Help me find someone's houserule Disadvantage

[Tech]

Some time ago, someone posted a houserule for characters. I think the cost of the disadvantage was 1 pt. It was for some very minor thing such as "has gold eyes" or something to that effect. Does anyone remember this?

[IndianaJoe3]

That sounds like Quirks from GURPS. A character could have up to five.

[dsatow]

It is based on GURPS' Quirks disadvantage.  To work it in Hero, you buy a 5 point Distinctive Feature: Quirky and list 5 quirks about the character.

[Sketchpad]

I always just made a new Disad/Complication called "Quirk" which are 1 pt each and allowed 5 of them. 

[Duke Bushido]

On 8/31/2022 at 10:22 PM, Sketchpad said:

I always just made a new Disad/Complication called "Quirk" which are 1 pt each and allowed 5 of them. 

 

Ditto.

 

It was suggested to me by a GURPS player (a year or two before I had read GURPS myself) who had joined our Atomic Rockets campaign to incorporate the idea; I had no real objection to the idea (remember I am the guy who openly mocks the mythical "perfect balancing" of points; it wasn't hard to convince me).

 

That was during the first or second edition ot GURPS, and I have yet to find it unbalancing, and quite often find it delightful.  Perhaps it is just the name "Quirks," but I find that in general, Players who will periodically forget their Character's dependence on anti-muto medications or their crippling agoraphobia will never forget to lean into their little one-point Quirks.

 

I have found it so not-unbalancing that for a while, I allowed up to ten Quirks, but the Players going overboard (playing them,up as if they were 20-point Psych Lims- while consistently forgetting their 20-pt Psych Lims!)) that I backed off of that eventually.  I find 3 or 4 works best with my group of Players, and 5 doesn't really slow things down, so that is my own cap.

 

Frankly, they are perfect for those "but if only I had two more points!" moments.

 

I recall the preface of the first GURPS book I bought (Basic-  3e, I think) where SJ specifically named Champions as one of his inspirations.  There is a lot of overlap in style of the two systems; it only seems right to borrow a little bit in return. 

 

 

[BoloOfEarth]

I also have allowed up to 5 1-point Quirks on my Champions' campaign player characters, and make it a point to have the same on all villains.  It add flavor and three-dimensionality to the characters.

 

Some of my favorites are:

• Calling Card - the character leaves behind something at many of their crimes.  It could be a card, or might be something like a gold candle.
• Loves (sea life / dogs / cats / small children)
• Smokes cigars
• Has a crush on (team member or PC
• Taylor Swift / Weird Al Yankovic / Kanye West fan
• Refers to himself in the third person
• Perpetually peppy
• Crazy hair

 

In case it helps, here is a link to a list of GURPS Quirks - it doesn't explain what each Quirk is, but the names will usually suffice to figure out what the deal is.

 

Quirks - GURPS Repository (wikidot.com)

 

[unclevlad]

9 hours ago, BoloOfEarth said:

• Taylor Swift / Weird Al Yankovic / Kanye West fan

 

Weird Al, maybe, but the other two are too mainstream.  Tom Lehrer.  Doctor Demento.  One-hit wonder songs.  Joe Bob Briggs.  MST 3K.  In my book, the name should evince blank stares from at least half the people, if it ever comes up.

 

YMMV, of course.

 

Another spot for Quirk Inspiration may simply be TV Tropes.  Just remember you DO need to sleep some time...that site is the ultimate rabbit hole, I swear.

[dmjalund]

being a fan of anyone can be a Quirk if you're fanatical enough

[steriaca]

On 10/18/2022 at 8:37 PM, unclevlad said:

 

Weird Al, maybe, but the other two are too mainstream.  Tom Lehrer.  Doctor Demento.  One-hit wonder songs.  Joe Bob Briggs.  MST 3K.  In my book, the name should evince blank stares from at least half the people, if it ever comes up.

The GREAT luke ski works.

On 10/18/2022 at 8:37 PM, unclevlad said:

 

YMMV, of course.

 

Another spot for Quirk Inspiration may simply be TV Tropes.  Just remember you DO need to sleep some time...that site is the ultimate rabbit hole, I swear.

I agree. Have you actually read there Champions RPG page?

[BoloOfEarth]

2 hours ago, steriaca said:

I agree. Have you actually read there Champions RPG page?

 

I just read some of it.  My favorite was:

 

Cloudcuckoolander: Foxbat. Dear god, Foxbat.

[unclevlad]

I try very, very hard to stay away from TV Tropes...it's far too easy to come up for air and realize you've just lost 4 hours..........

[Duke Bushido]

3 hours ago, unclevlad said:

I try very, very hard to stay away from TV Tropes...it's far too easy to come up for air and realize you've just lost 4 hours..........

 

 

That, and you realize that every conceivable thing is a trope....  _every_ conceivable thing!

 

Hornets from the core of the sun are stinging people and granting them immortality?  Seen it.  What a trope.

 

Global,warmong reverses itself because the Make-a-Wish foundation had a parient who really wanted it?  God; yes- just twice last weekend....

 

Place ia an absolute pit designed to do nothing more than suck all the fun out of story telling.

 

 

[BNakagawa]

On 10/10/2022 at 7:32 PM, Duke Bushido said:

 

Ditto.

 

It was suggested to me by a GURPS player (a year or two before I had read GURPS myself) who had joined our Atomic Rockets campaign to incorporate the idea; I had no real objection to the idea (remember I am the guy who openly mocks the mythical "perfect balancing" of points; it wasn't hard to convince me).

 

That was during the first or second edition ot GURPS, and I have yet to find it unbalancing, and quite often find it delightful.  Perhaps it is just the name "Quirks," but I find that in general, Players who will periodically forget their Character's dependence on anti-muto medications or their crippling agoraphobia will never forget to lean into their little one-point Quirks.

 

I have found it so not-unbalancing that for a while, I allowed up to ten Quirks, but the Players going overboard (playing them,up as if they were 20-point Psych Lims- while consistently forgetting their 20-pt Psych Lims!)) that I backed off of that eventually.  I find 3 or 4 works best with my group of Players, and 5 doesn't really slow things down, so that is my own cap.

 

Frankly, they are perfect for those "but if only I had two more points!" moments.

 

I recall the preface of the first GURPS book I bought (Basic-  3e, I think) where SJ specifically named Champions as one of his inspirations.  There is a lot of overlap in style of the two systems; it only seems right to borrow a little bit in return. 

 

 

Well, it's only fitting to mention that Champions share a lot of DNA with Melee/Wizard which are the earliest progenitors of what grew into GURPS.

 

Hex based movement, 3d6 combat resolution, roll low is good, armor makes you harder to hurt, not harder to hit, point build chargen, uses only d6s, etc.

[Duke Bushido]

I will accept all of thise things except for hexes and d6s.  Those two things were very common in wargaming for several years before and after Champions.  I think it is fair to say Champions borrowed the other stuff (I used to rather enjoy TFT: the only fantasy RPG that encouraged buff wizards.    )

 

 

 

 

[Tech]

Thanks for finding this for me.