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

johndallman · 10-17-2019, 02:01 AM

On the Edge [-15*] is a mundane mental disadvantage with a self-control roll. Your self-preservation instincts are not reliable, and you frequently take excessive risks in the face of mortal danger. This disadvantage first appeared in GURPS Cyberpunk for 3e, and hasn’t changed in its essentials.

You need to make a self-control to avoid or back down from a life-threatening situation. You can re-try that roll after each success roll or reaction roll relating to that situation, but not otherwise.

For example, in a potential combat situation, reaction rolls and influence skill rolls may happen quite frequently, every turn or so. But if you’ve set off on a long and dangerous journey, the GM might not ask for any rolls until you’ve been travelling for several days. Once you’re in combat, this disadvantage is even more serious. Each time you start a turn, you need to make a self-control roll, or make an All-Out Attack, or otherwise do something stupidly risky.

Most people will react to you at -2, because you’re “obviously crazy.” The select few who understand that survival is secondary to bravery react at +2.
Clearly, this is not a disadvantage to take unless you want lots of high-stress situations in play, or you’re feeling very nihilistic. Overconfidence will help you find more dangerous situations, and Daredevil will help you survive them. Being a low-tech melee fighter who wears lots of armour and doesn’t bother making defence rolls might work, in which case, see if the GM will let you take Berserk as well!

On the Edge is a reasonably common disadvantage option on published templates, usually found on types who do very dangerous things and are either proud of it, or cracked. It is a cliché for Aliens: Sparrials, who haven’t had it engineered out via Bio-Tech. Horror has special kinds of Delusions with effects like this disadvantage, and like most mental disadvantages, Madness Dossier has tools to cause it. It’s a possible result of Awe and Confusion in Powers, of power crippling in Psionic Powers and of Shocking Revelations in Steampunk. On the Edge is part of the Adrenaline Addict motivational lens in Supers, and of PTSD in Tactical Shooting.

I’ve never used this disadvantage as a player or GM, since I like to keep my characters around for a while. I did have a long-lasting character who was quite brave, and also sure that many things weren’t as risky as they seemed. How many On the Edge crackpots feel that way?

10-17-2019, 02:01 AM	#1
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: On the Edge On the Edge [-15] is a mundane mental disadvantage with a self-control roll. Your self-preservation instincts are not reliable, and you frequently take excessive risks in the face of mortal danger. This disadvantage first appeared in GURPS Cyberpunk* for 3e, and hasn’t changed in its essentials. You need to make a self-control to avoid or back down from a life-threatening situation. You can re-try that roll after each success roll or reaction roll relating to that situation, but not otherwise. For example, in a potential combat situation, reaction rolls and influence skill rolls may happen quite frequently, every turn or so. But if you’ve set off on a long and dangerous journey, the GM might not ask for any rolls until you’ve been travelling for several days. Once you’re in combat, this disadvantage is even more serious. Each time you start a turn, you need to make a self-control roll, or make an All-Out Attack, or otherwise do something stupidly risky. Most people will react to you at -2, because you’re “obviously crazy.” The select few who understand that survival is secondary to bravery react at +2. Clearly, this is not a disadvantage to take unless you want lots of high-stress situations in play, or you’re feeling very nihilistic. Overconfidence will help you find more dangerous situations, and Daredevil will help you survive them. Being a low-tech melee fighter who wears lots of armour and doesn’t bother making defence rolls might work, in which case, see if the GM will let you take Berserk as well! On the Edge is a reasonably common disadvantage option on published templates, usually found on types who do very dangerous things and are either proud of it, or cracked. It is a cliché for *Aliens: Sparrials, who haven’t had it engineered out via Bio-Tech. Horror* has special kinds of Delusions with effects like this disadvantage, and like most mental disadvantages, *Madness Dossier* has tools to cause it. It’s a possible result of Awe and Confusion in *Powers, of power crippling in Psionic Powers* and of Shocking Revelations in *Steampunk. On the Edge is part of the Adrenaline Addict motivational lens in Supers, and of PTSD in Tactical Shooting*. I’ve never used this disadvantage as a player or GM, since I like to keep my characters around for a while. I did have a long-lasting character who was quite brave, and also sure that many things weren’t as risky as they seemed. How many On the Edge crackpots feel that way? __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.