Social Vulnerability: Daddy Issues (?)

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by whswhs

This has something in common with Admiration, Easily Influenced (Posh), and Like, all of which can be found in Power-Ups 6: Quirks. I think I might allow it as a variation on Admiration, shifted from "specific person" to "person with a specific profile." The game mechanics seems to fit: +2 to reaction rolls, -2 to resist Influence rolls, and -2 to self-control rolls for mental disadvantages that relate to the person.

For more severe effects, you could define a new Compulsive Behavior.

The game effects are spot-on, but there is a widespread precedent for a higher point cost when traits apply to a larger group than simply one person.

See Sense of Duty or Reputation.

I'd rate +2 to Reaction rolls, -2 to resist Influence rolls and -2 to Self-Control rolls for mental disadvanages that relate to a character type as a -5 to a -10 Disadvantage, depending on how often such characters featured.

I'd probably call this a type of Delusion. The -5 version would be 'older men that remind her of her daddy', i.e. have some similar traits, let the player define it, while I'd think that a -10 Delusion might cover all older men (and maybe increase the penalty to -3).

I note that a generalised Disadvantage of this sort, i.e. the opposite of Intolerance for a certain group of people, is useful for a lot of character concepts. An exaggerated respect for clergy is a trait of many characters, some not otherwise devout, and the adventuring potential of someone drawn to firebrand idealists should be obvious.

In writing up certain NPCs in PC formats (guest players, etc.), I've recently been wondering how to mechanically account for such things... and, yes, I'll admit, one NPC would have more-or-less literal Daddy Issues.

[AlexanderHowl]

I would just represent it as a comination of Charitable (Accessibility, Older Adult Men Only, -30%) and Lecherousness (Accessibility, Older Adult Men Only, -30%). Since both disadvantages have a control number, I would combine them into Social Vulnerability (Older Adult Men) [-20] and modify the cost by the control number. It would represent a person who was excessively kind and compassionate to older men and who was excessively attracted to older men.

Now, the same format could be used for older adult women, younger adult men, or younger adult women. In the case of someone with a control number of (15), it would probably be seen as a charming character flaw. In the case of someone with a control number of (6), it would probably be seen as a pathological weakness. In the former case, it could represent someone who grew up around good and virtuous older men, so it distorts his or her perception of older men. In the latter case, it could represent an adaptation to an entire lifetime of abuse by older men, a default behavior meant to prevent pain and suffering.