Thanks :)
Controlled Scream was indeed written to partner with the old version, and does revert the scream to gaze for control freaks - and was intended to take a little of the bite out of Darkest Self. You're right that in the current version it doesn't do what I want it to, and I'm not sure I want it at all as it reduces risk rather than increases reward.
Pain being mandatory I'm not sure about. I've mentally gone both ways with it a few times; I don't think mandatory is the way to go; temptation is almost always better.