[Basic] Disadvantage of the week: Bad Temper and Berserk

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Well, the GM could use the DFRPG rule in a GURPS campaign. If they don't, you could argue for a Rules Exemption perk to use that rule anyway.

I've been using that rule for a while. Very happy to see it hit print when it did, that "synergy" was ridiculous.

[Pursuivant]

Keep in mind that a failed SCR for Bad Temper doesn't necessarily mean a physical attack.

Depending on the situation, it could be:

A penalty to IQ, Per, Will, or Skill, because an opponent "got into your head." This is particularly true if an opponent is deliberately baiting you and makes successful skill rolls vs. Fast-Talk, Intimidation, and/or Psychology.

An angry verbal outburst that scares or insults nearby people, potentially giving a temporary or permanent bad Reputation and/or penalties to Influence skill rolls.

A physical attack aimed at an inanimate object which results in damage or destruction of the object and/or the body part used to attack the object. (e.g., losing your temper, punching a hole in a wall, and breaking your hand in the process.)

An involuntary self-destructive physical action, such as walking out of vital negotiations in a rage or tearing one's hair out.

Critical failure to resist Bad Temper might result in an unwarranted physical attack or some other action which causes severe problems, such as getting arrested, starting a fight, wrecking a friendship, or destroying or losing a valuable object.

Taken as such, Bad Temper is extremely common especially with people with various forms of poor impulse control (choose Bad Temper + Impulsive + Selfish for a spoiled brat) or psychological conditions such as PTSD.

It's an extremely good "Villain" disad, and also appropriate for some types of aggressive animals.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Keep in mind that a failed SCR for Bad Temper doesn't necessarily mean a physical attack.

Doesn't necessarily mean a serious physical attack - The Three Stooges for the most part deal out whaps and slaps and smacks of anger, not punches, and women stereo-typically deliver a stinging slap of rebuke, not combat, because humans recognize punches as Serious Business.

Unless the other party is also on a hair trigger, this kind of one-off assault doesn't generally lead to an all-out fight but it can of course still lead to social, emotional, or legal consequences.

---

Except if you have Berserk, and aren't using the DFRPG rule - at which point it's zero to blood-frenzy. If you are using the DFRPG rule, it's zero to struggling with blood-frenzy impulses.

--

Ignoring the SCR-for-Berserk issue, there's room for a middle ground where you do try to strike out with real violence at the target, but don't actually go for murder-death-kill-everyone. Abusive people are prime for this sort of enhancement on Bad Temper.

[Inky]

Does Berserk trigger if the character takes injury equal to 1/4 or more of their HP but not from an enemy, anyone know? From a fall, for instance. Might depend what kind of berserker it was.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Inky

Does Berserk trigger if the character takes injury equal to 1/4 or more of their HP but not from an enemy, anyone know?

As written, yes, though it's not entirely clear what that means.

My experience with berserk is that it's an NPC-only disadvantage. On a PC, it gets you dead. On mooks, well, they were gonna die anyway and it significantly increases the damage they do before they die.