New and Custom Quirks?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

Being an ardent partisan is certainly a Quirk.

Until it rises to the level of an OPH.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

They argue compulsively with theists on the Internet. Reasons not to pick someone as your President are extremely common but any value of "argues compulsively on the Internet" is probably a good addition to your list.

I'll note this is why I refer to myself as agnostic anytime it comes up. I used to say I was an atheist, but then I found out that "atheist" more often is used to refer to what I would call an antitheist - someone who doesn't just disbelieve in the existence of a god but is deeply hostile to the very concept. With that, you're basically looking at a Quirk-level OPH at a minimum. And, yeah, compulsively arguing with theists is a big part of that.

[pawsplay]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

<waives hand> That's me. My theoretical size seems to be a 7 and 7/8 ths but I'm not sure I've come across one of those in the Real World.

For ball caps with an adjustment at the back of the thing the failure rate is 6 out of 6.

I'm not sure it's worth a whole -1 in the current day.

I've walked into an actual hat shop where there were less than a dozen hats on display that would fit my head. I'm 7 1/2.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

In the US, atheists are deeply unpopular. Opinion polls sometimes report that atheists are less popular than Satanists, terrorists, and rapists. Being an atheist teacher in a public school in some Southern districts probably constitutes a somewhat serious Secret. Arguably, the social deficits alone make atheism worth more than a Quirk, except maybe in large European citizens or communist China.

It's worth nothing in New Zealand unless you're an ass about it. Being openly religious might be worth a quirk-level negative reputation. In both cases it's more about you being rude and annoying than your beliefs. Religion (or the lack of it) is a private matter here.

[johndallman]

<Moderator>
This thread is definitely skirting on real-world politics. Please don't.
</Moderator>

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

In the US, atheists are deeply unpopular

Like many other social traits, the game effects of being a member of a minority (non-) religion is very much campaign dependent. Being an atheist in a theocracy or parts of the world where people take their religion very seriously is a bad Reputation, Secret or a Social Stigma.

In most parts of the world being a "militant atheist" can get you killed right up until modern times, although being "secretly atheist" or "secretly agnostic" is likely to be nothing more than a Feature as long as you can go through the motions of being devout and it otherwise doesn't affect your life. (E.g., there was a medieval bishop who made the shocking deathbed confession that he never really believed in god, he was just in the Church for the benefits it provided.)

In fantasy campaigns where gods really exist, atheism or agnosticism is a really bad idea and might be grounds for traits such as Divine Curse.

In places where religious pluralism is the norm and religious intolerance is penalized, being an atheist is just a quirk or a feature unless you're annoying about it. ("I'm an evangelical agnostic! I'm not sure that God exists and I'm not sure that you should believe in His existence either!")

The point at which a potential Social Stigma stops being a problem for you and turns into a problem for those who would stigmatize you is up to the GM. In some cases, it's a two-way street, particularly if the group you stigmatize is extremely rare or hard to detect. Thus, Aetheist (or whatever) and Hates Aethists (or whatever) could both be valid Quirks.

Originally Posted by pawsplay

Large Head

Too limited to be a meaningful Quirk, especially in games where customized equipment is the norm or where it's extremely easy to alter standard gear.

A more generic "Hard to Fit" quirk, which requires all but the loosest clothing and gear to be custom-made or altered to fit, would be a solid quirk, however.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Too limited to be a meaningful Quirk, especially in games where customized equipment is the norm or where it's extremely easy to alter standard gear.

r.

It's only big in times and places where clothing comes in standardized sizes and you aren't one of them but in soem of those getting custom-made items could be very difficult.

Hats aren't very important in most TL8 places but a "Hard to Fit" for footware would be a good bit worse. Gurps actually has a few rules for badly fitting footware.

[pawsplay]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Too limited to be a meaningful Quirk, especially in games where customized equipment is the norm or where it's extremely easy to alter standard gear.

A more generic "Hard to Fit" quirk, which requires all but the loosest clothing and gear to be custom-made or altered to fit, would be a solid quirk, however.

I don't know what a "meaningful Quirk" means. To quote the rulebook,

A “quirk” is a minor feature that sets you aside from others. It has a negative point value, but it is not necessarily a disadvantage. For instance, a major trait like Greed is a disadvantage. But if you insist on being paid in gold, that’s a quirk.

It's enough that it shapes behavior or imposes an occasional inconvenience. "Brilliant blue hair" is a canonical Physical Quirk. Dai Blackthorn is "sensitive about his height." I think it's sufficient that Big Head is distinctive from other characters.

But I think you are underestimating the inconvenience. I definitely pay more for hats. There are some hats I just can't have. Even in a world of custom gear, custom gear isn't necessarily made for the character. You might have little trouble getting a new hat in a milliner's shop, although they might charge you for the extra fabric.

But what about a magic helmet? Even with generous sizing, it's going to be an ill fit. Perhaps the Circlet of Ultimate Power sits uneasily on your head, and you can't run or jump while wearing it, without it falling off. If you need to swap places with another PC as a disguise, the hat is probably a no-go.

And it's probably enough to qualify as Distinctive Features when your head is uncovered. You don't stick out like a sore thumb all the time, but it's certainly easier to pick you out from a line-up. I don't know that I would assess a Shadowing penalty all the time, but it's certainly a hindrance to Disguise.

It's just a Quirk. The only requirements are that it be mildly interesting, distinctive from other characters, and more of a hindrance than a help.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

It's only big in times and places where clothing comes in standardized sizes and you aren't one of them but in soem of those getting custom-made items could be very difficult.

I'd suggest "Hard to fit." You struggle to find clothing that fits, and you often have to pay extra for it (either ordering custom or from a specialty shop). Armor not specifically tailored to you is always considered poor fitting, others have a bonus to see through your stolen uniform disguise, etc. Only really suitable in a setting with mass production, unless you are really hard to fit (We should print up T-shirts. And F-shirts for our friends with two arms on the same side!).

If you start getting down to "hats only" or "shoes only" it's probably a zero point flavor feature. Unless it's really "Noticeably large head" which is really Distinctive Feature plus a trivial nuisance of not being able to wear off-the-shelf hats.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I'll note this is why I refer to myself as agnostic anytime it comes up. I used to say I was an atheist, but then I found out that "atheist" more often is used to refer to what I would call an antitheist - someone who doesn't just disbelieve in the existence of a god but is deeply hostile to the very concept. With that, you're basically looking at a Quirk-level OPH at a minimum. And, yeah, compulsively arguing with theists is a big part of that.

I think my atheism/anti-theism counts as a quirk, but not as an OPH. I'm not going around starting arguments. I don't hide it, but don't flaunt it

(When I have ideas or questions, I tend to end up on very old threads. I'd end up finding some that I had participated in. I think I used to have an OPH about many things in past.)