly and carefully coax the target into a favourable mood, and some individuals - especially if unusually intelligent, confident, calm, manipulative and/or aware of the compulsion - are flat-out immune. If the compulsion fails, the individual will shut down any further interaction. There's always a brute-force option, but it will always have consequences later. In addition, the mod requires talking face-to-face.
* In ''VideoGame/GemsOfWar'', the Lamia troop has this as her special attack; it compels one enemy troop make a single attack on another.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'' has several spells/abilities with the Charm effect, which allow you to control any enemy who fails to resist it for several [[TurnBasedCombat turns in combat]]. Since most spell effects in this game also come in form of {{Trick Arrow}}s, there is even a Charm Arrow, which looks just like a Cupid's one, with a pink heart for the head.
* ''VideoGame/EnterTheGungeon'' has a few guns and items that will charm foes into temporarily fighting for you. This doesn't really change the game as enemy attacks are weak against themselves, but it does stall their assault on you for a few precious seconds. The shopkeepers have kinetic barriers to prevent you from shooting them with charm bullets (or just killing them), BUT if you have a Charm Horn you can "convince" shopkeepers to part with an extra item for free. You can even buy the charm horn and then use it ''on the very vendor you bought it from''. The reason why this isn't such a game breaker is the game's karma system: steal too much stuff and an unkillable, uncharmable BulletHell GrimReaper follows you everywhere and shoots at you until you die.
* In ''VideoGame/Ghost10'', the Daisy Gun charms any robot shot with it into fighting on Ghost’s side for 20 seconds. The player can also spend skill points in [[PlayfulHacker Jacker]]’s skill tree to make him hack enemy turrets and robots during alarm phases.
* ''VideoGame/AfterIMetThatCatgirlMyQuestlistGotTooLong'''s main protagonist, Vera, is a Charm Witch. This allows her to cast magic that can allure and befuddle her enemies, even if they're inhuman monsters.

Charm Person is some kind of magic, [[JediMindTrick supernatural ability]], AppliedPhlebotinum or CharlesAtlasSuperpower (achieved through impossibly high amounts of personal charm) that makes people want to do what you want them to do, especially the WeakWilled. May or may not have obvious parallels with hypnosis, which is not really anything like this.

* In the ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'' anime, an anime-exclusive character, Ijuuin Kotaro, has the ability to enchant anybody of the opposite sex into becoming his love slave by saying "Je t'aime". He successfully charms all of Tsukune's friends and becomes their beloved Master, but is defeated, and the spell is broken.

* HilarityEnsues when Dracula uses this in ''Dracula: Dead and Loving It''. He pretends it's a Transylvanian method for helping with insomnia. The problem is it works exactly as he ''says'' it should work in that Renfield starts to doze off before he can be hypnotized.

* A major plot point of ''Literature/SingTheFourQuarters is that nobody can lie to a bard under interrogation: they have the ability to magically compel the speaker to tell the truth regardless of their preference. [[spoiler:Except nobody really quite believes it when Pjerin, Duc Ohrid, is revealed by this compulsion as a traitor, because it just plain seems out-of-character. Turns out part of the FrameUp involved planting what amounts to a post-hypnotic suggestion that forced Pjerin to respond in a self-incriminating manner to the Bard Captain's legally prescribed question.]]

* Seraphina form ''VideoGame/Disgaea5AllianceOfVengeance'' can use her Balor Gaze to make men blindly obey her. [[HopelessSuitor Unfortunately for her]], it doesn't work on Killia. In-game, it's a LimitBreak which inflicts Charm [[spoiler:(or complete manual control after it's upgraded)]] on all male enemies in a large radius for a turn.