Why is Broad-Minded a Quirk?

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

It's not really the opposite of intolerance

It's an example of a disadvantage reduced to quirk level, Xenophilia in this case. Think of it less like "I'm not racist" and more "I'm actively interested in other races, just not to the point of a xenophile."

A Broad-Minded character could be open-minded about inter-species romance (or other, more physical inter-species activities), without seeking it out in the active, obsessive, fetischistic way that someone with actual Xenophilia would.

That's not how the Quirk is intended, of course, but it could have that as a secondary effect in some types of campaigns.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

Well, there's no mechanic provided, but generally speaking, is it not considered good to get along well with others and not freak out when you see something strange?

Statistically speaking, it is highly unusual.

Only in the last century or so has there existed one even slightly stable culture, in which the behavuiour you describe is considered to be virtuous (o, as you say, "good").

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I suppose not if the setting were homogenous enough to have no outsider groups. In which case you shouldn't get points for Xenophilia either.

I'm not sure I disagree.

If a character has Xenophilia, and hasn't encountered anything sufficiently xeno, then when he finally does encounter it, he's going to go absolutely berzerk on it, desperate to explore and interact with it.

Same as a Lecherous heterosexual character who has been in a single-sex prison for several years. Once he or she gets out, there'll be a lot of attention paid to the first encountered person of the opposite sex.

There may be some campaigns where the probability of the PC party ever encountering anything "sufficiently xeno" is microscopic, but they are very rare.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

Hm, can Broad-Minded be a 0 Point Feature?

If it is, I'm not going to put it on my character sheet. I want payment up-front for it. Else it doesn't get there.

I may still roleplay my character in a more or less broad-minded fashion, but it's not going to be stated on my character sheet.


Also, I'm inclined to agree with those who disagree with Figleaf. I can't see why Broad-Minded is in any way an Advantage, in the RPG sense of the word, that it somehow enhances or improves the choices available to the character, or improves the character's functioning in some activity.

One could make a Perk that's a bit like that, Free of Prejudice, that makes the player exempt from XP penalties for failing to roleplay his character as realistically prejudiced, in settings where prejudice is extremely common, but it would be a Perk quite distinct from the Broad-Minded Quirk.

[nick012000]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

One could make a Perk that's a bit like that, Free of Prejudice, that makes the player exempt from XP penalties for failing to roleplay his character as realistically prejudiced, in settings where prejudice is extremely common, but it would be a Perk quite distinct from the Broad-Minded Quirk.

Nah. Schtick (Friends with everyone) would probably be a Perk variant; it waives any penalties due to intolerance/prevents a bad Reputation due to the company you keep.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Statistically speaking, it is highly unusual.

Only in the last century or so has there existed one even slightly stable culture, in which the behavuiour you describe is considered to be virtuous (o, as you say, "good").

That social consideration is only part of the matter though. The practical value of being able to get along with strangers and not react to them out of reflex remains.

[nick012000]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That social consideration is only part of the matter though. The practical value of being able to get along with strangers and not react to them out of reflex remains.

And that's more than outweighed by the practical value of the ability to be properly paranoid of everyone you meet. It restricts your options of playing, ergo it's a disadvantage.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

But those aren't constraints in any meaningful way. There's no benefit from being close-minded or freaking out over strangers, so it's advantageous for a character to be free of that.

You are wrong. There is a benefit from being suspicious of unfamiliar people. Particularly in roleplaying where there's a distinct tendency for unfamiliar people to be out to kill you. Take Northwest Smith. Despite having Bloodlust and a Bad Temper he's Broadminded so when he sees an unfamiliar species being hunted by an enraged torch-bearing mob, he intervenes, assuming she's actually a victim rather than the soul-eating monster she really is. He takes no particular precautions against her even though he still has no idea what she really is, and doesn't even really investigate. It's just dumb luck that a buddy interrupts the feeding.

Note that Northwest Smith is not a Xenophile. He has no particular attraction to the strange. It's just that nothing is strange to him.

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That social consideration is only part of the matter though. The practical value of being able to get along with strangers and not react to them out of reflex remains.

Well...broad minded doesn't give you any social skills, so you don't magically get the ability to get along with strangers...just in the same way that Lecherous doesn't actually give you the Sex Appeal skill. And you do react towards strangers out of reflex, that reflex is: "Ooo Shiny" and some strangers may be offended by your mild fetishization of them. So disregarding the rest of society which may disapprove of your non-discriminatory ways, even the people you think are "so cool because they are different, can I touch your hair" may react not so well.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Same as a Lecherous heterosexual character who has been in a single-sex prison for several years. Once he or she gets out, there'll be a lot of attention paid to the first encountered person of the opposite sex.

There may be some campaigns where the probability of the PC party ever encountering anything "sufficiently xeno" is microscopic, but they are very rare.

Disagree. Lecherousness is not the same as Addiction (Sex). Being triggerable by something doesn't mean an automatic increase in sensitivity to said trigger while the trigger is absent. Compare: When I have access to the forum, I'm eager to read it. However, after spending a week away from it, I did not make me spend more time reading it. I behaved like I did before the week-off.