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Old 11-20-2015, 02:43 PM   #11
Terwin
 
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

Generally, I avoid making self-control rolls unless there is a good RP reason.
And 'good RP reason' is generally something that gives quite a sizable bonus on the roll. (of course if you indulge your disads enough when it is not life-or-death and you probably will not have much difficulty resisting when you must 'I have such a big, beautiful fireplace at home, and if I light these scrolls on fire I'll go to prison where I will not have any fireplace... I guess I can wait half an hour to get home, but I'm going to light up a great big pile of kindling when I get there...')

Fire spells available one town over? Great! I'll be there shortly!

Have a drink? Well, my Dr. said I'm getting Cirrhosis of the liver and another drink may kill me..(roll)

That girl is cute, I'll ask her out!
She is a Princess? Even Better!
With a murderous husband/father/boyfriend? hmm(roll)
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Old 11-20-2015, 02:45 PM   #12
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

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Originally Posted by oneofmanynameless View Post
I generally assume that, as long as the character has a meaningful self-control roll, they are aware of the problem to some extent (although they may not think of it as a problem.) This is because the circumstances under which you make self-control rolls are when you're character things it would be a bad idea to indulge, not just whenever the opportunity arises. However, I think the self-control roll applies whenever you would take an action to avoid indulging [...]

For example, if you were curious and wanted to lock yourself in the back of a truck so you wouldn't have to make any self-control rolls on a journey you'd have to make a self-control roll to do that, "Just think of all the big red buttons I won't be able to learn about if I do this!"
I completely agree. A disadvantage is active all the time. If it has a control number, that means you have a chance to suppress it when acting on it would be dangerous/foolish.

A disadvantage is a defining trait of a GURPS character. The more points it's worth the more importance it play.
That said. A Pyromaniac (15) is only a -2 pts diads. It really shouldn't be a big deal.
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Old 11-21-2015, 03:52 AM   #13
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

I do agree too. Self control means awareness of the disadvantage ... To resist to something, you have to know it exists.

And for the pyromaniac wizard example, I would say that the player can come into play with such a character who don't know any fire spells ... But if there is an occasion to learn one, he will have to make a self control roll to resist. Pyromaniacs love flames ... Learning how to ignite fire magically would surely be terribly tempting for them!
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Old 11-21-2015, 03:58 AM   #14
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

The character would be insane to not at least try to resist. But the player doesn't have to roll and could simply roleplay the pyro as giving in to their urges.
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Old 11-21-2015, 05:33 AM   #15
Gold & Appel Inc
 
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

The smarter somebody is, the better they are at convincing themselves to do things for dumb reasons. The hypothetical pyro with magical aptitude will be more of a threat, the better he potentially is at magic because of his IQ, because he will be more capable of convincing himself that he's only learning fire spells as a preventative measure or something.

Speaking as somebody with a pretty severe phobia, I view it as something legitimately threatening in the moment that I am failing my self control check, but I am self-aware that I was being crazy in retrospect.
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Old 11-21-2015, 11:09 AM   #16
evileeyore
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

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Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc View Post
Speaking as somebody with a pretty severe phobia, I view it as something legitimately threatening in the moment that I am failing my self control check, but I am self-aware that I was being crazy in retrospect.
Exactly. For instance I know Zombies aren't real... but if a movie or video games presents them in a tense moment? Pure panic attack. Also if I start thinking about the existential/spiritual issues? Milder panic attack.
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Old 11-21-2015, 11:11 AM   #17
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

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Originally Posted by Terwin View Post
That girl is cute, I'll ask her out!
She is a Princess? Even Better!
With a murderous husband/father/boyfriend? hmm(roll)
On The Edge and Lecherous... very dangerous combination.
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Old 11-21-2015, 01:15 PM   #18
Maz
 
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On The Edge and Lecherous... very dangerous combination.
Yet extremely common in action heroes.
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Old 11-21-2015, 02:12 PM   #19
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

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Originally Posted by VariousRen View Post
If a character has a metal disadvantage, how aware are they of that disadvantage, and how much can they do to prevent that disadvantage from coming into play?
Almost no disadvantages care either way. That is there is no difference in points whether or not you decide your character is aware of his disadvantage, or whether or not he considers it a problem if he is, nor is there any change in the mechanics for resisting it, that's purely a function of the self control roll.

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For example, if I have a mage who has pyromaniac (SCN 15) does he realise that learning fire spells is a bad idea, and would he have to make a self control roll to turn down the opportunity to learn fire spells?
In the first case, it's not necessarily a bad idea - pyromania isn't the disadvantage of setting fire to anything you can. Can your character believe it is, sure. Can he resist - eh, if he has to learn them through months of study, certainly, forcing you to spend months on something is the territory of Obsession. If the God of Fire offers to grant them to him instantly, I'd want a self control roll to turn them down - a pyromanic should think that would be really neat.

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Or, on the other hand, can the mage purposefully avoid fire spells to ensure that his mental disadvantage comes up far less often?
No, because it doesn't *work*. He still rolls to want to set things on fire in exactly the same situations. If you required a roll to resist you'd require exactly the same roll whether you knew a spell or not. It's just harder to gratify your desire if you fail, which in a sense makes you [worse] off. You're still compelled to set the whatsit on fire, but now you have to work at it.

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Another example would be curiosity during a long over land trip. Would the curious PC be allowed to willingly lock themselves inside a carriage with the windows blocked in order to avoid being drawing towards investigating things as he travels?
Can he? Sure. Would he? Not usually. If you consistently play the character as trying to resist his curiosity, I might let you get away with it, but for most characters that sounds like bad roleplaying penalty territory.

Remember part of the RAW deal for Self Control rolls is that you don't usually even try to resist, you're supposed to play the character in a way consistent with the disadvantage, the control roll is for cases you really need to not do that. I'll let you play them the other way - that is you pretty much *always* try to resist if you want, in which case expect to be forced to roll a lot, but you have to be consistent about it - you better be locking yourself up or otherwise roleplaying looking for ways to restrain yourself at other times too.
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Old 11-21-2015, 03:16 PM   #20
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Default Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages

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Originally Posted by evileeyore View Post
In my games he'd have to check his self control to avoid wanting to learn Fire Spells... because as far as the PC is concerned, fire is awesome and it would be awesome to be able to find/create/control it! Why woudln't he want to learn Fire spells?!?!

If the Player deliberately tried to avoid fire, fire powers, and triggering the disad, I'd make them buy it off.
You're describing pyrophilia there, not pyromania.

Pyromania is just like Kleptomania or any other form of Compulsive Behavior - somebody might be fully aware that doing a particular thing is a Bad Idea or might even hate doing that particular thing, but can't stop himself from doing it.
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