Modeling Improved Recovery From Mental Trauma

Otaku · 10-06-2024, 01:47 PM

So, the short version is, I'm looking for a trait that allows the subject either improved recovery from mental trauma. However... I'm utterly failing to hone in onto what I need.

If I were to look at an existing Advantage to reference it would be... Rapid Healing or Regeneration (Slow), but for the psyche instead of the physique. No, I'm not adding some sort of Psychological Hit Points or anything like that. I just mean a bonus to recover from mental trauma and some degree of guaranteed recovery. Since I'm trying to be brief, I don't mean they eventually shrug of any and every mental trauma, but that given enough time even the worst trauma might only leave a Quirk as its lasting mechanical impact.

I can try to clarify, but I'm hoping this is enough for folks to steer me in the right direction.

Edit: I was looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, so I'll risk a related question. Feel free to ignore the bonus question if I should just make it its own thread... but I won't be surprised if it is another easy answer. If one is using the rules for time usage and characters in-game studying to improve Skills, would it be kosher to allow time spent undergoing things like therapy to translate into Character Points with which one can pay down related Disadvantages?

Donny Brook · 10-06-2024, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otaku

So, the short version is, I'm looking for a trait that allows the subject either improved recovery from mental trauma. However... I'm utterly failing to hone in onto what I need.

If I were to look at an existing Advantage to reference it would be... Rapid Healing or Regeneration (Slow), but for the psyche instead of the physique. No, I'm not adding some sort of Psychological Hit Points or anything like that. I just mean a bonus to recover from mental trauma and some degree of guaranteed recovery. Since I'm trying to be brief, I don't mean they eventually shrug of any and every mental trauma, but that given enough time even the worst trauma might only leave a Quirk as its lasting mechanical impact.

I can try to clarify, but I'm hoping this is enough for folks to steer me in the right direction.

I can't off-hand remember what GURPS rules actually are for mental trauma.

Stormcrow · 10-06-2024, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otaku

So, the short version is, I'm looking for a trait that allows the subject either improved recovery from mental trauma. However... I'm utterly failing to hone in onto what I need.

That's because GURPS does not simulate the progress of mental illness. To represent a mental illness or trauma, take appropriate disadvantages. To represent recovering from a mental illness or trauma, buy off those disadvantages.

Otaku · 10-06-2024, 02:22 PM

It seems I have been mistaken. What can I say, I struggle to comprehend the rules for things like Fright Checks, which can result in "earning" mental Disadvantages during the course of play.*

If, in the end, it all boils down to is "Is the player able and willing to pay the CP necessary to reduce or remove an incurred mental Disadvantages?" I am perfectly content to leave it at that. I am assuming that is at least partially subject to the specifics where some appropriate roleplaying or other in character actions may be required. Bonus Question: If one is using the rules for time usage and characters in-game studying to improve Skills, would it be kosher to allow time spent undergoing things like therapy to translate into Character Points with which one can pay down related Disadvantages?

I had a group of immortals (Unaging + Unkillable Lv3) planned - yes, as PCs - for a setting I may never actually get around to running, but I wanted to get around to finishing nonetheless. When you can come back from the dead and don't have a finite lifespan, I was (needlessly?) concerned players could be saddled with incurred mental Disadvantages from the traumas they can encounter and survive (or rather, die from then get better). So I thought about making it easier to recover from such things... but it seems that was wholly unnecessary. Thank you, Donny Brook and Stormcrow!

Sometimes, being wrong is a good thing. XD

*If it doesn't, then I'm doubly wrong. Oops.

johndallman · 10-06-2024, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otaku

Bonus Question: If one is using the rules for time usage and characters in-game studying to improve Skills, would it be kosher to allow time spent undergoing things like therapy to translate into Character Points with which one can pay down related Disadvantages?

That should definitely work.

Otaku · 10-06-2024, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johndallman

That should definitely work.

Thank you for the prompt response, johndallman. I am once again happy that things are far, far simpler than I imagined. Especially as I realized I was about to make it so a trauma (mental Disadvantage) sticking around kinda needed an explanation. ¬_¬

May as well finish with confirming, this is all pretty general, yeah? That, even though I set up a particular set of circumstances, Mental Disadvantages acquired in play (such as from failed Fright Checks) can be dealt with the same as any other Mental Disadvantages. Meaning, you can use earned CP to buy them down/off. Or if time usage rules for character improvement are being used, and there's a plausible approach to dealing with such a thing (like therapy) that exists, investing the equivalent of the needed CP to again buy off or down the Disadvantage?

johndallman · 10-06-2024, 04:08 PM

Yes, to all of that.

Ulzgoroth · 10-08-2024, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otaku

Thank you for the prompt response, johndallman. I am once again happy that things are far, far simpler than I imagined. Especially as I realized I was about to make it so a trauma (mental Disadvantage) sticking around kinda needed an explanation. ¬_¬

May as well finish with confirming, this is all pretty general, yeah? That, even though I set up a particular set of circumstances, Mental Disadvantages acquired in play (such as from failed Fright Checks) can be dealt with the same as any other Mental Disadvantages. Meaning, you can use earned CP to buy them down/off. Or if time usage rules for character improvement are being used, and there's a plausible approach to dealing with such a thing (like therapy) that exists, investing the equivalent of the needed CP to again buy off or down the Disadvantage?

With the note that however you're paying it off you may have to narratively justify the recovery to the satisfaction of the group's standards. Just as with any other point expenditure.

I am not sure that buying off disadvantages with time use is strictly RAW, if that matters to you, but it certainly seems eminently reasonable. (Basic Set improvement through study specifically includes learning certain advantages but makes no mention of buying off disadvantages.)

Refplace · 10-06-2024, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johndallman

That should definitely work.

I would use therapy as a teacher but can work through it at reduced rates as self learning.

Pursuivant · 10-07-2024, 11:45 PM

It seems to me that the proper advantage to recover from mental trauma should be Unfazable (Limitation: Accessibility (Only to recover CP lost due to Fright Checks), -60%)

The logic is that Unfazable loses its main benefits - Immunity to Intimidation skill and Immunity to Fright Checks, but like the Recovery advantage and unconsciuosness you quickly bounce back from failed Fright Checks.

Since this is how fright effects are portrayed in many genres of fiction and in many RPGs, the GM could just adopt "temporary fright" as a genre convention. ("The liche's Terror power forced you to run away, but you're big damned dungeon crawling heroes! After you stop running you rally, with no lingering psychological effects.")

IRL, there are some people who are highly emotionally resilient, in that they can survive Adverse Childhood Experiences unscathed, while anyone else would be in therapy or worse. Assuming that they're otherwise neurotypical, that sort of emotional resilience is a Perk. Effectively, it's a sort of "Signature Gear" which always allows the PC to buy off acquired mental disadvantages with no roll-playing, time or money needed.

GURPS 3E WW2 also had a nice set of limitations for Strong Will for Fright Checkcs that's easily ported over to Fearlessness in GURPS 4E. For -50% your Fearlessness can be "Brittle" meaning that its effects don't apply when determining the effects of a failed your Fright Check. Alternately, also for -50%, Fearlessness only applies to rolls to determine the effects of a failed fright check, not whether you resisted being frightenened in the first place.

10-06-2024, 01:47 PM	#1
Otaku Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South Dakota, USA	Modeling Improved Recovery From Mental Trauma So, the short version is, I'm looking for a trait that allows the subject either improved recovery from mental trauma. However... I'm utterly failing to hone in onto what I need. If I were to look at an existing Advantage to reference it would be... Rapid Healing or Regeneration (Slow), but for the psyche instead of the physique. No, I'm not adding some sort of Psychological Hit Points or anything like that. I just mean a bonus to recover from mental trauma and some degree of guaranteed recovery. Since I'm trying to be brief, I don't mean they eventually shrug of any and every mental trauma, but that given enough time even the worst trauma might only leave a Quirk as its lasting mechanical impact. I can try to clarify, but I'm hoping this is enough for folks to steer me in the right direction. Edit: I was looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, so I'll risk a related question. Feel free to ignore the bonus question if I should just make it its own thread... but I won't be surprised if it is another easy answer. If one is using the rules for time usage and characters in-game studying to improve Skills, would it be kosher to allow time spent undergoing things like therapy to translate into Character Points with which one can pay down related Disadvantages? __________________ 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! :) Last edited by Otaku; 10-06-2024 at 02:27 PM. Reason: Alternate Question

10-06-2024, 02:22 PM	#4
Otaku Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South Dakota, USA	Re: Modeling Improved Recovery From Mental Trauma It seems I have been mistaken. What can I say, I struggle to comprehend the rules for things like Fright Checks, which can result in "earning" mental Disadvantages during the course of play.* If, in the end, it all boils down to is "Is the player able and willing to pay the CP necessary to reduce or remove an incurred mental Disadvantages?" I am perfectly content to leave it at that. I am assuming that is at least partially subject to the specifics where some appropriate roleplaying or other in character actions may be required. Bonus Question: If one is using the rules for time usage and characters in-game studying to improve Skills, would it be kosher to allow time spent undergoing things like therapy to translate into Character Points with which one can pay down related Disadvantages? I had a group of immortals (Unaging + Unkillable Lv3) planned - yes, as PCs - for a setting I may never actually get around to running, but I wanted to get around to finishing nonetheless. When you can come back from the dead and don't have a finite lifespan, I was (needlessly?) concerned players could be saddled with incurred mental Disadvantages from the traumas they can encounter and survive (or rather, die from then get better). So I thought about making it easier to recover from such things... but it seems that was wholly unnecessary. Thank you, Donny Brook and Stormcrow! Sometimes, being wrong is a good thing. XD If it doesn't, then I'm doubly wrong. Oops. __________________ 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! :) Last edited by Otaku; 10-06-2024 at 02:28 PM. Reason: Thought of a related question, figured I may as well ask.*

10-06-2024, 04:08 PM	#7
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	Re: Modeling Improved Recovery From Mental Trauma Yes, to all of that. __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.

10-07-2024, 11:45 PM	#10
Pursuivant Join Date: Apr 2005	Re: Modeling Improved Recovery From Mental Trauma It seems to me that the proper advantage to recover from mental trauma should be Unfazable (Limitation: Accessibility (Only to recover CP lost due to Fright Checks), -60%) The logic is that Unfazable loses its main benefits - Immunity to Intimidation skill and Immunity to Fright Checks, but like the Recovery advantage and unconsciuosness you quickly bounce back from failed Fright Checks. Since this is how fright effects are portrayed in many genres of fiction and in many RPGs, the GM could just adopt "temporary fright" as a genre convention. ("The liche's Terror power forced you to run away, but you're big damned dungeon crawling heroes! After you stop running you rally, with no lingering psychological effects.") IRL, there are some people who are highly emotionally resilient, in that they can survive Adverse Childhood Experiences unscathed, while anyone else would be in therapy or worse. Assuming that they're otherwise neurotypical, that sort of emotional resilience is a Perk. Effectively, it's a sort of "Signature Gear" which always allows the PC to buy off acquired mental disadvantages with no roll-playing, time or money needed. GURPS 3E WW2 also had a nice set of limitations for Strong Will for Fright Checkcs that's easily ported over to Fearlessness in GURPS 4E. For -50% your Fearlessness can be "Brittle" meaning that its effects don't apply when determining the effects of a failed your Fright Check. Alternately, also for -50%, Fearlessness only applies to rolls to determine the effects of a failed fright check, not whether you resisted being frightenened in the first place.