Alzheimer's?

[Hoppitty]

Hey there! I'm going to be playing an elderly character in a game soon, and the character is going to have Alzheimer's. I'm having some trouble figuring out how to best represent this in points, tho. Absent-Minded is simple enough, and I think Confused would also be appropriate.

But how would you represent the lost sense of time and place, or mistaking people for other individuals? Like going outside, and believing it's twenty years ago and you're talking to your niece...but that's really the mailman. Who happens to be a zombie. Etc.

Thanks in advance!

[whswhs]

I think you want to look at Amnesia. Though not retrograde but anterograde, which isn't exactly what the disadvantage covers.

Absent-Minded is really a poor fit, despite the name. What it actually means is that you're obsessively preoccupied with X and won't remember other things without heroic effort. Archimedes running naked through the streets and all that. GURPS names for traits can't always be relied on.

Bill Stoddard

[The Benj]

Confused??

[shadowjack]

Originally Posted by Hoppitty

But how would you represent the lost sense of time and place, or mistaking people for other individuals? Like going outside, and believing it's twenty years ago and you're talking to your niece...but that's really the mailman. Who happens to be a zombie. Etc.

Delusion, perhaps? The reaction penalty isn't so much people hating and fearing you as people not treating you seriously.

[Anders]

Cannot Learn? At least not explicit learning.

[Culture20]

All of the above plus:
Alzheimer's does cover some retrograde amnesia too, so Amnesia fits.

Reduced IQ.

Depending on the nature of the person in question, extreme emotional traits might be appropriate: Bad Temper, Mania, Stubborn, even Slave Mentality (usually accompanied by very low IQ)

Odious Personal Habits become more common with dementia.

And don't forget all the other old-age-related disadvantages. Hopefully you don't have a disad limit in this game...

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Culture20

And don't forget all the other old-age-related disadvantages. Hopefully you don't have a disad limit in this game...

There is no disad limit for NPCs. I don't know if I can envision a campaign where a person with Alzheimer syndrome was a PC. Though I suppose you could do a Hulk analog. . . .

Bill Stoddard

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by whswhs

There is no disad limit for NPCs. I don't know if I can envision a campaign where a person with Alzheimer syndrome was a PC. Though I suppose you could do a Hulk analog. . . .

Bill Stoddard

An early stage might make for a playable tragic character. They just got diagnosed so decide to have an "adventure" is quite realistic in my opinion.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Culture20

All of the above plus:
Alzheimer's does cover some retrograde amnesia too, so Amnesia fits.

Reduced IQ.

Depending on the nature of the person in question, extreme emotional traits might be appropriate: Bad Temper, Mania, Stubborn, even Slave Mentality (usually accompanied by very low IQ)

Odious Personal Habits become more common with dementia.

And don't forget all the other old-age-related disadvantages. Hopefully you don't have a disad limit in this game...

Later stages of all degenerative mental disorders lead to violent outbursts. It's just the nature of life not anything moral or will power mitigated.

Sadly, I bet their are many otherwise perfectly healthy people with dementia.
Early onset Alzheimer's is a thing too.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Anders

Cannot Learn? At least not explicit learning.

That would be for end stages. No matter how close to death one is, the brain always struggles to repair and learn. It's the only way 50 year olds can be as smart as they were at 20 despite having lost quite a fair amount of brain tissue.
Rules-wise it would be losing skill points far faster than one could add them through re-learning. But therapies often involve learning unfamiliar skills. Artist and meditation the most likely in my opinion.
There's also all the perks that might pop up like Standard Operating Procedures. For example, always put your glasses/clothing in the same exact place every time you set them down.) Never without a smart phone for calling up Google Maps when lost. Always carry a notepad for jotting important things down.