[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence - Page 2

Ultraviolet · 10-25-2019, 12:00 AM

Back in our long running 3rd ed Cliffhanger campaign several characters had one or more of Overconfidence and Impulsiveness.

The German nobleman turned foreign legionaire and the Texan stuntman both had Overconfidence and at least one had Impulsiveness

My own character, an Australien archeologist/tough guy had Overconfidence and Jealousy. So whenever one of the others did something impulsive and overfonfident, he was sure he could do it better.

One time, on an arctic adventure, a polar bear was stealing our food from camp. My character was goaded into walking over and taking the food from the jaws of the bear. Needless to say, a fight broke out.

And one time, the group was eacaping from a giant air craft carrier zeppelin. They doused the entire hangar with aviation fuel and prrachuted out. Except the Texan stuntman waited behind, until he saw the fire had really, really lit up. He didn't have to jump, he was thrown.

Gold & Appel Inc · 10-25-2019, 01:09 AM

This is one of the ones I tend to go to, but I play it to the hilt. My PC in tshiggins Facets campaign is one of the best examples. He's not stupid, per se, but he'll wrestle a chupacabra or tackle a gunman to protect his friends because that's what a real friend just does. He's ended up with a gunshot wound in more than one fight scene, among other things. High ht, high will, and a dose of sheer crazy can go far in this bad ol' world, and others.

Gold & Appel Inc · 10-25-2019, 01:16 AM

[QUOTE=Gold & Appel Inc;2292143]This is one of the ones I tend to go to, but I play it to the hilt. My PC in tshiggins Facets campaign is one of the best examples. He's not stupid, per se, but he'll wrestle a chupacabra or tackle a gunman to protect his friends because that's what a real friend just does. He's ended up with a gunshot wound in more than one fight scene, among other things. High ht, high will, and a dose of sheer crazy can go far in this bad ol' world, and others. His team is better at other stuff, and this is a sense of duty combo, so if some ridiculous beast needs to be wrestled while his buddies figure out how to kill it, he's the point man because of course he thinks he can handle it!

~~evileeyore~~ · 10-25-2019, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert

Back in 3e when it was worth 10 points (which now means you have a control roll of 6-, which is pretty painful), it was a no-brainer, because back then I tended to play that way be default, so for me it was nearly free points.

Agreed, Overconfident is one of my 'Standard Set' of Disads that show up on almost every Character I make...

Overconfident, Curious, Impulsive, Laziness. At least one, if not two of these show up on every character... and quite often even if one is not there, I play it up when it isn't a detriment to the Character.

ericthered · 10-25-2019, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WingedKagouti

RAW, Overconfidence should always make a player attempt to take on more difficult tasks than they know their character is capable of handling.

Always? that's a very strong word. And turns a [-5] disadvantage into a death sentence, which is wrong, regardless of the exact wording of RAW. And it isn't the exact wording of RAW.

The self control roll is triggered when the character "Shows an unreasonable degree of caution". The disadvantage is not "Always takes on more than they should". Its not even "Takes every reasonable risk". The character may even show caution, should it be reasonable (like declining a fight to the death with an equal or slightly superior foe they stand to gain little from).

Boge · 10-25-2019, 10:21 AM

We have a player in our group that has overconfidence for Gurps. Even if he doesn't have it on his sheet, he acts as if he did anyway. I think it's because he knows how difficult it actually is to fail in Gurps. But when he is making a dumb and wreckless decision, the GM will often warn him, question him, as if he had Common Sense as well. Then the player will get all upset. It's annoying to be a part of. I'm not a fan of this disadvantage.

Dalin · 10-25-2019, 11:12 AM

This is on a short list of disadvantages that I often put on my own PC character sheets. I also recommend it, almost without reservation, to my players. For many players, it's how they play their characters anyway, so they might as well get points for it.

bocephus · 11-03-2019, 08:07 AM

I run my games a little more easy going because of the generally lower experience levels of my players.

Where I as the GM "force a roll on Overconfidence" comes into play is when I see the character/player at in that pause of decision making and *I as the GM* would like to edge the PCs to 'go for it' I will ask the character to make a will check and let the dice push them #1.

#2 is typically after that if they do manage the roll, the player often considers the decision again as the character and typically they move in that direction.

It has been a very rare occasion that I have wielded the "Your character decides to do X" bomb against the desire of the player, and I am hard pressed to remember ever having done it as anything but a teaching moment about roleplaying disadvantages and why they have cost. This also goes for just about any "will save" disadvantage that realy only manifests as roleplaying IE: Bloodlust, Jealousy, Impulsive, Stubbornness and the like.

All of these disads have CR for a reason, you dont have to remove a players free will to enforce those consequences. I see it as my job to help advance the story by making my GM choices about when to suggest, cajole, enforce or force (force should be a very rarely used tool and always should be discussed after the fact to explain the necessity).

cptbutton · 11-03-2019, 12:24 PM

I was in a GURPS Shadowrun game last night, and intentionally used the PC's Overconfidence roll to decide if I should do the sensible thing or the cool but risky and stupid thing.

Failed both times, but succeeded in jumping off the roof and shooting the deck out of the antagonist's hands. Hey, they said to take him alive...

10-25-2019, 12:00 AM	#11
Ultraviolet Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Århus, Denmark	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence Back in our long running 3rd ed Cliffhanger campaign several characters had one or more of Overconfidence and Impulsiveness. The German nobleman turned foreign legionaire and the Texan stuntman both had Overconfidence and at least one had Impulsiveness My own character, an Australien archeologist/tough guy had Overconfidence and Jealousy. So whenever one of the others did something impulsive and overfonfident, he was sure he could do it better. One time, on an arctic adventure, a polar bear was stealing our food from camp. My character was goaded into walking over and taking the food from the jaws of the bear. Needless to say, a fight broke out. And one time, the group was eacaping from a giant air craft carrier zeppelin. They doused the entire hangar with aviation fuel and prrachuted out. Except the Texan stuntman waited behind, until he saw the fire had really, really lit up. He didn't have to jump, he was thrown. __________________ Playing GURPS since '90, is now fluent in 4th ed as well.

10-25-2019, 01:09 AM	#12
Gold & Appel Inc Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: One Mile Up	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence This is one of the ones I tend to go to, but I play it to the hilt. My PC in tshiggins Facets campaign is one of the best examples. He's not stupid, per se, but he'll wrestle a chupacabra or tackle a gunman to protect his friends because that's what a real friend just does. He's ended up with a gunshot wound in more than one fight scene, among other things. High ht, high will, and a dose of sheer crazy can go far in this bad ol' world, and others.

10-25-2019, 01:16 AM	#13
Gold & Appel Inc Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: One Mile Up	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence [QUOTE=Gold & Appel Inc;2292143]This is one of the ones I tend to go to, but I play it to the hilt. My PC in tshiggins Facets campaign is one of the best examples. He's not stupid, per se, but he'll wrestle a chupacabra or tackle a gunman to protect his friends because that's what a real friend just does. He's ended up with a gunshot wound in more than one fight scene, among other things. High ht, high will, and a dose of sheer crazy can go far in this bad ol' world, and others. His team is better at other stuff, and this is a sense of duty combo, so if some ridiculous beast needs to be wrestled while his buddies figure out how to kill it, he's the point man because of course he thinks he can handle it!

10-25-2019, 10:21 AM	#16
Boge Join Date: Jul 2015	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence We have a player in our group that has overconfidence for Gurps. Even if he doesn't have it on his sheet, he acts as if he did anyway. I think it's because he knows how difficult it actually is to fail in Gurps. But when he is making a dumb and wreckless decision, the GM will often warn him, question him, as if he had Common Sense as well. Then the player will get all upset. It's annoying to be a part of. I'm not a fan of this disadvantage.

10-25-2019, 11:12 AM	#17
Dalin Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Saint Paul, MN	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence This is on a short list of disadvantages that I often put on my own PC character sheets. I also recommend it, almost without reservation, to my players. For many players, it's how they play their characters anyway, so they might as well get points for it.

11-03-2019, 08:07 AM	#18
bocephus Join Date: Apr 2019	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence I run my games a little more easy going because of the generally lower experience levels of my players. Where I as the GM "force a roll on Overconfidence" comes into play is when I see the character/player at in that pause of decision making and I as the GM would like to edge the PCs to 'go for it' I will ask the character to make a will check and let the dice push them #1. #2 is typically after that if they do manage the roll, the player often considers the decision again as the character and typically they move in that direction. It has been a very rare occasion that I have wielded the "Your character decides to do X" bomb against the desire of the player, and I am hard pressed to remember ever having done it as anything but a teaching moment about roleplaying disadvantages and why they have cost. This also goes for just about any "will save" disadvantage that realy only manifests as roleplaying IE: Bloodlust, Jealousy, Impulsive, Stubbornness and the like. All of these disads have CR for a reason, you dont have to remove a players free will to enforce those consequences. I see it as my job to help advance the story by making my GM choices about when to suggest, cajole, enforce or force (force should be a very rarely used tool and always should be discussed after the fact to explain the necessity).

11-03-2019, 12:24 PM	#19
cptbutton Join Date: Jul 2007	Re: [Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Overconfidence I was in a GURPS Shadowrun game last night, and intentionally used the PC's Overconfidence roll to decide if I should do the sensible thing or the cool but risky and stupid thing. Failed both times, but succeeded in jumping off the roof and shooting the deck out of the antagonist's hands. Hey, they said to take him alive... __________________ -- Burma!