Affliction (Attribute Penalty) Cost

[JCurwen3]

I get why penalties to ST and HT are only +5% rather than +10% (reflecting their 10 CP/point cost), because their secondary characteristics aren't affected - you keep HP and FP and all that. Even the lowered DX cost (+10% instead of +20%) makes sense because the penalty to that doesn't affect Basic Speed or Move.

But why is the IQ penalty valued at only +10%? Unless I'm missing something, as far as I can see all of its secondary characteristics are affected - Will, Per, and all skills based on them and IQ. Doesn't it deserve the full +20% pricing?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

I get why penalties to ST and HT are only +5% rather than +10% (reflecting their 10 CP/point cost), because their secondary characteristics aren't affected - you keep HP and FP and all that. Even the lowered DX cost (+10% instead of +20%) makes sense because the penalty to that doesn't affect Basic Speed or Move.

But why is the IQ penalty valued at only +10%? Unless I'm missing something, as far as I can see all of its secondary characteristics are affected - Will, Per, and all skills based on them and IQ. Doesn't it deserve the full +20% pricing?

Why would you expect it to be 20%?

[JCurwen3]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Why would you expect it to be 20%?

Based on the pricing of Disadvantage (+1% per point of disadvantage), and with IQ costing 20 CP per IQ point, an IQ-1 is worth [-20].

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

Based on the pricing of Disadvantage (+1% per point of disadvantage), and with IQ costing 20 CP per IQ point, an IQ-1 is worth [-20].

No it doesn't work like that. Bear in mind that characteristics have a lot more levels and "points" to go down than any disadvantage, even ones that are totally crippling.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

I get why penalties to ST and HT are only +5% rather than +10% (reflecting their 10 CP/point cost), because their secondary characteristics aren't affected - you keep HP and FP and all that. Even the lowered DX cost (+10% instead of +20%) makes sense because the penalty to that doesn't affect Basic Speed or Move.

But why is the IQ penalty valued at only +10%?

Because it is being used as an IQ! Penalty instead of an IQ Penalty, with a free Will Penalty and Perception Penalty tacked on for kicks 'n giggles as far as I can tell.

Unless I'm missing something, as far as I can see all of its secondary characteristics are affected - Will, Per, and all skills based on them and IQ. Doesn't it deserve the full +20% pricing?

It does deserve the full +20%, yes. Or you can rule that the Affliction-based IQ Penalty doesn't affect its' secondary characteristics (Will and Perception) so that the behavior is consistent with other Affliction-based Attribute Penalties. Whichever you feel is more appropriate.

[Bruno]

I suspect it's half "same price as DX" and half "But really, how many raw IQ rolls do people usually make in combat ANYWAYS" sort of thing.

IE, it's more "-1 to Per, Will, and IQ based skills" with the -1 to actual IQ being somewhat of a feature. As far as I know, someone penalized down below IQ 6 doesn't loose language skills, doesn't lose their ability to understand symbolic logic, and basically doesn't count get all those magical 0 point features that GURPS tacks on when your IQ is below the magic number.

I'd expand on that and say that for the listed price "you aren't required to roleplay a character with reduced IQ, just suffer the dice penalties".

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

It does deserve the full +20%, yes. Or you can rule that the Affliction-based IQ Penalty doesn't affect its' secondary characteristics (Will and Perception) so that the behavior is consistent with other Affliction-based Attribute Penalties. Whichever you feel is more appropriate.

I've used that latter (no effect on Will or Per) as a house rule. It seems reasonable to keep the cost in line with other Attribute Penalties and take the text in Characters at its face.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

I've used that latter (no effect on Will or Per) as a house rule. It seems reasonable to keep the cost in line with other Attribute Penalties and take the text in Characters at its face.

The problem is, the main reason anyone wants to afflict intelligence is to mess with their Will.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

The problem is, the main reason anyone wants to afflict intelligence is to mess with their Will.

Well, if -IQ is +10% per -1, -Will should be -2.5% per -1. If you are treating -IQ as +20% per -1, then -Will should be -5% per -1.

[Kuroshima]

Personally, I disagree with the half price cost of attribute penalties for Affliction. In my games, attribute penalties for afflictions (and imbuements) are priced as if they were disadvantages, and they're still awesomely strong. Of course, these reductions affect derived characteristics, and I don't mind on the table recalculation.