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Old 09-11-2018, 05:36 AM   #1
johndallman
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Default [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

Flashbacks refers to "stress-related disadvantages," in the sense of ones that can trigger under when the character is under stress. Phantom Voices, which is conceptually related, also refers to such disadvantages.

The disadvantages that mention triggering under stress in Basic are: Bad Temper, Berserk, Epilepsy, Flashbacks, Insomnia, Phantom Voices, Phobias, Split Personality, and Stress Atavism.

Tactical Shooting's section on "Shell Shock," p. 34 has a longer, non-exhaustive, list of disadvantages that can be acquired through stress: Amnesia, Bad Temper, Cannot Speak, Chronic Depression, Combat Paralysis, Confused, Cowardice, Fearfulness, Flashbacks, Insomniac, Loner, Manic-Depressive, Nightmares, On the Edge, Paranoia, Phobias, Post-Combat Shakes, and Stress Atavism. Addiction and Alcoholism are common "self-medicating" consequences of stress.

It's probably futile to try to make a comprehensive list of stress-related disadvantages, because that depends on the setting, GM, and character history, but I'd be interested in opinions on other disadvantages that can be stress-related.
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Old 09-11-2018, 06:42 AM   #2
RogerBW
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
It's probably futile to try to make a comprehensive list of stress-related disadvantages, because that depends on the setting, GM, and character history, but I'd be interested in opinions on other disadvantages that can be stress-related.
I think that practically any mental disadvantage could be triggered by stress (e.g. Absent-Mindedness), as could any physical disadvantage that can be kept partly under control by mental effort (e.g. Bad Back), as could some of the symptoms of any physical disadvantage (e.g. Bad Sight). And that's just from the first two pages.

I think the best way to model this would be to have a "triggered by stress" limitation, and to remove the "stressful situation" text from the individual disadvantages.
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Old 09-11-2018, 07:52 AM   #3
ericthered
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

I'm not sure if the rule is talking about disadvantages that are triggered by stress or ones that cause stress. I lean towards stress causers myself.
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Old 09-12-2018, 06:25 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

Some years ago, I got hold of a copy of DSM IV and worked out PTSD in GURPS terms. Depending on the origin and severity, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome consists of three or more of the following disadvantages: Absent-Minded; Bad Temper; Berserk, Callous; Chummy/Gregarious; Compulsive Behavior; Confused; Chronic Depression; Chronic Pain; Cowardice; Delusion; Guilt Complex ; Fearfulness; Flashbacks; Insomnia; Hallucinations; Laziness; Light Sleeper; Loner; Low Empathy; Low Self-Image; Nightmares; On The Edge; Odious Personal Habit; Paranoia; Phobia; Shyness; Slave Mentality; Split Personality; Stress Atavism.

Bad Temper, Callous, Chronic Depression, Fearfulness, Laziness, Phobias, and Shyness are very common symptoms of PTSD, and are especially likely to manifest if you are forced to recall traumatic events.

Callous, Laziness, and Shyness represent general social awkwardness, as well as a sense of “disconnectedness” that makes it hard to PTSD sufferers to relate to others. In some cases, however, traits such as Absent-Minded, Confused or Low Empathy better model those symptoms.

Combat Veterans are likely to have Bad Temper, Callous, Delusions ("I am in a combat zone and must act accordingly"), Guilt Complex, Insomnia, Laziness, Light Sleeper, Loner, Low Empathy, Nightmares, On The Edge, and Phobias (Blood, Death, and/or Loud Noises).

Victims of non-combat trauma, such as an automobile accident, disaster, or violent crime might have Compulsive Behavior, Fearfulness, Flashbacks (to the traumatic event), Insomnia, Light Sleeper, Nightmares, Phobias associated with the traumatic event (e.g., Cars for a victim of an auto accident).

Victims of Complex PTSD who have suffered from prolonged imprisonment, slavery, torture, or abuse are likely to have traits such as Bad Temper, Callous, Chummy/Gregarious, Chronic Depression, Compulsive Behavior, Guilt Complex, Insomnia, Laziness, Light Sleeper, Low Empathy, Low Self-Image, Nightmares, On The Edge, Phobias (related to the circumstances of their abuse or captivity) and Shyness.

In extreme cases, survivors of PTSD will have traits such as Flashbacks, Hallucinations, and/or Split Personality.

Addictions, Alcoholism, Code of Honor, Disciplines of Faith, and Workaholic are common "adaptive" mechanism used by survivors of PTSD to deal with their problems.

Last edited by Pursuivant; 09-12-2018 at 06:33 PM.
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Old 09-12-2018, 07:19 PM   #5
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

Constant prolonged stress can lead to auto-immune disorders. I don’t know what that would count as in GURPS. Reduced DX, HT, Fatigue, unfit?
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Old 09-13-2018, 12:31 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

I think we're confusing a few things here.
  1. Things that are caused by stress (often chronic stress, but acute stress as well). Character fails a fright check and gains a disad, character keeps crit failing HT rolls and accumulating problems, whatever.
  2. Things that represent suffering acute stress from situations that don't normally count as acute stress, including "nothing at all".
  3. Things that represent a mal-adaptive stress response, which may cause your stress to escalate instead of de-escalate (Among other problems).


The list of "Bad Temper, Berserk, Epilepsy, Flashbacks, Insomnia, Phantom Voices, Phobias, Split Personality, and Stress Atavism" are type 2 and type 3, and are I would say type 3 is most relevant for Phantom Voices and Flashbacks triggering, but many type 3 disads are also type 2 so it's a little vague. For example phobias make you suffer stress when exposed to things that don't normally stress people without that phobia, but then you also risk having an extreme response (failure on the SCR = one way trip to the fright check table)

A related situation are the disadvantages that make you act out as if suffering from Bad Temper, and the way that interacts with Berserk - not the same list that triggers Flashbacks/Phantom Voices, but a similar problem.

Type 1 disads are not relevant to Flashbacks, Phantom Voices, or Berserk, except that stress is a great way to pick up Type 2 and Type 3 disads. Phobias, again, give you a chance to collect more Type 1 disads.

A couple of side notes:
Bad temper and (even more so) Berserk are really serious examples of type 3 (Berserk even more so than Bad Temper) - Bad Temper is an explosive personality, Berserk means you deal with some kinds of stress with a complete meltdown. Bad Temper + Berserk means you deal with just about everything with a complete meltdown.
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Old 09-16-2018, 01:56 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

Quote:
Originally Posted by Culture20 View Post
Constant prolonged stress can lead to auto-immune disorders. I don’t know what that would count as in GURPS. Reduced DX, HT, Fatigue, unfit?
I'd treat it as generalized reduced HT, although no more than a -1 reduction.

Adding to the list of potential physical symptoms associated with prolonged stress: Overweight/Fat and Susceptibility (Disease).
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Old 09-16-2018, 02:10 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Basic] Stress-related disadvantages

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Originally Posted by Bruno View Post
Type 1 disads are not relevant to Flashbacks, Phantom Voices, or Berserk, except that stress is a great way to pick up Type 2 and Type 3 disads. Phobias, again, give you a chance to collect more Type 1 disads.
Sadly, GURPS-style Flashbacks are a potential symptom of severe PTSD. They can be directly caused by extreme emotional trauma, ditto for Split Personality (in the form of Disassociative Identity Disorder) and sometimes the conditions are linked. Phantom Voices isn't so likely, but auditory hallucinations where you believe you are hearing certain sounds are possible.

In GURPS terms, those traits might be taken with a triggering condition limitation. Normally, you're unaffected by your disadvantage, but in certain situations you're almost certain to be triggered.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno View Post
Bad temper and (even more so) Berserk are really serious examples of type 3 (Berserk even more so than Bad Temper) - Bad Temper is an explosive personality, Berserk means you deal with some kinds of stress with a complete meltdown. Bad Temper + Berserk means you deal with just about everything with a complete meltdown.
Bad Temper isn't an unreasonable disadvantage for a "normal" person if its got a relatively high SCR. Intermittent Explosive Disorder and Episodic Dyscontrol Syndrome are probably best modeled by Bad Temper with a low SCR and/or Berserk.
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