Are reaction modifiers too cheap?

[warmachine]

Originally Posted by Bookman

5/Level Charisma is a legacy of 3e. If you're in a game where the GM routinely uses reaction and influence rolls, it is really, really inexpensive for the benefits that it provides. It isn't exactly a talent, because its primary benefit is the reaction bonus; for talents, the reaction bonus is pretty much a 0-point feature of the talent.

At 10/level it is still a good deal for characters in that niche, but probably the right cost if encounters with a "fixed" reaction aren't affected by it.

This is from another thread. I've also regarded Charisma as too cheap not just for the number of skills it affects but also reaction modifiers are really worth 10 points per level.

What do you think the price of a reaction modifier should be?

[Greg 1]

The value of reaction modifiers depends an awful lot on the game in question. For a dungeon crawl, Charisma can be more expensive than it is worth. For a game of courtly intrigue, it is cheap.

Also, for the sake of keeping things simple, Advantages in GURPS are often priced in 5 point increments, which is a good move in my book, although not as balanced as a more fiddly system.

I keep a careful watch on how many levels of Charisma are taken to make sure that it is not abused.

[Edges]

Originally Posted by Greg 1

The value of reaction modifiers depends an awful lot on the game in question. For a dungeon crawl, Charisma can be more expensive than it is worth. For a game of courtly intrigue, it is cheap.

Also, for the sake of keeping things simple, Advantages in GURPS are often priced in 5 point increments, which is a good move in my book, although not as balanced as a more fiddly system.

I keep a careful watch on how many levels of Charisma are taken to make sure that it is not abused.

Ditto.

I'll add that I keep a careful watch on all reaction modifiers (all traits for that matter) to make sure that they're not abused.

[Stoob]

Like any advantage or disadvantage, the GM must carefully monitor the adventure to make sure the players' strengths and weaknesses are tested in a variety of ways. Charisma can be a great advantage, but only in situations where Charisma is relevant. Situations where social maneuvering will result in 'success', in a well-rounded adventure suited to a diverse team of PCs, are limited. Curing the disease, non-negotiable combat, or traversing/surviving harsh terrain are examples of non-social challenges, but there are endless possibilities.

5pt/level for Charisma is reasonable in a campaign where there are a variety of challenges.

IMHO, if you feel Charisma is too powerful or overused, consider changing the challenges presented to the PCs in your adventure so that Charisma has less effect on the overall progress before you raise its point value or place 'caps' on Charisma as an advantage.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by warmachine

This is from another thread. I've also regarded Charisma as too cheap not just for the number of skills it affects but also reaction modifiers are really worth 10 points per level.

What do you think the price of a reaction modifier should be?

They should be worth the same amount that all the other fiat-priced 5-point building block advantages are worth, half as much as the 10-point building block advantages, 1/4 as much as 20-point building block advantages, etc.

How did you arrive at your conclusion? Is a level of Charisma really comparable with +1 ST or +1 HT?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by warmachine

What do you think the price of a reaction modifier should be?

In a game that actually uses the reaction tables, which is IME rare, 10-15 points. This may have more to do with the reaction tables being broken than with charisma per se, though; the extreme results should be moved out a lot.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Anthony

This may have more to do with the reaction tables being broken

I think I speak for quite a few people when I say...eh?

[Last Pawn]

Perhaps he's using Cosmic Charisma*?

A friend of mine was prone to interpreting the reaction rolls a little too literally, IMO, which lead to things like being able to fast talk your way past the treasury guard whilst dressed in adventuring garb. Really, at that point you should be either capping the maximum result at neutral or reinterpreting what exactly a very good reaction means:

`Y`know what buddy? I like you, I really do. You got a real f-in set on ya. So what I'm gonna do for you is forget you ever asked that question, assumin' yer out of town by the time I'm off shift."

* Cosmic Charisma (in my games at least) allows you to add your bonus after the reaction roll is adjusted to its capped value.

[martinl]

Reaction mods are limited by an unstated assumption that PCs are doing violentImeanheroic things in strange places where negotiation is extremely limited and that social edges are secondary.

In a nonheroic game similar to real life, CHA is probably comparable in value to IQ. Someone smart can go far, but the top power positions go to those with lots of CHA, status, and other social ads.

[Bathawk]

I think it should be based on growing increments, after all 20-30 levels of charisma could turn every barbarian horde, evil overlord, vampire lord into your new best friend