ST 8 ( -20 ) is an Disadvantage?

[Tornado]

ST 8 ( -20 ) count at the limit of Disandvantage?? Example, my group is creating a new game with -100 limit of disandvantage. The -20 from ST 8 count as this total?

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Tornado

ST 8 ( -20 ) count at the limit of Disandvantage?? Example, my group is creating a new game with -100 limit of disandvantage. The -20 from ST 8 count as this total?

Ask the GM.

In general yes, anything with a negative point value counts for that limit, but not all GMs do count attributes, and the disadvantage limit is explicitly an optional rule GMs are encouraged to do whatever seems appropriate with.

[Bruno]

The rule is that anything with a net negative cost is a Disadvantage and counts towards whatever disadvantage limit is being used.

If your GM is using a disadvantage limit, and has not decided to change the ruling, then ST 8 is a -20 disadvantage, and if you have IQ 11, buying your Will down to 10 is a -5 disadvantage.

Your GM may always choose to change rules, but they should tell you if they have - then you follow what rule they choose instead. But this is the "standard".

[David Johnston2]

Note however that a racial template may contain negative attribute values and still be a net advantage.

[edk926]

It depends on what the GM rules. If it was up to me, I'd say any attribute below 10 is a disadvantage. So I would say ST - 8 is a disadvantage but not a Will or Per being below IQ provided they were at least 10.

[Gollum]

As Bruno said it, if you follow the rules as they are written, anything with a negative cost (including reduced attributes) is a disadvantage and count towards the disadvantage limit.

"A disadvantage is anything with a negative cost, including low attributes, reduced social status, and all the specific disabilities listed in Chapter 3." (Basic Set, Character, page 11).

Then, the answer is yes, the -20 points for ST 8 has to be taken into account in the -100 points limit assessed by your GM.

Now, Disadvantage Limit is an optional rule. All rules in GURPS are optional, of course, but that one is explicitly written as optional.

"In theory, you could keep adding disadvantages until you had enough points to buy whatever advantages and skills you wanted. In practice, most GMs will want to set a limit on the disadvantage points a PC may have." (Basic Set, Character, page 11).

So, it is an "optional optional" rule. Your GM is free to ignore it.

Rules even give some precisions:

"However, if the GM rules that all PCs must have certain disadvantages (e.g., all the PCs are spies, with a Duty to their agency), these “campaign disadvantages” should not count against the disadvantage limit. Disadvantages that are part of your racial makeup (your “racial template”; see p. 260) are also exempt." (Basic Set, Character, page 11).

And, in an another thread, one poster* said something which sounded very interesting: if a player wanted to play a very bright character, a genius, but not one with a high Will and a high Perception, the reduced Will and Per shouldn't count toward the disadvantage limit because the purpose is not to take a disadvantage, it is to take an advantage (a very high IQ) with a limitation (no high Will and Per).

So, as everyone said above, the best think to do is to ask to your GM. He has the final word here. As for anything else, actually.

_____

* Sorry, I don't remember who exactly.