Social Vulnerability: Daddy Issues (?)

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Delusion is merely a negative social reaction: people think you're "crazy".

That's one kind of Delusion. There are others:

• GURPS Martial Arts (pp. 53-54) defines Delusions that don't include a reaction penalty. They affect combat situations but could easily be adapted to social situations.
  
  
• GURPS Horror (pp. 23-25) shows how to adapt those Delusions to noncombat situations. It calls them Untrue Beliefs. These require a self-control roll, with success letting you act normally and failure meaning you must do something risky.

Anyway, the situation at hand sounds like a Minor to Major Delusion that causes risk-taking instead of reaction penalties in a noncombat situation, with a self-control number of 12, 9, or even 6. The exact severity level and self-control number could give anything from -2 points for Minor (15), which is little more than a quirk, to -20 points for Major (6), which is the career-shortening case that Bruno mentioned.

[Ulzgoroth]

Basic Set delusions aren't described as only being a reaction penalty. They give you an untrue belief (with no indication that you have an option of not acting on it) and a reaction penalty.

The direct rather than social consequences of (some) delusions definitely deserve the recognition.

[weevis]

Originally Posted by Kromm

[*]GURPS Horror (pp. 23-25) shows how to adapt those Delusions to noncombat situations. It calls them Untrue Beliefs.

I have Horror and indeed this looks like the best bet. The mechanics seem like the best fit for my player's request -- a delusion without a reaction modifier that requires a self-control roll to resist.

Thanks again!

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Basic Set delusions aren't described as only being a reaction penalty. They give you an untrue belief (with no indication that you have an option of not acting on it) and a reaction penalty.

The direct rather than social consequences of (some) delusions definitely deserve the recognition.

Except that it outright states that they may be true, but doesn't suggest a decrease in value. That means the veracity of the belief is a feature and not important.

But as Kromm posted, false beliefs may have effects instead of negative, "they're crazy" social reactions.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Except that it outright states that they may be true, but doesn't suggest a decrease in value. That means the veracity of the belief is a feature and not important.

The Basic Set doesn't factor the veracity of the belief into the price or mechanics in any way, yes. Which in no way changes that you're required to believe your Delusion and play accordingly, with whatever consequences that has.

I'm not suggesting that that's good. Quite the opposite.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

The Basic Set doesn't factor the veracity of the belief into the price or mechanics in any way, yes. Which in no way changes that you're required to believe your Delusion and play accordingly, with whatever consequences that has.

I'm not suggesting that that's good. Quite the opposite.

Wait, what's the opposite you are suggesting?

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Wait, what's the opposite you are suggesting?

...The opposite of good?

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

The Basic Set doesn't factor the veracity of the belief into the price or mechanics in any way, yes. Which in no way changes that you're required to believe your Delusion and play accordingly, with whatever consequences that has.

I'm not suggesting that that's good. Quite the opposite.

But simply having a delusion doesn't require acting differently in any way either.
I could believe aliens live on Pluto. But knowing what others think of such an idea, I never mention it or have it affect my behavior.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

But simply having a delusion doesn't require acting differently in any way either.
I could believe aliens live on Pluto. But knowing what others think of such an idea, I never mention it or have it affect my behavior.

In that case, you have either a quirk or a 0-point feature, I think.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

But simply having a delusion doesn't require acting differently in any way either.
I could believe aliens live on Pluto. But knowing what others think of such an idea, I never mention it or have it affect my behavior.

I agree with whswhs and am unsure what your point is.