04-02-2023, 10:35 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mannheim, Baden
|
[PU6] Modifying/Expanding the Easily Influenced Quirk
I recently had a player express an interest in playing a character with a flirtatious disadvantage. I made up a custom Compulsive Behavior: Flirting disadvantage since she didn't want to be crude or too easy to influence and it was active flirting she was after.
But it got me thinking, how would you model a disadvantage or levelled quirk for a character who was easily influenced by Sex Appeal or some other influence skill? I took a good look at the Easily Influenced quirk (PU6, p. 18). It's fine for a quirk, but I had thought it was levelled, which it isn't. There's a reason for it not being levelled since the problems quickly pile up. Instead of giving minus -1 to resistance rolls, it gives that and +1 on the influencer's skill roll. Going for a more-or less normal skill level and Will of 12 that shifts the success rate of the influencer from almost 43% to almost 61%. That's kind of strong, but still fine for one level, but two levels would take that to 76,5% and three to almost 88%. That can quickly add up a lot of margin of success for influencing PCs (Basic, p. 359), which means penalties. Also my players usually like to play along if I give them suggestions, when NPCs make their influence rolls (I apply no penalties then, but the complications are their own thing). Long story short, do you think it's balanced as a levelled quirk with otherwise RAW? At the moment, I'm more inclined to give a plain -1 to resistance rolls per level and an extra -1 if the influencer has an appropriate advantage (Appearance bonus, Voice etc.). That would give +5% to +8% of success per level for the middle of the Gauss Curve. It might seem a little too good compared to Magic Susceptibility, but unlike that I think this trait would soon become known socially. Thoughts? Bonus question: How much should an "Easily Influenced: All Skills" disadvantage cost? I'm thinking -3 pts / level seems fair if you cap it at four levels. Here it might be best to use the Easily Influenced RAW, except multiple levels and affecting all skills. All of the above assumes a campaign medium to heavy on social interaction, of course.
__________________
My GURPS and mapmaking blog: The Blind Mapmaker |
04-02-2023, 01:00 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and some other bits.
|
Re: [PU6] Modifying/Expanding the Easily Influenced Quirk
Maybe a variant of Susceptible? It always seemed odd to me that Resistant has a mental option, but its counterpart doesn't.
__________________
My blog. |
04-02-2023, 01:30 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Mannheim, Baden
|
Re: [PU6] Modifying/Expanding the Easily Influenced Quirk
Well, there's Magic Susceptibility (Basic, p. 143), which works exactly like Easily Influenced, but vs. all magic and at -3 pts / level. I think it might be very slightly underpriced for regular fantasy campaigns, but I don't see Easily Influenced quite at -2 pts / level either. -1.5 pts / level might work, but 4th Edition hates the fractions - of course, that never really stopped me...
Thanks, I guess you helped me make up my mind a bit.
__________________
My GURPS and mapmaking blog: The Blind Mapmaker |
Tags |
disadvantage, influence skills, quirk, rules-as-written |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|