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Old 12-12-2018, 06:06 AM   #21
Rupert
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

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Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
I've also noticed that players often want Appearance and Charisma not so much for any possible game benefits, but because they want their PCs to be gorgeous, charming and fascinating. After all, you can tell protagonists by how everyone notices them, thinks about them, reacts to them and considers them important. High Reaction Bonuses are a game-mechanical way to represent that.
Some of mine are like that too. Others don't seem to care much about that (and then often get annoyed when their mighty leader is ignored in favour of the PC that is attractive, charming, and suave).
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I use Reaction Rolls in my campains, but I'm pretty free with penalties for situation. If the PCs waft in like presumptuous Prima Donnas who are expecting NPCs to drop everything to help them, taking risks on their behalf, getting involved in their famous feuds and angering their infamous enemies, etc., that will be worth hefty penalties.
One of my players fairly regularly describes his PC's approach to dealing with an NPC in a way that I can't see doing anything but getting everyone's backs up. He attracts seriously penalties to reaction and Diplomacy rolls for this.
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Heck, just typical PCs behaviour where everyone armed and harnessed at all times, 100% on alert even when among friendly villagers in a supposedly safe area, will be worth a hefty Reaction penalty. And if the PCs, as they often do, travel with allies and companions that average people consider outlaw bandits at best, man-eating monsters at worst (e.g. PCs who aren't clearly regular humans related or at least personally known to someone local), that's more penalties.
My players try to avoid doing this when they feel that local reactions will matter. When they don't care, they just send in the heavily armed thugs, and let the ships fall where they may. This has cost them dearly more than once.
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Old 12-12-2018, 07:12 AM   #22
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

Even without predetermined reactions, I do not think that people will change their principles or their ethics for PCs with high reaction modifiers. A mother may invite the PC to eat dinner with her children but would not invite the PC to eat her children for dinner. Adversaries may be willing to not torture and execute the PC when captured, but they will probably not let the PC go with any of their equipment (to some adversaries, stripping the PC nude before letting them go unharmed may be the height of mercy).
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Old 12-12-2018, 07:50 AM   #23
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

One "houserule" of mine is, when Player Characters earn a good reaction role (or succeed at an influence roll), but the NPCs' duty, morals, or whatever still require them to oppose the PC, to give the NPCs penalties to any success roles in their attempt to do so (they're trying to stop the PCs, but they're feeling conflicted about it). I feel like this strikes a useful balance between making Reaction Bonus advantages conditionally useless and making them behave like mind control.
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Old 12-12-2018, 08:23 AM   #24
vicky_molokh
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

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Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
One of my players fairly regularly describes his PC's approach to dealing with an NPC in a way that I can't see doing anything but getting everyone's backs up. He attracts seriously penalties to reaction and Diplomacy rolls for this.
My opinion as a player about such cases is "If something descriptive is a common source of a penalty, take a disadvantage and at least get points for roleplaying it!".
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Old 12-12-2018, 08:28 AM   #25
vicky_molokh
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

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Originally Posted by ravenfish View Post
One "houserule" of mine is, when Player Characters earn a good reaction role (or succeed at an influence roll), but the NPCs' duty, morals, or whatever still require them to oppose the PC, to give the NPCs penalties to any success roles in their attempt to do so (they're trying to stop the PCs, but they're feeling conflicted about it). I feel like this strikes a useful balance between making Reaction Bonus advantages conditionally useless and making them behave like mind control.
It's a mechanic found with some variations throughout game systems. GURPS does have a precedent for it in the form of Influencing the PCs.
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Old 12-12-2018, 08:38 AM   #26
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

In my current GURPS campaign, the social skills monster of the party, Hanno, has Business Acumen 2, Status 1, and Honest Face, which adds up to +4 if everything is just right. He mostly relies on his Diplomacy-17 and Savoir-Faire (High Society)-19. For example, in his current search for a wife, he did very well with one of the prospects with a Disarming Smile roll. . . .

I think "I can buy this; how much will it get me?" may be looking at the matter backward. Yes, it's possible, in GURPS, to come up with reaction modifiers that will give you Excellent reactions from 50% or more of the people you deal with, so that you end up surrounded by passionate devotees who adore you as if you were an incarnate god. Do you want to be playing that character? And will it fit into the GM's idea for a campaign, or will it disrupt it, as you walk through the world recruiting disciples? Or might it be better to aim for less amazing reaction rolls and buy traits that will produce that outcome?
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Old 12-12-2018, 10:20 AM   #27
WaterAndWindSpirit
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

I use reaction rolls when an NPC has no particular reasons to like or dislike a PC, and I treat it as a discount Influence roll.

You meet a random merchant who has no reason to like/dislike you, in a culture with haggling? If you roll well, you have better price than you would normally have, but not as much as with a dedicated Merchant skill. You meet a merchant whose entire family you saved a week ago? No roll needed, he offers you his supplies at the price it cost him to acquire them.

You're Not On The List? On a high enough Reaction Roll, the bouncer lets you in anyways, unless he has good reasons not to. If the bouncer doesn't let you in, you have to try shenanigans like illusions, stealthing your entry or bribing him, or other stuff really. On a great reaction roll, you get to claim one person as your bodyguard, provided s/he looks the part. Or you might just call in a Favor or ask a Patron to give you a last minute invitation.

You're questioning people about the goings on in town? On a good reaction/carousing roll, you get the good info without incurring too many expenses on drinks and fine food.

You're looking for a night of casual fun? Reaction roll, and any fine meals and other similar stuff are "bribes" that are just not called that.

You want to convert an enemy mook to your cause? If you have good arguments (say said mook hasn't been paid for three months and you can pay them the amount), on a normal reaction the mook calls in sick just the day you plan your attack, on a good reaction he defects (not necessarily fighting at your side mind you, but at the very least deserting and leaving you alone from now on) and gives you enough info to help you get his friends to defect too, on a great reaction he gives you enough info to get half the enemy force to defect.
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Old 12-12-2018, 02:44 PM   #28
Rupert
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

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Originally Posted by vicky_molokh View Post
My opinion as a player about such cases is "If something descriptive is a common source of a penalty, take a disadvantage and at least get points for roleplaying it!".
I generally try to do that as a player too.
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Old 12-12-2018, 03:48 PM   #29
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

One of the potential issues of a reaction bonus equal to +9/+17 is that it greatly increases the effect of influence skills. Even if the character possessed IQ and used Diplomacy at a default, they would have an effective skill of 13/21 (depending on who they were influencing). A character with Diplomacy-10 would have an effective Diplomacy-19/27.
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Old 12-12-2018, 06:39 PM   #30
David Johansen
 
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Default Re: When do you use Reaction Rolls?

I only roll reactions if the circumstances are unusual. Enemies are usually starting out at a poor reaction anyhow. So, if a PC is trying to push an npc out of their natural status. For instance a ragged homeless guy trying to walk into a fancy restaurant might get a reaction roll if they talk to the maitre de but an appropriately dressed person would only need a reaction roll if they make an ass of themselves.

Or, I suppose in a broader sense, I only make reaction rolls when I don't clearly know what the npc's reaction would be.
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