11-23-2015, 12:11 PM | #41 | |
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
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CR is about being forced to do something even if it's in your best interested not to, choosing when to roll against your CR is about when your character views it in their best interest not to give in. This is such a powerful idea for roleplaying that it seems a shame to waste it and say "just buy off the disadvantage". What would you do in the case of an imposed disadvantage? If a player is bitten by a werewolf, and gains bloodlust CR 15, should they just immediately give into that in the name of "good roleplaying"? The wild barbarian might, but the fallen paladin would resist at every turn and attempt every single self control roll. The paladin is no more or less valid in their roleplaying attempts as the barbarian. As a side note, everyone should try to avoid their disadvantages being disadvantages. The guy with Honesty shouldn't be the mouth piece of the group, the guy with klutz shouldn't be the demolitions expert, the guy with miserly shouldn't be the quartermaster. If you are playing a mismatched character because it's interesting, you better make sure the entire group understands and agrees with that. As a player, it is incredibly annoying to watch your own character die because someone else said "haha, a klutz demo man, what a laugh!".
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I run a low fantasy GURPS game: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdo...YLkfnhr3vYXpFg World details on Obsidian Portal: https://the-fall-of-brekhan.obsidian...ikis/main-page |
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11-23-2015, 01:23 PM | #42 |
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
You could actually give the PC a point for every successful roll to resist, and the PC could only spend the point to buy off the disad.
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11-23-2015, 01:37 PM | #43 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
I'd say it's fine to try to resist all (or almost all) of the time as long as you roleplay it in a meaningful way. Particularly with things like alcoholism. I mean if you write-up the lead character of Elementary you have to give to give a disad representing his substance abuse problem because it does represent a big part of his character, but the fact is he does try to resist it almost all the time with a high resistance value. It's just that he ends up going to "meetings" after making his resistance roll.
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11-23-2015, 01:48 PM | #44 |
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South Dakota, USA
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
Okay, caught up unless someone posts while I am typing.
It can be hard to tell when some people are talking about role-playing or roll-playing; the downside of convenient word play is that such a typo is so common with less clever homophones that happen naturally, like "canon" and "cannon". Disadvantages are worth points because they inconvenience the player. Role-playing certainly can be a harsh mistress, demanding of you actions that seem far in excessive of a Disadvantages value and there is that "funny place" where the rules seem to struggle to distinguish between two people just as likely to submit to a negative trait when tested but one is gleefully indulging except in the worst of circumstances while the other attempts to resist any time it comes up... and both can be examples of good role-playing because different characters call for one of those approaches. I would like a good means of mechanically distinguishing the two but until I find one, it simply boils down to make sure which ever approach is correct for the character, the player follows it while making sure the Disadvantage points are still being "earned". It certainly is not an exact science, but something the GM and players must learn to agree upon. Otherwise once that is all settled, I would require an SC check for a character to go along with plans to help him, her or it avoid being exposed to temptation, and if it takes long enough, additional rolls to keep agreeing to it. This can be good role-playing; ever had someone say "Remind me not to ____." but after a bit they grow annoyed at you because you did just that? =P Thinking up such constraints on your own may require an SC check both at the moment of devising the plan (to avoid abandoning it because "Why bother?" or sabotaging it either consciously or subconsciously) and then to go along with it. If there are certain simple, common measures, buying a Standard Operating Perk seems appropriate; you got points back from the Disadvantage, but if you want to minimize the risk you can pay points, so that the net effect is the Disadvantage isn't as disadvantageous but its okay because the points involved reflect this. Just make sure that each S.O.P. is neither too broad nor to narrow (players tend to have an issue with the former, GMs an issue with the latter).
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My GURPS Fourth Edition library consists of Basic Set: Characters, Basic Set: Campaigns, Martial Arts, Powers, Powers: Enhanced Senses, Power-Ups 1: Imbuements, Power-Ups 2: Perks, Power-Ups 3: Talents, Power-Ups 4: Enhancements, Power-Ups 6: Quirks, Power-Ups 8: Limitations, Powers, Social Engineering, Supers, Template Toolkit 1: Characters, Template Toolkit 2: Races, one issue of Pyramid (3/83) a.k.a. Alternate GURPS IV, GURPS Classic Rogues, and GURPS Classic Warriors. Most of which was provided through the generosity of others. Thanks! :) |
11-23-2015, 05:29 PM | #45 | |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
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An imposed disad isn't 'free character points'. If I impose a disad on a character I'm fine with the character doing everything they can to avoid having it trigger, without expecting them to (eventually) buy it off. But ex-street thief guy with Kleptomania (CR:15)? If they always roll, then yes eventually they need to buy it off. Eventually. |
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11-23-2015, 06:41 PM | #46 | |
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
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It seems to me like the disadvantage you are talking about is actually a separate one. Basing it off of a OPH actually seems like a good place to start. OPH(I only need to hold my self back when it's life or death), or some variation of that that captures the idea that you only resist in very obviously dangerous/unbeneficial situations. The reaction penalty would fit very well for role playing as well as people get fed up with you not even trying to stop yourself. For example: Mark the recovered cat-burglar (Klepto, CR 15) might swipe an ash tray every few weeks, but at least he brings them back in the morning with a note and a fiver. Rick (Klepto, CR 15, OPH 3) comes in here every single night and grabs anything he can fit under his coat, and then calls the cops on us for refusing to serve him!
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I run a low fantasy GURPS game: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdo...YLkfnhr3vYXpFg World details on Obsidian Portal: https://the-fall-of-brekhan.obsidian...ikis/main-page |
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11-23-2015, 08:21 PM | #47 | ||||
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
Because a disadvantage that is not an actual disadvantage is tautologically speaking, not a disadvantage.
And thus, as far as I'm concerned, worth 0 character points. Quote:
That's what I'm talking about. Disads that become pure 'RP Spotlighting', there is no (or at worst minimal) risk to the character. Quote:
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Even if caught swiping the ashtray (unless it's an expensive ashtray) the worst he'll face is banned from the restaurant. He faces no serious risk from his behavior. If he also faces the rsik of "Will swipe expensive stuff in high-end retail shops", then yes it's a disadvantage. If however he always chooses to roll the Control check and always succeeds in the 'high risk' shops... eventually I'll want the Player to buy the disad down to quirk level. If the only risk he wants the character to be facing is minimal, the only points it's worth are minimal. |
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11-23-2015, 09:21 PM | #48 | |
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
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An interesting idea is to require a player to always role a CR, even if they don't plan on resisting. When they succeed, it's clear to them (maybe not everyone around them) that they have the choice to do something else. This ensures that everyone is getting the same forced game play out of their disadvantage. It also allows anyone who wishes to play it to the hilt because that's their characters personality (but NOT their disadvantage) to do so. And GURPS has always been, well... a set of guidelines more so than actual rules.
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I run a low fantasy GURPS game: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdo...YLkfnhr3vYXpFg World details on Obsidian Portal: https://the-fall-of-brekhan.obsidian...ikis/main-page |
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11-24-2015, 09:13 AM | #49 | ||
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South Dakota, USA
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Re: Being self aware of mental disadvantages
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Anyone want to chime in if I've got that correct? Quote:
The player that falls in the middle? Wanting a character that is an alcoholic but hates being one and thus constantly tries to resist? In real life that has consequences as people begin to doubt your sincerity and is likely incredibly depressing/frustrating. Making sure the game reflects such things seems like it should offset the "gain" of always resisting but never actually buying off/buying down the trait. At least until someone tells me how they've tried this but it doesn't work (and why it doesn't work). ;)
__________________
My GURPS Fourth Edition library consists of Basic Set: Characters, Basic Set: Campaigns, Martial Arts, Powers, Powers: Enhanced Senses, Power-Ups 1: Imbuements, Power-Ups 2: Perks, Power-Ups 3: Talents, Power-Ups 4: Enhancements, Power-Ups 6: Quirks, Power-Ups 8: Limitations, Powers, Social Engineering, Supers, Template Toolkit 1: Characters, Template Toolkit 2: Races, one issue of Pyramid (3/83) a.k.a. Alternate GURPS IV, GURPS Classic Rogues, and GURPS Classic Warriors. Most of which was provided through the generosity of others. Thanks! :) |
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Tags |
curious, disadvantage, mental disadvantage, pyromaniac |
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