How much does Xenophilia overrides self-preservation instincts?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

They are not compelled to do anything, and I think you are reading far too much into the disadvantage. An unsuccessful control roll only means that the character assumes that the entity in question is interested in interacting with them socially (Characters, 162). The disadvantage comes from the simple fact that foreign soldiers (or cute vampires [or TMWNMTK]) are not necessarily going to feel sociable and the character is unwilling to shoot first and ask questions later when violence might appear to be the most rational reaction.

Failing a Self-Control roll and then not interacting socially with the exotic character, arguing that 'yeah, my character totally assumes that the demon is interested in interacting with me socially and all, but I just don't feel like talking to him right now.... or ever', would be against the obvious intention of the Disadvantage as written.

The Self-Control roll absolutely represents a compulsion here. You roll against it when you know that you shouldn't give in, but can't stop yourself unless you succeed at the roll.

[AlexanderHowl]

No, there is nothing within the description of the disadvantage that says that the character must interact with them. My interpretation of the disadvantage is that the reason why Xenophobia is a disadvantage is because the character in question does not expect violence from the exotic party, meaning that they would always suffer complete surprise (or partial surprise if they have Combat Reflexes) when they failed a self-control roll and were attacked by the exotic party. They would also not be suspicious if the foreign soldiers asked them to come to their base for questioning, if the cute vampire wanted them to come home to meet their parents, or if the TMWNMTK wanted their help to move to another dimension.

[Flyndaran]

It makes you foolishly trusting, not suicidal.
Pollyanna, not Disney-Lemming.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

We as player characters can't know demons are 100% unwaveringly evil either. As players we can by word of GM. But our characters would just be making assumptions and prejudgments based on limited experience.

As a one time instance, it might be funny to have the monstrous demon to either be the rare good one, or the evil ones your characters previously faced the rare bad ones.

That depends on how it is defined in the game. If you mean the normal usage of "fallen angel" yes. That is pretty much the definition of demon so of course it is evil. If it is not evil, it is not a demon. If we mean just "aether fairy"(as the ancients meant the word) then we can be more subtle about it.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

No, there is nothing within the description of the disadvantage that says that the character must interact with them. My interpretation of the disadvantage is that the reason why Xenophobia is a disadvantage is because the character in question does not expect violence from the exotic party, meaning that they would always suffer complete surprise (or partial surprise if they have Combat Reflexes) when they failed a self-control roll and were attacked by the exotic party. They would also not be suspicious if the foreign soldiers asked them to come to their base for questioning, if the cute vampire wanted them to come home to meet their parents, or if the TMWNMTK wanted their help to move to another dimension.

That would be profoundly stupider and more non-functional than what anyone else is suggesting.

Originally Posted by jason taylor

That depends on how it is defined in the game. If you mean the normal usage of "fallen angel" yes. That is pretty much the definition of demon so of course it is evil. If it is not evil, it is not a demon. If we mean just "aether fairy"(as the ancients meant the word) then we can be more subtle about it.

That really depends on your theology and perhaps some other things. There are a wide range of works where 'demons' as in fallen angels or as in some sort of other denizens of the same hell that said angels fell to are not necessarily evil.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

That depends on how it is defined in the game. If you mean the normal usage of "fallen angel" yes. That is pretty much the definition of demon so of course it is evil. If it is not evil, it is not a demon. If we mean just "aether fairy"(as the ancients meant the word) then we can be more subtle about it.

That is not something PCs could possibly know with 100% certainty. That would be an issue of their faith and belief. Only the Players could know that due to the GM telling them.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

That is not something PCs could possibly know with 100% certainty. That would be an issue of their faith and belief. Only the Players could know that due to the GM telling them.

Which is what the point is that it depends on how it is defined in the game.

[Not]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Having just made the Charitable, Chummy, Overconfident, Xenophile... I can't wait for this character to met the Weird Things That Go Bump In The Night.

Add Weirdness Magnet.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Not

Add Weirdness Magnet.

At the moment it's a "Non-Cinematic" game... however it's expected for weirdness to show up at some point (it's billed as 'kinda like Stargate').


So I expect at some point my Daniel Jackson expy will pick up Weirdness Magnet.... probably to help balance out suddenly bumping my languages up to Omnilingual...

[GodBeastX]

Am I the only one who takes this to mean both sides of the argument in question?

Absolutely the character sees a gun pointed at their head and absolutely will try not to get shot!

However, the Xenophilia individual may believe there is no ill intent from the creature in question.

Will Smith: He's not snarling, he's sneezing!

In the case of hostile outcomes they may believe it was some action the character did to cause it or that they can dissuade the situation easily.

It specifically gives examples in the disadvantage of people glaring with obvious ill intent and party members fleeing the obvious problem.

To me this becomes "The char never assumes the other side is inherently prone to evil/violence/etc". And because of that, they are going to give everyone a fair chance under the assumption there's a good whatever in there somewhere.. ... on a failed CR roll.

Self preservation is not trumped by Xenophilia, however, self preservation may not be the same idea someone without the disadvantage comes up with.

Now, to give you an example of what I'm talking about, take Mars Attacks. The scientist played by Pierce Brosnan has Xenophilia for sure.

Clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeTsvoV7xqM

After the Martians showed hostile intent, they kept assuming it was something else "Obviously the birds are the cause!" While the General is like "WE GOTTA NUKE THEM NOW!" in the same movie.

Anyway, it's a disadvantage and a disadvantage should hinder your character. If the disadvantage does not hinder your character then it is not a disadvantage. YEs, a person with Xenophilia should be making poor choices based upon it or it shouldn't be on the char sheet.