Me too, there's no problem with that, but you missed my point: As far as I understand the rules, such a spirit would have Cunning, not Intelligence
Now, here's a new curse for you! Change someone's mind into that of an Animal, his Intelligence into Cunning.
I wouldn't call a duration known to an entire house a borderline exploit
But then, no problem! Just create a curse charm (enchanted item) with continuous duration. And this is waaaaaay more "classical" medieval magic, akin to what the learned magicians do, than "just a spell".
This also opens up story opportunities, as you now have to find and destroy the devilish charm that's destroyed your (insert appropriate option)'s mind.
I think this is one of the reasons (aside from paradigm) why these weren't made similar to PeCo "kill" spells (as AFAIK, even PeCo "destroy a limb" can be healed if you don't wait too much): So as you can have more stories and options. If you want your curse to be permanent, by the RAW, it is possible... But it can still be overturned by a classic tale, contrary to the option.
Not as I understand it. An animal's spirit has cunning, because there is no soul. A spirit manifesting from a soul can have intelligence. Not all of them do however.
That would have an An requisite and I think it's in the book already. But, no Mu spells are permanent, so what's your point?
Meh, fair enough.
Yeah, that works, but it feels "witchy", not Hermetic.
I know Pe/Co spells can be healed, with magic. The point is that the eyes or limbs don't naturally re-grow/heal.
The only question we, I, am debating here is whether a Pe/Me D:mom spell can permanently, barring other supernatural effects, destroy a human mind/spirit. That is all. I say it should, but apparently doesn't in the RAW, thus I have house-ruled it in. As such the only two concerns I have are balance and paradigm. I see no balance issue, and I feel it fits with the paradigm as I interpret it, YMMV.
Yes, spirits can have intelligence, just as some magical animals.
What I was trying to convey is that, as far as I understand it, capable of reasonning = intelligent. Incapable of reasonning = cunning.
AFAIK, only humans (and maybe angels? Demons?) have souls. Soul means reason (intelligence), but it seems you can have reason without a soul (spirits).
Still has far as I understand it, the spirit and the soul are two different things, so that when you die, your spirit may linger but your soul will go on.
Just to give you another "curse" possibility
Well, then, I'll just have to give up
This is an exemple of what you want using only corebook vanilla hermetic magic. I can't give you more hermetic than that.
For what it's worth, if the feeling I conveyed bothers you, you can give it whatever feel you want, from a Cursed Tremere Doll to a Faerie Merinita Jewel that still the wits to a Jerbiton Crown of Debility, this is just fluff.
I much prefer the "resilient mind" option, mindaffecting spells are only effective as long as their Duration.
This prevents mindaffecting magic to be the one-size-fits-all solution that always works(which is very boring really). This option means mindaffecting spells needs some thought and finesse.
Another option is to allow periodic "save rolls" against these kind of end of line spells/effects. This is inline with canon RAW.
And no the spell would NOT prevent new learning. That would require a constant effect or a higher base effect.
Depends on how much of a difference you want. Personally, to permanently destroy a mind, i dont consider that possible with Me. But if you want it(to me it ruins interaction and politics far too much), anywhere from +1 to +6 magnitudes should be ok.
