Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

Pursuivant · 01-12-2020, 03:02 AM

Revulsion is derived from "Repelled by Garlic" in GURPS 3E Vampire: The Masquerade Companion.

As you might guess given its origins, it's occasionally useful when designing supernatural critters. For example, spirits which are weakened by the presence of holy incense or vampires which are weakened by the smell of garlic.

With a slight tweak (swap hearing for smell/taste), it's useful for modeling creatures which are vulnerable to exposure to other ordinarily harmless sounds, such as the Martians in the "Mars Attacks" movie who were weakened by exposure to Slim Whitman's yodeling or Star Trek Ferengi who are incapacitated by exposure to loud, high-pitched sounds.

My problems with it are that it isn't leveled and there isn't much supporting RAW material to help define what should be a very generic and flexible disad.

Why not why not just a clean -1, -2, or -3 point cost per -1/-2 in penalties up to a maximum penalty of -5 or so?

Do penalties vary based on degree of exposure?
What happens if exposure lasts for more than 10 minutes? Do you get another HT roll?

It also seems like a good candidate for some of the special enhancements and limitations associated with the True Faith advantage or the Affliction, Vulnerability, or Weakness disads. That way you could define Revulsion so that inflicts Irritating or Incapacitating Hazards on its victims rather than just a flat penalty.

01-12-2020, 03:02 AM	#7
Pursuivant Join Date: Apr 2005	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion Revulsion is derived from "Repelled by Garlic" in GURPS 3E Vampire: The Masquerade Companion. As you might guess given its origins, it's occasionally useful when designing supernatural critters. For example, spirits which are weakened by the presence of holy incense or vampires which are weakened by the smell of garlic. With a slight tweak (swap hearing for smell/taste), it's useful for modeling creatures which are vulnerable to exposure to other ordinarily harmless sounds, such as the Martians in the "Mars Attacks" movie who were weakened by exposure to Slim Whitman's yodeling or Star Trek Ferengi who are incapacitated by exposure to loud, high-pitched sounds. My problems with it are that it isn't leveled and there isn't much supporting RAW material to help define what should be a very generic and flexible disad. Why not why not just a clean -1, -2, or -3 point cost per -1/-2 in penalties up to a maximum penalty of -5 or so? Do penalties vary based on degree of exposure? What happens if exposure lasts for more than 10 minutes? Do you get another HT roll? It also seems like a good candidate for some of the special enhancements and limitations associated with the True Faith advantage or the Affliction, Vulnerability, or Weakness disads. That way you could define Revulsion so that inflicts Irritating or Incapacitating Hazards on its victims rather than just a flat penalty.