Man Without Disadvantages

[sn0wball]

The recent thread about Pacifism made me wonder about a default GURPS character, that is, someone without any disadvantages. The player enjoys complete freedom in the characters action.

In real life, this would be a frightening, enigmatic figure. He (or she, of course) is not inhibited in his actions in any way. He might just do about everything at any time. He can seem like your best buddy, but literally stab you in the back while still smiling at you. It is impossble to determine his actions. Freud would give up in tears when asked to analyze him. He is not immune to emotions, but he does not have to give in to them. Maybe he will never do any harm to anyone, but if he does, it does not have to be for a particular reason. He will not kill out of passion, because of a psychosis, because of greed or anything like that. And still, he can kill. Once or often. The only thing which keeps him at bay are probably the consequences of his deeds.

Now that I think about it, maybe such characters have been desribed, but not explained, by 20th century literature. There is (although rather harmless) Robert Musils Man Without Qualities, who inspired me to the threads title, Albert Camus´ Stranger (who is probably the archetype - literay scholars still debate over why he killed an arab) or, in my opinion, Rudolf Lang, protagonist of Death Is My Trade, based on Auschwitz commander Rudolf Höß.

[Randover]

Well that kind of man is hardly strange. Most people aren't limited by there disadvatages. Quircks I guess are more common - but if majority of people had psychologic issues society would brake up. I had heard once that USA especialy is keen on protecting the majority population - the avarage north americans - if those were people with issues there protection will be impossible...every one of them would need special treatment.

I guess the upper disadvatage limit is set that begining advetures is still able of action. But no-one say it has to be used to every last bit. If we consider that posttraumatic influece could create mental disadvatages even that might show that adveturers went thought a lot of bad things.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

I think you've just described a high-functioning sociopath. Which probably isn't a bad description of the average character in an RPG.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

I think you've just described a high-functioning sociopath. Which probably isn't a bad description of the average character in an RPG.

I'd say so. I imagine many, maybe most, "real" people would find such quite creepy once they got an inkling.

[transmetahuman]

But remember, the unDisadvantaged character won't get any particular reaction penalties from those who knows this stuff about him, either - or he'd have something akin to an OPH or any of the disads whose game effects are primarily reaction penalties from those who see the behavior. So he is someone who presents himself as an unobjectionable person, but doesn't have any serious, or even moderate, inhibitions on his behavior - not even an inhibition against presenting himself in a publicly objectionable way. Kind of a Catch 22, huh? So I tend to think of him as someone who generally thinks and acts in socially acceptable ways, and does have "normal" inhibitions, but can be very pragmatic when it comes to overcoming those inhibitions. Yeah, like most PCs. ;)

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by transmetahuman

But remember, the unDisadvantaged character won't get any particular reaction penalties from those who knows this stuff about him, either - or he'd have something akin to an OPH or any of the disads whose game effects are primarily reaction penalties from those who see the behavior. So he is someone who presents himself as an unobjectionable person, but doesn't have any serious, or even moderate, inhibitions on his behavior - not even an inhibition against presenting himself in a publicly objectionable way. Kind of a Catch 22, huh? So I tend to think of him as someone who generally thinks and acts in socially acceptable ways, and does have "normal" inhibitions, but can be very pragmatic when it comes to overcoming those inhibitions. Yeah, like most PCs. ;)

At the gamestart, sure. But such characters will quickly accumulate Reputations and Secrets, usually of the negative kind. Interestingly, they're also susceptible to one human 'phobia' - fear of scary stuff, which, again, may cause accumulation of mental Disadvantages.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

I think you've just described a high-functioning sociopath. Which probably isn't a bad description of the average character in an RPG.

Why would you consider such a sociopath?

After all, he behaves socially in order not to suffer any dire consequences to his deeds.
He can kill, but won't kill because it's against the law and socially unacceptable, he can steal, but won't steal, he can X, but won't X, etc.

That really describes a healthy member of society who is respectful of society.

Once he does break society's rules and laws, then he is no longer without disadvantages, since at that point he'll pick up Disads from Secrets due to criminal activities, to things like Nightmares, PTSD, Psychosis, etc.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Why would you consider such a sociopath?

I don't think you think this word means what some other people think it means. Let's start with definitions.

[sn0wball]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

He can kill, but won't kill because it's against the law and socially unacceptable, he can steal, but won't steal, he can X, but won't X, etc.

If he won´t kill because that is against the law, that would imply Honesty in GURPS terms. Being respectful of society is ... dunno, some kind of Code of Honor ?

The Man Without Disadvantages does not kill for no particular reason other than it is not worth the trouble. He is indifferent to murder. And if he kills - well, this won´t impose any mental disadvantges on him. Probably a secret, though.

Originally Posted by Molokh

Interestingly, they're also susceptible to one human 'phobia' - fear of scary stuff, which, again, may cause accumulation of mental Disadvantages.

Indeed. He is not Unfazeable. I hadn´t think of that. Camus protagonist in The Stranger is not particularily happy to be sentenced to death for murder, but still quite indifferent about it.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Molokh

I don't think you think this word means what some other people think it means. Let's start with definitions.

A sociopath, by definition, is someone with an antisocial personality disorder.

Someone who is respectful of society and its rules isn't antisocial.

As opposed to someone like Dexter who is a sociopath capable of presenting a false front so as not to get caught, but he has plenty of Disads.