The power of suggestion?, Control Manipultation spells. Options

[Badmojo]

So I was just tinkering with an NPC Mage, thinking of making a mage interpretation of a jedi.

So whats the deal with Control thoughts and Influence? The only difference is that Control thoughts has a +1(S) for drain instead of S. Okay so in Control thoughts, i'm sustaining the spell so that i can continue to give commands. While Influence im casting once and planting a suggestion in the target of the spell and continuing on with business. Thats the idea im getting from the description.

1. I'm casting Control thoughts which is a complex action, it states you can give commands as a simple action. Do I have to wait untill next action phase to give a command since casting the spell is a complex action?

2. Control Actions, The said mage casts the spell on a PC. He orders the PC to shoot his fellow runners. Does the Caster also have control over the Combat Pool of the controlled runner?

3. Magic Fingers=Darth Vader choke. :dead: