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Old 01-10-2020, 03:45 AM   #1
johndallman
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Default [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

Revulsion [-5, -10 or -15] is a physical disadvantage that appeared at GURPS 4e. It is normally supernatural, but mundane versions are possible, to represent extreme allergies and similar conditions. It was created as a generalisation of the 3e disadvantages Allergic Susceptibility and Cyber-Rejection.

You have an extreme reaction to some substance that is reasonably harmless to normal people. The value of the disadvantage depends on how common the substance is. Very common substances are [-15] reasonably common ones [-10] and occasional ones [-5]. The examples on p. B151 seem to be for TL8 temperate environments; at lower TLs, smoke and wood would often be more common than metal.

If you breathe or touch the substance, you need to make a HT roll. On a failure, you have a -5 penalty to all attributes and skills for 10 minutes. Ingesting the substance is worse: if you fail the HT roll, you’re at -5 to attributes and -10 to skills for 10 minutes. While this reaction is likely to make you determined to avoid the substance, this disadvantage is different from Dread: you can think about it, make plans, use protective equipment, and so on.

Revulsion can be a Temporary Disadvantage side-effect of Discriminatory Smell, and is often used to add supernatural weaknesses to monsters: Horror has some examples for ghosts and werewolves, and Power-Ups 6 has quirk-level versions.

I don’t think I’ve ever used Revulsion as a GM, and certainly not as a player. Looking at it has caused me to realise that afflicting it could be quite useful; what uses has it seen in your games?
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Old 01-10-2020, 05:20 PM   #2
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

Could one use it for a substance with an analogous property to that which kryptonite exerts on Superman in a supers, or similar, setting?
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Old 01-10-2020, 05:23 PM   #3
johndallman
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

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Originally Posted by Ezra View Post
Could one use it for a substance with an analogous property to that which kryptonite exerts on Superman in a supers, or similar, setting?
Sounds plausible to me.
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Old 01-10-2020, 05:24 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

It seems a good candidate for tacking on afflictions as well.
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Old 01-10-2020, 09:16 PM   #5
Rupert
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

I've never seen it in play.

Reading the description immediately brings up some questions. It seems obvious (but isn't spelled out) that after a failed HT roll if still in contact with the stuff after 10 minutes you'd roll again. It's not clear how often you recheck if you made your roll. I'd assume every 10 minutes until you get away from the stuff.

After experience with high point-value characters with monster HT levels, I'd like to see an HT penalty that gets worse every time you make the roll to resist, to stop HT 16+ characters ignoring the disad for hours at a time.

It also seems like the sort of thing where some degrees of severity might be in order.
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Old 01-11-2020, 12:46 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

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Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
After experience with high point-value characters with monster HT levels, I'd like to see an HT penalty that gets worse every time you make the roll to resist, to stop HT 16+ characters ignoring the disad for hours at a time.

It also seems like the sort of thing where some degrees of severity might be in order.
Well, borrowing the Reliable enhancement (Powers p. 109) might be a start.

Being able to Afflict against something very common seems like a potential fight-ender: in the high-tech games I tend to play and run where people don't run up their HT to high levels, 15 points to take someone out of the fight with a failed HT roll is a great bargain.
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Old 01-12-2020, 03:02 AM   #7
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Revulsion

Revulsion is derived from "Repelled by Garlic" in GURPS 3E Vampire: The Masquerade Companion.

As you might guess given its origins, it's occasionally useful when designing supernatural critters. For example, spirits which are weakened by the presence of holy incense or vampires which are weakened by the smell of garlic.

With a slight tweak (swap hearing for smell/taste), it's useful for modeling creatures which are vulnerable to exposure to other ordinarily harmless sounds, such as the Martians in the "Mars Attacks" movie who were weakened by exposure to Slim Whitman's yodeling or Star Trek Ferengi who are incapacitated by exposure to loud, high-pitched sounds.

My problems with it are that it isn't leveled and there isn't much supporting RAW material to help define what should be a very generic and flexible disad.

Why not why not just a clean -1, -2, or -3 point cost per -1/-2 in penalties up to a maximum penalty of -5 or so?

Do penalties vary based on degree of exposure?
What happens if exposure lasts for more than 10 minutes? Do you get another HT roll?

It also seems like a good candidate for some of the special enhancements and limitations associated with the True Faith advantage or the Affliction, Vulnerability, or Weakness disads. That way you could define Revulsion so that inflicts Irritating or Incapacitating Hazards on its victims rather than just a flat penalty.
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