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Old 05-25-2014, 04:12 PM   #1
entitivity
 
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Default Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

If a creature with compartmentalized mind is concentrating with one of his compartments, and is attacked, does the attack have the potential to break his concentration? If so, how does that resolve?
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Old 05-25-2014, 10:33 PM   #2
Figleaf23
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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Originally Posted by entitivity View Post
If a creature with compartmentalized mind is concentrating with one of his compartments, and is attacked, does the attack have the potential to break his concentration?
I'd say yes.


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If so, how does that resolve?
As if there were no compartments. Disrupting concentration is something done to you, not by you. There's nothing in the trait description that says having a compartment frees the other compartment from environmental influence. If you wanted to have a structure where there's a responsive compartment and a deep compartment, I think you'd have to pay extra and I'd look toward Reflexive and Second Nature enhancements for a guideline.
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Old 05-25-2014, 10:59 PM   #3
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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Originally Posted by entitivity View Post
If a creature with compartmentalized mind is concentrating with one of his compartments, and is attacked, does the attack have the potential to break his concentration? If so, how does that resolve?
I think taking damage would have the potential to disrupt concentration. Dodging if it was handled by the other compartment would not.
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Old 05-26-2014, 11:26 AM   #4
Not another shrubbery
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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I think taking damage would have the potential to disrupt concentration. Dodging if it was handled by the other compartment would not.
This sounded right to me, but then I wondered... Did we ever ascertain if pain/shock penalties applied to compartments not in control of the body?
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Old 05-27-2014, 01:12 PM   #5
entitivity
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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This sounded right to me, but then I wondered... Did we ever ascertain if pain/shock penalties applied to compartments not in control of the body?
This was my thought exactly. Reading through comments on the GURPS forum, everyone seemed to treat one compartment as "controlling the body". But it wasn't clear whether only the compartment controlling the body was susceptible to shock. I'm still not sure that it's clear.
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:03 PM   #6
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

To the best of my knowledge, CM grants no protection to distractions and the like - all it does is give you an extra Concentrate Maneuver each round. You could certainly modify it to, say, ignore distractions from pain/damage (which is arguably something like High Pain Threshold, limited to only work for the CM).

Basically, to figure out effects, just treat the character as if all he did was use Concentrate last round. The exception would be if your ability can be disrupted by making an Active Defense, but you used a Maneuver other than Concentrate that allows for such, in which case you can defend without risking breaking the Concentrate.
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Old 05-27-2014, 03:37 PM   #7
Figleaf23
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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To the best of my knowledge, CM grants no protection to distractions and the like - all it does is give you an extra Concentrate Maneuver each round.
No, it gives you mental coordination that in effect lets you act as if you have two minds. As a result of that, it includes the benefit of an added mental maneuovre each turn, but it is not only that.

However the trait indeed says nothing about one or the other mind being somehow firewalled by the other one.
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Old 05-27-2014, 04:30 PM   #8
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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Originally Posted by entitivity View Post
This was my thought exactly. Reading through comments on the GURPS forum, everyone seemed to treat one compartment as "controlling the body". But it wasn't clear whether only the compartment controlling the body was susceptible to shock. I'm still not sure that it's clear.
Controlling the body is one thing and that's why I wouldn't disrupt concentration for physical actions taken. Being cut off from all perceptions is another and if the compartment is cut off from all perceptions that will take away more utility than it adds.
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Old 05-27-2014, 07:37 PM   #9
Not another shrubbery
 
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Default Re: Breaking concentration + compartmentalized mind

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Controlling the body is one thing and that's why I wouldn't disrupt concentration for physical actions taken. Being cut off from all perceptions is another and if the compartment is cut off from all perceptions that will take away more utility than it adds.
I think you're probably right. I was just struck by a sudden uncertainty of whether an official ruling had been made ITR.
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