Why is Broad-Minded a Quirk?

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

Noting that the only mechanic specified for a failed self-control roll on Xenophilia is that the character will assume that a stranger will want to interact socially, I don't think it's correct to assume that there is inherent danger from that on a net basis (unless strangers really ARE dangerous in the setting for some reason).

Strangers are dangerous, in general, for the fairly obvious reason that (a) some entities are dangerous and (b) you don't have a basis to know if this is one of them. This is substantially augmented by (c) Xenophilia seriously inhibits your ability to respond appropriately to obvious indications that this particular stranger is one of the dangerous ones.

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

You missed the part about baseline levels whatever they may be.

...what might they be? What does 'baseline level' mean in your lexicon? I proposed an interpretation in the post you're quoting from, but this response makes me lean toward 'wildcard that can mean absolutely anything'.

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

And they are only disadvantages to the extent they differ from a norm.

Ok, seriously, a norm for what? If you mean a norm for a PC, yes. If you mean a norm for people in the setting, not even remotely.

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

There is no default state of a PC.

Well, you've brutally murdered 'norm' and 'baseline', so why not?

A PC is not defined relative to the people around them. They are defined relative to a...standard, shall we say? And this standard transcends settings.

If the world is populated exclusively by talking squirrels, the PC is still only small, furry, and tree-climbing if their character sheet says they are. If the world is populated only by blind people, the PC still has binocular color vision unless their character sheet says otherwise.

If the world is populated predominately by superstitious (Delusion), racist (Intolerance), Agoraphobic, Greedy whatevers, the PC is still free to stand on a mountain-top flinging money to the generally hated people while cursing at the gods. They don't need to buy the right.