Can you learn Empathy?

[Edges]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Yeah, Body Language rarely works at full skill unless you always meet people naked under bright lights. Clothes, darkness, a strategically held briefcase, etc. are all it takes for the skill to become merely so-so. In my secret-agent game, Detect Lies – nearly always at +3 for Empathy and with Smooth Operator bonuses – is the overwhelming favorite not just for the bonuses, but for the lack of penalties. And setting aside the bonus/penalty issue, spies listen to conversations via wiretaps and bugs all the time, and often talk to mysterious tipsters on the phone . . .

Cool. I get it.

As an aside, secret agents with Empathy... sounds like an interesting game.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Edges

As an aside, secret agents with Empathy... sounds like an interesting game.

I often pimp the session-by-session recaps. If you prefer "What happened?" to "What dice rolls were made?" (I loathe the latter in campaign reiterations, and refuse to do it), then take a look. Cool is in the eye of the beholder.

But Empathy isn't a particularly odd ability for secret agents. Of course, you have to accept that it's "realistic" – and the rules say it is, so if I allow a 5'2", 90-lb. twig-girl to have ST 12, then I should allow Empathy. After that, it fits. It has nothing to do with being empathetic or even giving a darn about others. It's very specifically the trait of being a living, breathing lie detector and knowing how to second-guess others . . . incredibly useful to interrogators and intimidators of all stripes. What we tend to call "empathy" in the real world is some combination of Charitable, Pacifism, Selfless, and Sense of Duty, I suppose.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by ciaran_skye

Where might Sociology fall into the mix? I've always considered it more or less "psychology applied to large groups of people" which has been proved many times isn't the same as when psychology is applied to individuals or even small groups. (Of course where "small group" ends and "large group" begins is very vague and an apartment building might be considered a "small group" in one case where an equal population neighborhood might be "large" in another.)

Sociology describes the behavior of individuals in groups, organizations, and societies. In doing so, it treats the internal mental state and processes of the individuals as a "black box." Psychology attempts to model what's actually in the black box.

Bill Stoddard

[hal]

There is one further advantage that Empathy grants - not listed thus far in this discussion...

People with Empathy can learn healing spells despite not having Magery.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by hal

There is one further advantage that Empathy grants - not listed thus far in this discussion...

People with Empathy can learn healing spells despite not having Magery.

And, despite Kromm's notes on Empathy in 4e, can't immediately shoot kiddie monsters in 3e's Flight 13. :)

[hal]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

And, despite Kromm's notes on Empathy in 4e, can't immediately shoot kiddie monsters in 3e's Flight 13. :)

Maybe this is a hold-over from GURPS 3e, but doesn't one with EMPATHY also get to roll versus IQ to determine if a person is possessed?

[Dinadon]

Originally Posted by hal

There is one further advantage that Empathy grants - not listed thus far in this discussion...

People with Empathy can learn healing spells despite not having Magery.

You forgot to carry the 1 :)

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by hal

Maybe this is a hold-over from GURPS 3e, but doesn't one with EMPATHY also get to roll versus IQ to determine if a person is possessed?

Funny, heh?

(Actually, IIRC they weren't possessed - they were just monsters which vaguely resembled children in the dark.)

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

And, despite Kromm's notes on Empathy in 4e, can't immediately shoot kiddie monsters in 3e's Flight 13. :)

Well they can. It's just that the other passengers may react by shooting the crazy guy.

[panton41]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

And, despite Kromm's notes on Empathy in 4e, can't immediately shoot kiddie monsters in 3e's Flight 13. :)

I could see my group doing this scenario and someone saying:

There are motherf***ing kiddie monsters on this motherf***ing plane!