CrosshairCollie Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 While discussing Disadvantages with my players, one of them mentioned Noblesse Oblige (which I can barely type, much less say). Defined by the Master List: While this Disadvantage can be used in almost any genre, it is most appropriate for a setting that has a defined nobility or otherwise wealthy and powerful social class. This Disadvantage is only appropriate for characters that belong to that class. A character with this Disadvantage believes that those people of a station lower than his are incapable of watching out for themselves, and thus need someone of the "landed class" to take care of them, to protect them, and to give order to their lives. In return the common folk owe the nobles their unswerving obedience in all things, their loyalty, and the sweat of their brows. In addition, they never hesitate to chastise the common folk when they feel the common person has stepped beyond his place. They will be condescending to those who are not of their own (or a higher) social class. The character can suppress his natural urge to condescend when necessary. I'm not entirely certain the degree of condescension that comes with this psych lim is what he was after; it seemed he was going more for the concept of 'The responsibility falls on me because of my power', rather than 'the common folk are obviously incompetent', particularly the part about chastising those who go 'beyond their place'. He's at work right now, so I can't discuss it with him, but ... For the life of me, I can't come up with another way to phrase that take on responsibility. It should be easy, but it's not. Help, anybody? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceTheOwl Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Personally, it sounds more like a SocLim than a PsychLim. It sounds like it'll affect how he behaves around others more than his behavior in, say, combat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey88 Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Hmmm... perhaps something to the tune of: "compelled to use his superior abilities/resources to help those less fortunate?" Is that along the lines of what you're looking for? For that matter, is it too wordy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Johnston Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Psych Limit: Power=Responsibility Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
input.jack Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Actually, your Player's understanding of "Noblesse Oblige" is more accurate than that verbal description. Its about the synbiotic relationship of the upper and lower classes; the lower classes do those things necessary to support the upper classes, so that the upper classes can carry out their obligation to defend and protect the masses. "Takes seriously the responsibilities and duties of his Position" might be another way ot phrasing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwleisemann Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Agreed with Input.Jack - his idea of Noblesse Oblige is better than that one. However, if you want a different one.... Stan Lee Syndrome. 'Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLeisemann Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Stan Lee Syndrome. 'Nuff said. Which, I might add, is far more noble than "Roger: The Stan Lee Experience" Syndrome. (sorry. I had to pitch in a gratuitous X-Play reference) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim With a nod to David Johnston, the first thing I thought when I read all of this was, "With great power comes great responsibility." Psych Lim: Follows the Way of Uncle Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim I'm not entirely certain the degree of condescension that comes with this psych lim is what he was after; it seemed he was going more for the concept of 'The responsibility falls on me because of my power', rather than 'the common folk are obviously incompetent', particularly the part about chastising those who go 'beyond their place'. He's at work right now, so I can't discuss it with him, but ... For the life of me, I can't come up with another way to phrase that take on responsibility. It should be easy, but it's not. Help, anybody? The level of condescension - if any - is dependent on the individual as opposed to being inherent in the limitation and needs to be worked out between the two of you. Its possible the character has great respect for the common man, but believes there is an inviolate social contact - his protection and aid in exchange for whatever the normative social duties are. This is apropos for a medieval knight, for instance, and is the classic usage. In contemporary usage it is more akin to someone who believes they are beholden to those less fortunate than they without any sort of social duty being given in return - and could be held by someone who is, in fact, quite humble. The common "with great power..." is essentially the same thing as noblesse oblige as it is used in common parlance today. As such I see no problems with the phrase being used as is insofar as you both understand what it entails. Its not so much a disad as a powerful motivator, and well worth allowing under those circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlestaff Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Psych Lim: Follows the Way of Uncle Ben He protects the rights and position of rice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim He protects the rights and position of rice? Not just any rice. Sixty Second Rice. The Flash of the Rice World. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted March 28, 2007 Report Share Posted March 28, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim He protects the rights and position of rice? Not just any rice. Sixty Second Rice. The Flash of the Rice World. Should have seen that coming. There's one in every crowd. Two in this one, I suppose. Mmmmm, rice.... /homer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim Moderately tangential, This is also the kind of PsychLim/SocLim you see in some DC types. Think of the hero that is particular to a specific area of the campaign city. He is not very interested in halting crime at the state of national level, but is only concerned with protecting "his people." He feels the need to protect the residents of a particular area and when the cops show up to ask questions, NOONE seems to have seen anything. Noblesse oblige is not just a "nobility" thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey88 Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Re: Phrasing a Psych Lim There's some heroes like that in Marvel, too. Daredevil is a good example - Hell's Kitchen is "his turf". You mess with someone there, you mess with DD. I don't know nearly as much about Luke Cage, but I get that impression from him too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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