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Old 08-10-2018, 06:01 AM   #1
johndallman
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Default [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

Easy to Read [-10] is a mundane mental disadvantage, although its effects are physical. You have “very expressive body language” which gives away your true feelings. This is crippling for anyone who bluffs or deceives for a living, such as con-men, gamblers or spies. Other people have +4 to their IQ, Detect Lies or Gambling rolls in contests with your Acting, Fast-Talk or Gambling when you try to lie or bluff. Others also get +4 to their Empathy, Body Language or Psychology rolls to discover your intentions or feelings. This disadvantage appeared during the 3e period, but I’m not sure just where.

This is not Truthfulness. You don’t have to have an objection to lying, you just aren’t any good at it. If you do have Truthfulness, its Fast-Talk penalty applies in addition to the penalties for this trait. Easy to Read can be bought off, if you’re willing to pay the points, and practice your deception.

This is a surprisingly common disadvantage option in the Discworld RPG, which befits the literal-mindedness that’s common there. Other GURPS supplements use it on templates for straightforward types, including youths, and for characters who are more knowledge- than people-orientated. Horror makes it a possible symptom of insanity, and Madness Dossier, naturally, has drugs to cause it. Power-Ups 2 points out its usefulness as a Controllable Disadvantage, and Psionic Campaigns has the psychic version.

I’ve found this to be a disadvantage that I can easily live with on characters who aren’t intended to be “face” types. It makes honesty obvious, and I have a starship engineer who feels that’s a good idea when making plans for dealing with antimatter.

Has this disadvantage been seen in your games?
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Old 08-10-2018, 12:04 PM   #2
evileeyore
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

I've found it's far more likely for Truthfulness to appear on Characters than Easy to Read. Why? Well, in my case it's because if I'm going the 'isn't going to lie' route with a Character it's just that much more 'direct' and it's less 'limiting'. You can still Gamble!

As for the Players in my campaigns? I'm not sure, but it could be down to the fact that Truthfulness is less points* and has an activation roll so they may feel it's less likely to interfere with their Character's attempts to lie or deceive should they 'have to'.



* I weigh disad costs when deciding how much leeway the PC should get in 'getting around' their disad.
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Old 08-10-2018, 12:19 PM   #3
Flyndaran
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

It should have a slight benefit to reputation as people learn you're an open book. Even Honest people can sometimes be dishonest by choice, but Easy To Read people can't just stop being so.
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Old 08-10-2018, 12:59 PM   #4
evileeyore
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Even Honest people can sometimes be dishonest by choice, but Easy To Read people can't just stop being so.
Actually... according to Basic, Easy to Read can be bought off. I presume that line was added specifically for ye olde Easy To Read naive youngsters who grow up to be shady adventures.
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Old 08-10-2018, 02:07 PM   #5
Flyndaran
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

Everything can be bought off with the right justification and setting. But I did forget about it being specifically mentioned in this disad.

Generally with how extremely important deception is in normal human socialization, I find it rather unlikely someone could make it to adulthood with this problem if it was possible to educate oneself out of. The unmodified full version at least.
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Old 08-10-2018, 02:10 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

I've heard that the Eldar from Warhammer 40,000 would have it just because they're huge drama queens who over-express all their emotions
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Old 08-10-2018, 02:40 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

I see one way in which this definitely isn't free points for a non-face character: if they're present during a negotiation, even if not actively participating, I think it would be fair to say that they may give away more than their party's negotiator would like.

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
It should have a slight benefit to reputation as people learn you're an open book.
That would be represented by the Honest Face perk I believe.
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Old 08-10-2018, 02:48 PM   #8
Flyndaran
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

It certainly makes sense for it to be a learned trait for cultures that despise deception in all forms even where we would consider it basic "politeness".
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Old 08-10-2018, 03:19 PM   #9
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

I have made it work for a face, a Heroic Knight type. Diplomacy, Charisma & Appearance worked together. But also because he had Charitable, Code of Honour, Compulsive Generosity, Honesty (until he bought it off to fight against slavery), Sense of Duty, Truthfulness, and a few other "good guy" disadvantages.

And it was helpful for people to realise that yes he really was that well-meaning and sincere and really wanted to do good. It made gaining people's trust easier.

Playing through the recent God of War game made me realise Kratos probably has this. He doesn't seem to have a moral aversion to lying, but he has such a complete lack of subtlety that any attempt at deception is obvious, and the only reason it tends to stand is because people are too intimidated to push the matter with him. I think it can be a great way to represent the mentality of someone who is so direct that they are fundamentally unsuited to tricking people without necessarily being too moral for it.
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Old 08-10-2018, 03:24 PM   #10
Flyndaran
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Default Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Easy to Read

Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerBW View Post
...
That would be represented by the Honest Face perk I believe.
I don't think so as that means people automatically trust your motives. My idea is that people "trust" you to be blatant with your motives, not that they trust you to always have good motives.
It can easily be a devil you know kind of thing. Or trusting a scorpion to be a scorpion.
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