[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Ill

johndallman · 01-30-2020, 01:47 PM

Self-Destruct [-10] is an exotic physical disadvantage. When you reach the age at which you need to start making ageing rolls, you will make them every day at HT-3, meaning that you will age to death rather rapidly. It is usually found in artificial species, sometimes in combination with:

Short Lifespan [-10/level] is also an exotic physical disadvantage. The age at which you start making aging rolls, and the interval between them, is halved for each level you have. These two disadvantages appeared during the 3e period, for various kinds of android in Robots.

Terminally Ill [-50, -75 or -100] is a mundane physical disadvantage, although it might well have exotic or supernatural causes. You’re going to die soon: within a month for [-100], within a year for [‑75] or two years for [50]. This doom is pretty certain, and if you manage to avert it, you need to buy it off, and/or take compensating disadvantages.

You cannot take both Self-Destruct and Terminally Ill: if the likely time you have left due to Self-Destruct is within the range of Terminally Ill, take that disadvantage. Obviously, these disadvantages are all meaningless if the game is a one-shot or a campaign too short for them to have any effect. They can be effects of injury, such as Terminally Ill for radiation exposure.

These disadvantages are rare on published character templates, though Short Lifespan shows up on many animals, Aliens: Sparrials, and Banestorm dolphins, insect men and octopus folk, among others. Action and similar settings ban Terminally Ill as a point crock in high-lethality games. Lots of Bio-Tech creatures have one or more of these disadvantages, and the book points out that Terminally Ill may not be meaningful in campaigns with very advanced medicine. Disasters: Meltdown and Fallout removes Terminally Ill as an effect of realistic radiation. Fantasy has spirits of specific times that use these disadvantages, and Martial Arts has Terminally Ill as a result of realistic injury. Space discusses size, physiology and lifespan, and Thaumatology: Alchemical Baroque has short-lived ghosts and sapient cats. Zombies . . . has 46 mentions of these disadvantages, and that's enough for me, thanks.

The internal duration of GURPS campaigns, and thus the impact of these disadvantages, seems to vary widely. I’ve played several campaigns that have lasted a few months or a year of game time, and one that’s just passed five years, and have run ones that have had similar durations. Obviously, one can run a long-term campaign in GURPS, although it’s likely to involve a lot of skipped time.

Have these disadvantages seen use in your games?

ericthered · 01-30-2020, 02:27 PM

I've recently become of the opinion that Aging advantages shouldn't be points in 95% of games, and aging disadvantages shouldn't give points back.

If you're playing a thousand year game where one player has a single elf, one player has 4 dwarves, one player has 10 humans, and one player has 20 goblins, so what? Unless the new characters start at the campaign baseline and the elf is allowed to improve the whole game, none of the individual goblins is actually at a disadvantage. In fact, the goblin player might have more in terms of flexibility.

If your character is doomed to die in play, which is an extreme version of these disadvantages, that almost feels like a negative destiny.

That said, I can see some use for terminal illness when limited to reflect a character's need to have some sort of drug or medical treatment. I'm not sure if that's fair or not though.

When I first saw this disadvantage, I got an idea I've never been able to properly use since: a ritual that turns its subject into a fantastic warrior, but will kill him in a matter of months.

~~evileeyore~~ · 01-30-2020, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericthered

I've recently become of the opinion that Aging advantages shouldn't be points in 95% of games, and aging disadvantages shouldn't give points back.

Agreed. I've never seen one allowed to be taken in play that wasn't on a Racial Template.

WingedKagouti · 01-30-2020, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericthered

That said, I can see some use for terminal illness when limited to reflect a character's need to have some sort of drug or medical treatment. I'm not sure if that's fair or not though.

I'd probably use Dependency or Maintenance for those scenarios. There might be cases where Terminally Ill fits better than those, but to me those two feel better gameplay wise.

Self-Destruct and Short Lifespan should in general not be worth points. The only exception is in a campaign with abilities that can (de)age a person to the point where these would be relevant.

RogerBW · 01-31-2020, 03:52 AM

I've used Terminally Ill when a player wanted a character who'd live fast and die in the opening session of the campaign. Otherwise, this stuff is basically colour for me.

Overheat · 01-31-2020, 08:22 AM

I have not used any of these, but the main use for Terminally Ill that I see is with a Mitigator, which is even one of the examples on B112. The concept that you need to get medicine at certain times or your time until death starts counting again is an interesting concept for an adventurer. The GM can ensure that you get enough hassles for your points.

These disadvantages also give a reference point value for when you want to Afflict (or RPM) them on your enemies if you have enough duration and are patient. Also great for BBEG who need people to die from natural-ish causes when they are not around and have not been around for months.

AlexanderHowl · 01-31-2020, 08:30 AM

I only allow Terminally Ill with Mitigator. For example, a character with a pacemaker would have Terminally Ill (<One Month; Mitigator, Pacemaker, -60%) [-40]. If the pacemaker fails, the character will need emergency medical treatment to avoid dying. Another example, a character with a transplant would have Terminally Ill (<One Month; Mitigator, Daily Immuno-Supressent Drugs, -60%) [-40]. If the character fails to take the drugs daily, their immune system starts to destroy their transplanted organ.

In either case, there should be other associated negative traits. In the case of the pacemaker, Very Unfit would be appropriate. In the case of the transplant, Susceptibility to Disease 5 would be appropriate.

01-30-2020, 01:47 PM	#1
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Ill Self-Destruct [-10] is an exotic physical disadvantage. When you reach the age at which you need to start making ageing rolls, you will make them every day at HT-3, meaning that you will age to death rather rapidly. It is usually found in artificial species, sometimes in combination with: Short Lifespan [-10/level] is also an exotic physical disadvantage. The age at which you start making aging rolls, and the interval between them, is halved for each level you have. These two disadvantages appeared during the 3e period, for various kinds of android in Robots. Terminally Ill [-50, -75 or -100] is a mundane physical disadvantage, although it might well have exotic or supernatural causes. You’re going to die soon: within a month for [-100], within a year for [‑75] or two years for [50]. This doom is pretty certain, and if you manage to avert it, you need to buy it off, and/or take compensating disadvantages. You cannot take both Self-Destruct and Terminally Ill: if the likely time you have left due to Self-Destruct is within the range of Terminally Ill, take that disadvantage. Obviously, these disadvantages are all meaningless if the game is a one-shot or a campaign too short for them to have any effect. They can be effects of injury, such as Terminally Ill for radiation exposure. These disadvantages are rare on published character templates, though Short Lifespan shows up on many animals, *Aliens: Sparrials, and Banestorm* dolphins, insect men and octopus folk, among others. *Action* and similar settings ban Terminally Ill as a point crock in high-lethality games. Lots of *Bio-Tech* creatures have one or more of these disadvantages, and the book points out that Terminally Ill may not be meaningful in campaigns with very advanced medicine. *Disasters: Meltdown and Fallout* removes Terminally Ill as an effect of realistic radiation. *Fantasy* has spirits of specific times that use these disadvantages, and *Martial Arts* has Terminally Ill as a result of realistic injury. *Space* discusses size, physiology and lifespan, and *Thaumatology: Alchemical Baroque* has short-lived ghosts and sapient cats. *Zombies* . . . has 46 mentions of these disadvantages, and that's enough for me, thanks. The internal duration of *GURPS* campaigns, and thus the impact of these disadvantages, seems to vary widely. I’ve played several campaigns that have lasted a few months or a year of game time, and one that’s just passed five years, and have run ones that have had similar durations. Obviously, one can run a long-term campaign in *GURPS*, although it’s likely to involve a lot of skipped time. Have these disadvantages seen use in your games? __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.

01-30-2020, 02:27 PM	#2
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Il I've recently become of the opinion that Aging advantages shouldn't be points in 95% of games, and aging disadvantages shouldn't give points back. If you're playing a thousand year game where one player has a single elf, one player has 4 dwarves, one player has 10 humans, and one player has 20 goblins, so what? Unless the new characters start at the campaign baseline and the elf is allowed to improve the whole game, none of the individual goblins is actually at a disadvantage. In fact, the goblin player might have more in terms of flexibility. If your character is doomed to die in play, which is an extreme version of these disadvantages, that almost feels like a negative destiny. That said, I can see some use for terminal illness when limited to reflect a character's need to have some sort of drug or medical treatment. I'm not sure if that's fair or not though. When I first saw this disadvantage, I got an idea I've never been able to properly use since: a ritual that turns its subject into a fantastic warrior, but will kill him in a matter of months. __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!

01-31-2020, 03:52 AM	#5
RogerBW Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: near London, UK	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Il I've used Terminally Ill when a player wanted a character who'd live fast and die in the opening session of the campaign. Otherwise, this stuff is basically colour for me. __________________ Podcast: Improvised Radio Theatre - With Dice Gaming stuff here: Tekeli-li! Blog; Webcomic Laager and Limehouse Buy things by me on Warehouse 23

01-31-2020, 08:22 AM	#6
Overheat Join Date: Nov 2014	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Il I have not used any of these, but the main use for Terminally Ill that I see is with a Mitigator, which is even one of the examples on B112. The concept that you need to get medicine at certain times or your time until death starts counting again is an interesting concept for an adventurer. The GM can ensure that you get enough hassles for your points. These disadvantages also give a reference point value for when you want to Afflict (or RPM) them on your enemies if you have enough duration and are patient. Also great for BBEG who need people to die from natural-ish causes when they are not around and have not been around for months.

01-31-2020, 08:30 AM	#7
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Self-Destruct, Short Lifespan and Terminally Il I only allow Terminally Ill with Mitigator. For example, a character with a pacemaker would have Terminally Ill (<One Month; Mitigator, Pacemaker, -60%) [-40]. If the pacemaker fails, the character will need emergency medical treatment to avoid dying. Another example, a character with a transplant would have Terminally Ill (<One Month; Mitigator, Daily Immuno-Supressent Drugs, -60%) [-40]. If the character fails to take the drugs daily, their immune system starts to destroy their transplanted organ. In either case, there should be other associated negative traits. In the case of the pacemaker, Very Unfit would be appropriate. In the case of the transplant, Susceptibility to Disease 5 would be appropriate.