Callous with Sense of Duty

[Innerwall]

One of my players wants to make a character with both Callous and Sense of Duty (towards the rest of the party). I mulled it over a bit, and decided to allow it (my reasoning is delineated in my email to him, posted below). I was just wondering how more experienced GURPS players deal with this situation. As usual, I appreciate all of your feedback!

I've given it some thought and I think Callous will work if you want it, but like it says, you don't care about anyone's emotions or pain (including that of your fellow PCs). My only concern would be how this works with your Sense of Duty towards your fellow adventurers, and the only thing I can come up with is that your character has the general opinion that there is strength in numbers, and that trust is essential, but that emotions make people weak. Maybe subconsciously he feels a bond towards anyone who stands up for him. This would give you a Sense of Duty of -5 towards your fellow PCs. It puts you in an interesting and challenging role-playing position because you'll have to dance between showing that you'll do basically anything to protect them, while acting somewhat callous towards them at the same time.

Note that to decipher peoples' emotions you still need to take Psychology (rolls at -3 to actually help people). At times I may require a self-control roll to keep you from being callous in sensitive situations. Also, if you end up feeling like this Disadvantage is too confining, you can have the option of buying it off with the points you gain through adventuring, in order to reflect a 'change of heart'.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Innerwall

I've given it some thought and I think Callous will work if you want it, but like it says, you don't care about anyone's emotions or pain (including that of your fellow PCs).

The above sounds about right to me. I'd say that the Callous PC will focus its efforts on the needs of its beneficiaries that do not involve pain and emotional distress, which would be good for the usual -1 reaction if the beneficiaries were NPCs because failing to give someone a hug because you were buying them groceries really isn't all that awful.

[Rocket Man]

"You know I'm only doing this for your own good ..."

[Dorin Thorha]

My char Captain Mendiblis in this pbp has both Callous and Sense of Duty (and a Code of Honor). I play him as though his motivation for following his Sense of Duty isn't that he cares about the person so much as he has strict principles. IE, he doesn't care if they are hurting, but it wouldn't be good for his honor if they suffered while under his protection.

[Xplo]

An emotionless robot could recognize that by acting for the benefit of the other members of its group, it benefits the group, and therefore itself.

A sociopath might regard the other members of his group as useful tools - and, of course, it's wise to take care of your tools.

[Mr_Sandman]

Originally Posted by Dorin Thorha

My char Captain Mendiblis in this pbp has both Callous and Sense of Duty (and a Code of Honor). I play him as though his motivation for following his Sense of Duty isn't that he cares about the person so much as he has strict principles. IE, he doesn't care if they are hurting, but it wouldn't be good for his honor if they suffered while under his protection.

This sounds like Col. Casey from "Chuck.". He doesn't feel empathy for others, but his code makes him watch out for the others on his team. If a character has this situation and the code and sense of duty conflict (he gets an order to kill one of his team mates), it might not be clear what he will do.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Innerwall

One of my players wants to make a character with both Callous and Sense of Duty (towards the rest of the party). I mulled it over a bit, and decided to allow it (my reasoning is delineated in my email to him, posted below). I was just wondering how more experienced GURPS players deal with this situation. As usual, I appreciate all of your feedback!

I've given it some thought and I think Callous will work if you want it, but like it says, you don't care about anyone's emotions or pain (including that of your fellow PCs). My only concern would be how this works with your Sense of Duty towards your fellow adventurers, and the only thing I can come up with is that your character has the general opinion that there is strength in numbers, and that trust is essential, but that emotions make people weak. .

In the Lieutenant Leary series, the Badass Librarian and Aubrey ala Shatner both have servants who are vicious throat slitters who would regard their masters emotional pain as an excuse to ask "Can I kill them?". Their lack of empathy isn't in conflict with their loyalty even if they are more concerned with their leader's physical safety and image than they are with their emotional wellbeing.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

The above sounds about right to me. I'd say that the Callous PC will focus its efforts on the needs of its beneficiaries that do not involve pain and emotional distress, which would be good for the usual -1 reaction if the beneficiaries were NPCs because failing to give someone a hug because you were buying them groceries really isn't all that awful.

A nurse could have Callous and Sense of Duty: She will do whatever is needed to see that her patients survive, but if that causes them pain, that's not a big concern to her, so long as they don't thrash about and make it impossible for her to do whatever procedure will help them. It's a question of caring about the objective welfare of a person, but not about their subjective feelings.

Bill Stoddard

[SCHIFTY]

Another example -- Jayne from Firefly.

[Innerwall]

Another example -- Jayne from Firefly.

That's exactly who I was thinking of, too.