Motivational Speeches Perk

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

The OP seemed to be adapting the mechanic for Tactics, although I'm not sure where exactly it shows up. Action or Pulling Rank, perhaps.

I just revisited this ability yesterday and was about to revive this thread myself. I've changed this ability from a perk to an advantage; it's mostly a simplified "Natural Leader" from Pyramid #3/65: Alternate GURPS III, p. 12

Motivational Speech

5 points/level

Prerequisites: Command Division officer, 1+ points in Starfleet Reputation(s)

Once per gaming session per level of this advantage, you can inspire those under your command with a rousing speech. Roll against your Leadership skill after you, the player, deliver your life-changing oration ("Risk is our business"). You may effect a number of individuals equal to your Charisma squared, or more at -1 per individual beyond that.

You recieve as many "pip chips" as your Margin of Sucess. For as long as the crisis persists, you may cash in a "pip chip" to improve any number rolled by individuals inspired by your speech who are acting towards the goals for which you rallied them. You may cash in as may "pip chips" at a time as you wish; one "pip chip" will add or subtract one die's pip. You may not affect your own die rolls, unless you made your Leadership roll exactly. In that case, you feel pretty good about your speech even though nobody else did: you get a "pip chip" that you can only use for yourself.

Inspiring your teammates is stressfull; if the situation wasn't dangerous and/or important, then you wouldn't have bothered. Each use of Motivational Speech (successful or not) temporarily lowers your Will and any Self-Control numbers you may have by 1. Pip chips and stress penalties vanish upon completion of the task for which your team was inspired.

Time: about 2 minutes
Cost: -1 to Will and Self-Control numbers, whether successful or not
Duration: Until the task at hand is completed

This advantage is mostly based on "Natural Leader" from Pyramid #3/65: Alternate GURPS III, p. 12, but also "Visualization" from B96; "Enthrallment" from B191; "Tactics" from Martial Arts, p. 60; and "Tactics for the Win" from Pyramid #3/70: Fourth Edition Festival, p. 17. The stress cost is a simplified version of Stress and Derangement from GURPS: Horror, pp. 141-142.

It's proven to be fun in play. I give the Command officer beads for the "chip pips" which adds a nice tangible resource management element for that player—more fun than all the other players just remembering they have +1's like the stock abilities it's based on. The speech is usually entertaining as well.