Quote:
Originally Posted by GodBeastX
All combat doesn't count as Emergencies Only. It would have to be a situation he's stress out or in severe danger. The example of the HT roll is "You've been hit for LOTS of damage". A flight or fight response essentially is an emergency.
This could also be the fact a giant monster is about to step on you.
It shouldn't be like, run of the mill combat. It shouldn't be just because someone wants to punch you in the face. It would be the idea that their life is truly in danger, someone else's life is in danger, or stress on the character. An emergency!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman
I am harsh on this one: my advice to a player who wanted to use it would be "don't, I don't like this one, and it will not work at times when you want it to."
If you want it only for emergencies in fights, and you're someone who expects to have fights in the normal course of business, I'd say it cuts in when you, or someone with you and close by, takes a Major Wound. That's a reasonably objective definition of a fight that is not going to plan. I'd listen to requests for other circumstances, like that giant monster about to step on you, but they'd need to be emergencies.
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I see your points, and -30% initially seemed generous to me if the ability worked in all life-or-death fights. However, compare it to Accessibility limitation, -30%, which work for "Only while flying, Only while swimming, Only in hypnotic trance" (Basic, 110). These are situations that you can often, but not always, control by GURPS rules (sometimes only with suitable skills or abilities, though). To me 'Only while someone is tryng to do serious harm to you/someone you have an obligation to protect' seems to fit into a similar category. The situation is not under your sole control and is inherently risky. As well, not being able to use the ability outside of serious combat is a real limitation, even with striking and lifting strength, is a real limitation: you cannot use it carry things, move stuff, break things, or use it for non-lethal fighting.
That said, I could see an argument for making it a -20% Accessibility limitation for "Only in serious combat or to aid someone in deadly danger", on par with "Only while playing the trumpet" and "Only during the day", simply because it is so combat-centered an ability.