Opposite of Easy to Read

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

One question: is the Always On modifier appropriate here? It doesn't seem all that disadvantageous to have this always working.

Yeah, because otherwise you could cut it on and off. IF you can - just remove Always On, but keep Defensive - unless people being unable to read you means you can't read them as well.

[Lord Azagthoth]

Isn't there already an advantage called "Hard to Read"?

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by Lord Azagthoth

Isn't there already an advantage called "Hard to Read"?

Book and page reference? I checked all the likely sources before asking about this.

[vicky_molokh]

I used to make up a different Alternative Benefit for the Impersonator Talent (-4 to active 'reading' rolls by enemies), but now that I'm looking at Obscure, it seems like a much more straightforward thing.

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

Book and page reference? I checked all the likely sources before asking about this.

To answer my own question: Pyramid #3/51, p. 20 references a perk called Hard to Read (under the Eyeshields entry).

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

One question: is the Always On modifier appropriate here? It doesn't seem all that disadvantageous to have this always working.

I would argue that yes, a "Hard to Read" advantage that is always active is disadvantageous. Most people, in the course of normal social interactions, are going to be looking for various signs of sincerity and truthfulness. In the average interaction, people are open about their own signs, and the people they are communicating with won't need much in the way of skills to read them successfully. Someone who's Hard to Read and can't turn that off is going to throw a lot of that off. It would be reasonable, I feel, for the GM to start imposing reaction penalties for the Hard to Read person when people can't tell whether they're being honest or not.

[GarenLiLorian]

Aren't all those skills opposed by Acting? Seems like, if you want to be good at lying, take the lying skill. Building an advantage to give people penalties to tell if you're lying seems roundabout.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by whswhs

The trouble is that Easy to Read gives bonuses to the skills of the person trying to see through you. Hard to Read logically should give penalties. There are no Talents that modify other people's skills.

That also rules out Resistance modifiers; the Easy to Read doesn't just penalize rolls of your own that could be defined as "resistance rolls."

There are several alternative talent benefits that inflict penalties.

[NineDaysDead]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

I would argue that yes, a "Hard to Read" advantage that is always active is disadvantageous. Most people, in the course of normal social interactions, are going to be looking for various signs of sincerity and truthfulness.

For the same reason Numb [-20] and Immunity to Pain [30] are separate traits, I would separate the reaction penalty from the Hard to Read.

Joe has a flat affect that puts most people off. He has Hard to Read and a Reaction penalty.

Bob outputs whatever microexpressions he wants. He only has Hard to Read.

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by NineDaysDead

For the same reason Numb [-20] and Immunity to Pain [30] are separate traits, I would separate the reaction penalty from the Hard to Read.

Joe has a flat affect that puts most people off. He has Hard to Read and a Reaction penalty.

Bob outputs whatever microexpressions he wants. He only has Hard to Read.

Agreed. As per usual in GURPS, don't confuse the name of the, in this case hypothetical, trait with the mechanics.