Security-Related Perks

[DemiBenson]

Some security-related perks for your discussion. Are the effects suitable for 1-point perks? Are the bonuses/penalties at the right level? Is the wording clear and unambiguous?

NOTE: Includes edits from original post.

Password Memory
By practicing memory techniques, you have memorized extremely long passwords of random characters or passphrases of random words. Each time you take this perk, you get one password, passphrase, or similar large block of semi-random data (such as the first 1000 digits of pi). This password is immune to the Dictionary Attack technique, and gives a -2 penalty to any attempt to brute-force the password.
If you have the 5 point Eidetic Memory, each time you take this perk gives you a number of memorized passwords equal to your IQ. With the 10 point version, this perk is unnecessary.

An Eye for the Cameras
Based on field experience, training, or book knowledge, you are good at guessing where real or fake surveillance cameras are likely to be placed. You get +2 to Stealth only to avoid cameras. If you advise anyone who doesn't have this perk, they only get half the bonus.
You can also use it with an appropriate roll (Per, Architecture, Shadowing) as a Complimentary Skill in such action-related stages as Gathering Intelligence, Planning, and Getting In, but only as it relates to security camera placement.

Quick Strip†
You are skilled in shedding your clothes very quickly, taking only half as long. You must specialize by type (everyday clothing, costumes, environment suits, or armor). Clothing ends up in a pile at your feet or thrown haphazardly nearby.
For changing clothes, this multiplies time by 0.8 automatically.

Quick Change†
You have practiced changing quickly from one outfit to another. This is the perk Efficient (PU2, p.16) as it relates to changing clothes, multiplying time by 0.8 automatically, cumulative with Quick Strip. You must specialize as per Quick Strip, above.

Quick Change Assist†
You are adept at helping someone else quickly change their clothes. It requires an appropriate Teamwork perk such as Teamwork (Stage Theater). When assisting and directing someone else, you can reduce their time spent by half. If they also have the same Teamwork perk, the time savings are multiplicative. You must specialize as per Quick Strip, above.

Note: All the clothing-changing perks together gets the time multiplied by 0.32. Good preparation (clothing within reach, off hangers, jackets opened, socks and tights pre-rolled to easily slip on) can reduce it even further.


SOP: Standard Operating Procedure

SOP: Bump and Pat
Whenever you are nudged, bumped, or touched in a situation of casual contact (crowd, busy sidewalk), you check your worn belongings to make sure they are undisturbed. You get +2 to all Perception or Streetwise rolls in Quick Contests vs. Pickpocket and similar theft from your person. If it matters, the GM rolls your Pickpocket or Sleight of Hand skill against any observers to see if they notice your surreptitious check.

SOP: Clean Keys
You always wipe down keypads/keyboards and any security-related mechanisms (doorknobs, physical keys, thumb-print scanners), as long as such cleaning can be done in two seconds or less. This smudges fingerprints and makes all the keys show equal wear. This doesn't cover trace evidence, just mangles fingerprints and evens out the wear from regular use.

SOP: Hidden Face
You are careful to hide your face from accurate identification whether by people or surveillance cameras. When you take this perk, choose your usual method - hat with brim, shaggy hair in your face, light-emitting sunglasses, looking down at your feet, heavy makeup, etc. You can claim a penalty of up to -5 to enemy rolls to get a clear view or photo of your face, but for every -1 past -2, you're also at +1 to be followed in a crowd. A pumpkin on your head will effectively prevent facial photography, but it's also very, very obvious!
If you have the perk An Eye for the Cameras and forgo stealth, you can claim an extra -2 to enemy rolls without giving surveillance cameras more bonus to follow you in a crowd - you know just when to turn your head away from the cameras' fields of view.

SOP: Hidden Keys
You always hide keypads/keyboards/keycards/credit-cards and physical keys from possible surveillance, rendering such intel-gathering methods ineffective. When in doubt, you get a +4 bonus in a Quick Contest roll vs any watchers.

SOP: Traceless
You are unusually cautious about leaving forensically-valid traces. This is limited to knowledge and techniques appropriate for your era. You avoid touching with fingertips, thoroughly scrub off skin flakes and soap residue in the shower, and try to wash your own cutlery, coffee mugs, and so on. Others get a -2 penalty when trying to find personal trace evidence of you.

[gjc8]

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Password Memory
By practicing memory techniques, you have memorized very long passwords of random characters or passphrases of random words. Each time you take this perk, you can store a number of passwords equal to your IQ. Make a note of which passphrases you've memorized. For each password, recall takes 1 second per IQ number of characters or words. At the GM's option, extremely long ones (hundreds of random characters or context-free words) may take up more than one memory slot. Requires the 5 point version of Eidetic Memory or better.

This seems like it ought to be included in Eidetic Memory, at least the 10 point version.

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Password Memory
By practicing memory techniques, you have memorized very long passwords of random characters or passphrases of random words. Each time you take this perk, you can store a number of passwords equal to your IQ. Make a note of which passphrases you've memorized. For each password, recall takes 1 second per IQ number of characters or words. At the GM's option, extremely long ones (hundreds of random characters or context-free words) may take up more than one memory slot. Requires the 5 point version of Eidetic Memory or better.

This one talks too much about real-world things, and not enough about game effects. Most players aren't interested in tracking how many bank accounts, credit cards, password-safe passwords, encrypted back-up drives, home security systems, etc. their character has and how many codes or passwords are needed for each. So a set number of passwords adds complexity but not fun.

So I would treat this as a bonus to resist all attempts to crack something protected by a password which you chose, and possibly complete immunity to some Techniques such as Dictionary Attack. This reduces book-keeping and gives the character a niche: the guy who chooses crazy long passwords.

Memorizing sets of three to five random words from the OED doesn't require special memory training, just patience and determination. So I would treat it as a SOP with no prerequisite.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

An Eye for the Cameras
Based on field experience, training, or book knowledge, you are good at guessing where surveillance cameras are likely to be placed. You get +4 to an appropriate roll (Per, Architecture, Shadowing) as a Complimentary Skill (Action, p.5) to Stealth only to avoid cameras.

So it's a +4 to get a +1 on the roll the PCs actually care about? Why not just skip the complimentary roll and just have the perk give +1 to Stealth to avoid cameras?

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Password Memory

As written, this needs to lose the Eidetic Memory prerequisite. Someone with that advantage can roll vs. IQ to recall arbitrarily many passwords of arbitrary complexity. Somebody with Photographic Memory doesn't even have to roll!

I agree with those saying that it seems over-specific, though. I would drop the extra detail about number and length of passwords, keep the Eidetic Memory prerequisite, and recast this as a special exploit of Eidetic Memory that gives -2 to enemy attempts to crack the character's password security. Given that it takes four times as long for a cracker to get +2 to skill to cancel out -2, that seems fair.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

An Eye for the Cameras

I'd simplify it all to "You get +1 to Stealth rolls to avoid cameras." I would probably go with either "You get +2 to Stealth rolls to avoid cameras" or "You get +1 to all rolls to avoid cameras – normally Stealth, but if the GM calls for another skill (Acrobatics, Camouflage, Electronics Operation, Traps, . . .), the bonus applies there as well."

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Quick Strip†

The effect (half time) and specialization seem fair, but if you're going for non-cinematic effect (only half time, not instant) and requiring specialization, then the roll is unduly punitive. I'd stop after the second sentence. Also, when I dress, putting on and taking off clothing take about the same amount of time, so half-speed disrobing appears to halve the speed of half the task: -25%, not -10%, assuming the clothing is right there. Obviously, getting prettied up afterward is something else again.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Quick Change†

I'd go beyond Efficient for this, because it's a much smaller subset of activities than "all skill rolls with a given skill" . . . it's just one of dozens of tasks that Disguise or Professional Skill (Fashion Model) might cover. Looking at Quick Strip, I'd go to -50%. This actually seems about right, if you've ever been backstage at a drag show or a cabaret!!!

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Quick Change Assist†

I can't see many PCs bothering, but I'd be happy to let this stack multiplicatively: -50% by itself, or -75% in tandem with Quick Change. I've seen skilled dressers and dancers swap complicated costumes (like belly-dance bedlahs, veils, shoes, etc. adorned with coins and beadwork, and sporting multiple belts and fastens) that take 15-20 minutes to don within the length of a drum solo (4-5 minutes).

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

SOP: Clean Keys

I allow a similar perk that lets someone use Housekeeping to wipe down anything – not just keys, but also doorknobs, handles, pistols, steering wheels, etc. – in negligible time with a skill roll. The margin of success is what searchers must beat to find a clue. Thorough searchers get the +5 for a complete search plus bonuses for tools, making this a stopgap against anything but a casual search. I think it's relevant to establish the exact margin or penalty here, and to use a skill roll to do so. I also think it prudent to generalize to "anything that can take fingerprints," as otherwise you'll have players asking why they can use their perk to wipe down tiny, fussy keys but not a big old doorknob.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

SOP: Hidden Keys

Seems fine.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

SOP: Bump and Pat
SOP: Wallent and Watch

This seems to assume that pickpockets need incredible success not to be caught. The way RAW Pickpocket works is that if the thief succeeds at all, she makes the pull, though detection may follow. Only a failure at skill means no pull at all. However, Pickpocket is a Quick Contest vs. victim's Per or Streetwise, with victory needed (as well as success!) to make the pull subtle. If the thief succeeds but doesn't win, she still makes the pull but now the bump is noticed. Thus, I would say that the fairest implementation would be simply "You get +2 to all Perception or Streetwise rolls in Quick Contests vs. Pickpocket and similar theft from your person."

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

SOP: Traceless

This seems fair.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

SOP: Hidden Face

This mostly seems okay, but the penalty just about outweighs the benefit. I might rephrase to "You can claim a penalty of up to -5 to enemy rolls to get a clear photo of your face, but for every -1 past -2, you're also at +1 to be followed in a crowd." I might even embellish: "A pumpkin on your head will effectively prevent facial photography, but it's also very, very obvious!" Thus, the usual perk-level -2 to enemies is free and clear, but there's the option to gamble.

—

In general, it's best for perks to be flat bonuses to one's skill or penalties to one's enemies' skills, and to avoid dice-rolling as much as possible. It's also best if they avoid being overspecific . . . a one-point trait really shouldn't require a lot of thinking about number of characters in a password, which hat you're wearing, etc. It should mostly just work.

[DemiBenson]

The original has been edited with everyone's advise.

Originally Posted by gjc8

This seems like it ought to be included in Eidetic Memory, at least the 10 point version.

That was supposed to be in there, but my phone didn't sync correctly to my desktop, and I didn't proofread before posting.

Originally Posted by Polydamas

This one talks too much about real-world things, and not enough about game effects. Most players aren't interested in tracking how many bank accounts, credit cards, password-safe passwords, encrypted back-up drives, home security systems, etc. their character has and how many codes or passwords are needed for each. So a set number of passwords adds complexity but not fun.

Do you think it should be a single perk for any number of passwords? Or only if they have Eidetic Memory?

Do you think the competitive digits-of-pi memorizers have a perk that lets them memorize just one (very long) sequence? Or do they have some sort of limited Eidetic Memory?

Originally Posted by Polydamas

So I would treat this as a bonus to resist all attempts to crack something protected by a password which you chose, and possibly complete immunity to some Techniques such as Dictionary Attack. This reduces book-keeping and gives the character a niche: the guy who chooses crazy long passwords.

BTW, where are those password-hacking techniques mentioned? I know I've seen it, but I can't remember where.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

So it's a +4 to get a +1 on the roll the PCs actually care about? Why not just skip the complimentary roll and just have the perk give +1 to Stealth to avoid cameras?

True. I adjusted the description.

[DemiBenson]

Originally Posted by Kromm

As written, this needs to lose the Eidetic Memory prerequisite. Someone with that advantage can roll vs. IQ to recall arbitrarily many passwords of arbitrary complexity. Somebody with Photographic Memory doesn't even have to roll!

I agree with those saying that it seems over-specific, though. I would drop the extra detail about number and length of passwords, keep the Eidetic Memory prerequisite, and recast this as a special exploit of Eidetic Memory that gives -2 to enemy attempts to crack the character's password security. Given that it takes four times as long for a cracker to get +2 to skill to cancel out -2, that seems fair.

The original intent of perk was to let the 5 pt EM give access to a specific large block of data (passwords, hyperspace coordinates, memorizing a novel verbatim) without requiring a roll. Then I decided that for a single data block, anybody could buy the perk (I know a guy who memorized the first 1000 digits of pi just to see if he could).

Sure, it's highly specialized, but players will come up with all sorts of uses - using a book code without a physical book, "Only the pirate's navigator knows how to get to the pirate planet",

Originally Posted by Kromm

The effect (half time) and specialization seem fair, but if you're going for non-cinematic effect (only half time, not instant) and requiring specialization, then the roll is unduly punitive. I'd stop after the second sentence. Also, when I dress, putting on and taking off clothing take about the same amount of time, so half-speed disrobing appears to halve the speed of half the task: -25%, not -10%, assuming the clothing is right there. Obviously, getting prettied up afterward is something else again.

I would hazard a guess that when you get changed you usually get the new outfit within reach, unfolded, off hangers, and so on, which also greatly reduces the time required. If you count the time it takes to walk across a bedroom and open drawers, then obviously taking clothes off is going to be a tiny fraction of task of "changing outfits".

Originally Posted by Kromm

I'd go beyond Efficient for this, because it's a much smaller subset of activities than "all skill rolls with a given skill" . . . it's just one of dozens of tasks that Disguise or Professional Skill (Fashion Model) might cover. Looking at Quick Strip, I'd go to -50%. This actually seems about right, if you've ever been backstage at a drag show or a cabaret!!!

I can't see many PCs bothering, but I'd be happy to let this stack multiplicatively: -50% by itself, or -75% in tandem with Quick Change. I've seen skilled dressers and dancers swap complicated costumes (like belly-dance bedlahs, veils, shoes, etc. adorned with coins and beadwork, and sporting multiple belts and fastens) that take 15-20 minutes to don within the length of a drum solo (4-5 minutes).

I actually came up with these perks because I saw a theater performance where an actor completely changed clothes in a ludicrously short time given that it included a dash down a hallway to the dressing room and a quick walk back. How they do it in the theater is: shoes and socks are in place inches from where the actor will stand, the dresser has the pants/skirt over one shoulder and shirt/cloak/belt over the other, the actor pulls off pants/skirt and drops them, while the dresser replaces shoes and socks one leg at a time, the actor pulls off the shirt and maybe pulls on the shirt/cloak/mask/etc, pants go on one leg at a time in the middle of sock/shoe replacement, skirts go on after shoes. It goes even faster if there are two dressers per actor. A good crew can do an entire well-practiced change in seconds.

I've also seen some spy-thrillers where a surveilled target ducks out of sight for a moment to quickly swap clothes and be replaced by a look-alike double. That's what I was trying to emulate - the spy's clothing change so quick that watchers would not even think it could be a different person.

Do you think the edited versions are still too tame? Should I make each of the perks cut the time by half so a crew with all the perks could get it down to 1/8 the usual time?

Originally Posted by Kromm

In general, it's best for perks to be flat bonuses to one's skill or penalties to one's enemies' skills, and to avoid dice-rolling as much as possible. It's also best if they avoid being overspecific . . . a one-point trait really shouldn't require a lot of thinking about number of characters in a password, which hat you're wearing, etc. It should mostly just work.

When I got back to my books and read PU2, I realized how far off some of mine were.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

The original intent of perk was to let the 5 pt EM give access to a specific large block of data (passwords, hyperspace coordinates, memorizing a novel verbatim) without requiring a roll. Then I decided that for a single data block, anybody could buy the perk (I know a guy who memorized the first 1000 digits of pi just to see if he could).

I'm simply leery of any trait that can, if the Bad Guys somehow learn its secret, become worthless. That's a problem with one password or a billion, however strong, if the enemy reads minds or otherwise cheats – that is, if the GM abuses things a little. "Well, they finally cracked it, so your perk goes away" is not a satisfying approach for gaming groups who see points as locked-in goodies similar to Signature Gear. My experience tells me that's the majority of groups. A knack for extemporaneously concocting Passwords O' Doom seems more generically useful, and just calling it a flat -2 to enemy cracking has the effect of preventing the players from abusing it.

Originally Posted by DemiBenson

Do you think the edited versions are still too tame? Should I make each of the perks cut the time by half so a crew with all the perks could get it down to 1/8 the usual time?

I still think they're awfully conservative. Were I asked to draft such perks for, say, GURPS Action – a cinematic genre – I'd want the end result to be near-zero time: if the PC manages to get out of sight, she will be dressed differently when the NPCs turn the corner a turn later. I see what you're saying about prep, but my own inclination would be to have these perks represent knowing all the tricks of prep and executing them as an SOP. Thus, equipment and planning can't improve things further . . . they're abstracted in having and using the perk. I'm a big fan of hand-waving away dice rolls and gear modifiers for things that have a strong dramatic element like this.

I think it's important to assess worth, too. How often will these perks change the game? If they're mostly background color – because the GM will in practice never bother to throw crackers at the PCs and does not care how the PCs are dressed – then they're barely worth a point even if they're nearly godlike in their infallibility.