Alternative Absentmindedness?

[Not]

I like the Absent Minded [-15] disadvantage, but the rules for it are very specific. Has anyone allowed a player to take a fifteen point disadvantage called Absent minded but inflicted different tribulations upon them?

Related question: do we need an IQ-based analog to Total Klutz?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Not

I like the Absent Minded [-15] disadvantage, but the rules for it are very specific. Has anyone allowed a player to take a fifteen point disadvantage called Absent minded but inflicted different tribulations upon them?

A disad with different effects but the same name would be confusing, unless you make it very clear that your house rules version of Absent Minded is very different from RAW.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with such a trait.

Originally Posted by Not

Related question: do we need an IQ-based analog to Total Klutz?

S. John Ross (author of several very cool GURPS 3e books and Pyramid articles) once proposed an equivalent to Klutz called "Ditz." The game mechanics were virtually identical to Klutz, except that an IQ (or possibly self-control) roll was required to avoid making stupid mental blunders, like making a left turn from the right lane or calling your boss by an embarrassing nickname.

He also proposed a disadvantage called "Idiot" which was sort of the opposite of Versatile with a bit of Stubbornness added. You had to make a self-control every time the player came up with a good idea. Failure meant that the character didn't think of it. Critical failure meant that the character came up with a really bad idea and the player had to run with it. Obviously, a disad for dedicated roleplayers only!

Keep in mind that severe general forgetfulness is functionally the equivalent of reduced IQ. If you can't recall a fact you've learned, it's the same as if you never learned it at all.

Likewise, if you're very smart in some ways but have a learning disability which slows your ability to absorb new information, it's also the same as reduced IQ, but possibly with levels of Talent to counterbalance the negative effects.

If you wanted to break Forgetfulness out into a separate disadvantage, it would be worth -10 points per level, since it's "-1/level IQ, except for Per and Will rolls." The problem is that it overlaps with Anti-Talents which are far less limiting for about the same point value.
The equivalent "Good Memory" advantage would be a massive point crock at +10/lvl since it would boost all IQ-based talents for a far lower point cost than an equivalent Talent.

[Flyndaran]

I believe the opposite of Versatile would be Hidebound.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I believe the opposite of Versatile would be Hidebound.

Per RAW, yes.

But the idea behind idiot was that the character becomes a fountain of bad ideas, rather than the good ones which Versatile aids.

[Flyndaran]

Ah. Well that sounds like the Quirk: Imaginative could work somewhat.
In combination that would be, comes up with plenty of ideas, but they don't help.

[zarawesome]

I've actually given this some thought:

Attention Deficit
Almost Short Attention Span, almost Absent-Mindedness. You have tremendous difficulty doing, or even noticing, anything that would be "easy" or "boring".
If a non-combat task would require a roll of 14+, roll Will to avoid losing interest halfway or forgetting some important detail that makes the result shoddy. Conversely, when this doesn't apply, roll Will to notice anything not related to the task.
Common life tasks require 50% as much time, or more, due to constant dithering and attempts to creatively bypass the task.
As per Absent-Mindedness, any tasks that are not absolutely routine require a IQ roll if they become crucial, or you'll have forgotten to do them. Lists and reminders don't help - you forget to set those up instead!
Commonly paired with Curious, Impulsiveness, Hard of Hearing (auditory processing disorder)

[Pursuivant]

I assume that this is intended as a mental Quirk.

If so, it's not a bad one and adequately describes the less severe forms of ADHD or some learning disorders.

Serious ADHD is better modeled by some combination of reduced IQ (representing reduced learning speed and problems with recalling information), Absent-Minded, Impulsiveness, Short Attention Span, and the Single-Minded advantage.