New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

[The Main Man]

Phobia would be the exact opposite of Enraged, in that if you experience whatever makes you this way, you run for it!

 

Afraid of Spiders? Then run for it!

 

Not to fond of Public Speaking THIS MUCH? Tuck & roll Grandma, cuz we're gone!

 

Comments?

[Guest steamteck]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I've always just made phobias psychologicals myself but what's your thought?

[Thia Halmades]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I think he means to do it as a Go/Recover. That'd work just fine, really. It's one way of doing it, but like you, I've always done it as a Psych Lim to be RP'd.

[Kenn]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I find the suddenly running for it method a little clumbsy for some phobias.

 

I have acrophobia. I'm mickeyed and put on a plane. I come to. To run for it... I go where?

I have agoraphobia. I get out of a car in a meadow and the car drives off. Running for it, I'm still in a wide open space?

 

I think a Psychological Limitation with the Total option tends to work better. It covers the madly running away AND curling up into a ball response.

[The Main Man]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

As an effort to deconstruct it, why is Enraged separate from Psych. Limitation then?

[Kenn]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

As an effort to deconstruct it' date=' why is Enraged separate from Psych. Limitation then?[/quote']

 

Because it used to be "Enraged" was the kinder gentler version of "Bezerk" instead of "Bezerk" being the nasty extra option for "Enraged." And generally most enraged could be taken as Psych. Limitations instead, and generally encourage my players to do that rather than take the enraged (or worse they'd double dip and take both.)

 

But the thing about Bezerk was that once you were made angry, you would tear into anybody that got near you. And that, is a step beyond even what the "Total" option on Psychological Limitations get.

 

But since they switched Enraged and Bezerk with 5e... I could see folding Enraged into Psych. Lim.

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Enraged is a specific Combat Oriented Condition with a specific Mechanical Effect.

 

Phobia's have no set reaction, some people lock up and do nothing; some people panic; some people become aggressive and go Enraged (get a syringe near me - I'll show you this one); some people run like hell; some people just flat pass out.

 

Given the wide range of reactions to a Phobic exposure, I think it's best left in the nebulous Psychological Limitation realm.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I think rather than "Phobia" (which is very clearly a Psychological Limitation) this would be something more like Panicked. In this case I think it might work, but I'd still be a bit wary.

[JmOz]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Actualy I would like to seeenraged reworked to include any state call it uncontrolled, with a oblivious (formerly beserk)

 

For example

 

Overjoyed by puppies, go 11-, recover 11-: Anytime a character sees a puppy she will uncontrolably start gushing over it, petting it, talking in that annoying voice. Oblivious (Only notices puppy from then on)

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Good idea, repped.

[JmOz]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Good idea' date=' repped.[/quote']

 

Thank you, after I posted I feared that my (Admitingly) silly example might have made people think I was joking, something I was not doing (Beyond trying to be funny with the example)

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Naw, I know a girl like that. She's all P&V until puppies enter the equation and she turns to mush and can't do much else but focus on the puppy. It's kinda funny.

[Gadodel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

 

Overjoyed by puppies, go 11-, recover 11-: Anytime a character sees a puppy she will uncontrolably start gushing over it, petting it, talking in that annoying voice. Oblivious (Only notices puppy from then on)

 

I have this...

[pawsplay]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

People react in such varying ways to phobias that I think PsychLims are actually the best way to handle it.

[Sean Waters]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I think Main Man's idea is a sound one. Whilst there are all sorts of reactions to phobias, they tend to be consistent for the individual. However I'd be inclined, rather than creating a new category, to genericise Enraged/Berserk:

 

Call it 'Predictable Reaction' (or something a little snappier) and then you roll to react, roll to recover and so on, but you specify the reaction when you take the disadvantage. If the reaction is extreme, then you get +10 (as you would for berserk). The reaction could be fear, anger, turning to mush when confronted with puppies - anything, so long as, when you are confronted with X, you have a chance of reacting in a specific way, that is beyond your control.

 

This is, in many ways, a far better disadvantage than Psych Lim because:

 

1. it is better defined mechanically

2. it uses set figures, whereas PsLm uses an EGO roll - so high Ego characters can often ignore their disadvantage, which is frankly silly.

 

Psych Lim has a place, of course, but should be used where the reaction is not predictable: In Love with X, for example - love is such a broad spectrum emotion that how you react is almost entirely situational, so would not work well with a 'Predictable Response' type disadvantage.

 

We probably should remove the EGO roll stipulation from PsLm anyway, and replace it with a straight 8-/11-/14-, which would be fairer all round, but that is a point for another thread

[pawsplay]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I think phobias are very situational. A person with a fear of elevators might be in a panic if they had to take one to escape a killer, but they might do it; in this, a penalty to PRE and skill checks is appropriate. They aren't likely to flee, but they might if someone they are trying to impress is on the elevator. Usually, they'll just refuse and try to make excuses.

[Sean Waters]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I think phobias are very situational. A person with a fear of elevators might be in a panic if they had to take one to escape a killer' date=' but they might do it; in this, a penalty to PRE and skill checks is appropriate. They aren't likely to flee, but they might if someone they are trying to impress is on the elevator. Usually, they'll just refuse and try to make excuses.[/quote']

 

 

There is no reason a fear of elevators has to be a single disadvantage, or have a binary result (I'm fine/I'm catatonic).

 

Build it like this:

 

Physical Limitation: Fear Of Elevators When confronted by or forced into an elevator, becomes shaky and panicky -5 PRE, EGO and DEX.

 

That happens every time - you can't control the shakes. However, they may still be able to act, or maybe not.

 

Psychological limtiation: Fear of Elevators - will not voluntarily enter an elevator or, if forced into one will fight to avoid it, but once inside, will freeze, unable to take any action. (uncommon, total) 15 points

 

OR, using the 'Predictable Reaction' disadvantage:

 

Loss of control re elevators (uncommon) 11-/11- 20 points (30 if you consider the reaction extreme, and becoming unable to take any action probably is).

 

Now the thing I'm spotting is the gulf between the points that would yield, but I've long said that disadvantages are neither balanced nor particularly balancing, and as a GM, I tend to look not just at the mechanical effect, but also at the points you got for it when deciding how harsh to be: if you get 30 points for your fear of elevators, then they'd come up a lot more than if you got 15 - what you've done is given the GM 15 or 30 points worth of permission to screw with you

[pawsplay]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

My point is that any or all of those might apply, depending on context. Are you suggesting I take 50-60 points in elevator related Disadvantages to represent a phobia?

[GamePhil]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I didn't read the whole thread, so if someone said something like this just consider this agreement.

 

I would consider changing Enraged to Uncontrolled Behavior. When the impetus occurs, you have a roll to lose control of yourself in the manner you define, and a roll under some circumstances to leave it. If the consequences of losing control are particularly egregious (Berserk for Enraged, freezing in place and shaking or thrashing about for Phobia (which might be very like being Berserk)), you get 10 more points.

 

Yes, this is much like Psychological Limitation except for the mechanic behind its use, but that mechanic is so different that if depending upon a roll is more desirable you'd use this. It also has no real method to overcome it except the breakout roll, so even if your other Psych Lims or heroism or what have you are against an act you can't use your Ego to break free, which again might be useful for some concepts.

 

Edit: Yup, JmOz already said much the same. I'll leave this since it's slightly more detailed.

[The Main Man]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Actualy I would like to seeenraged reworked to include any state call it uncontrolled, with a oblivious (formerly beserk)

 

For example

 

Overjoyed by puppies, go 11-, recover 11-: Anytime a character sees a puppy she will uncontrolably start gushing over it, petting it, talking in that annoying voice. Oblivious (Only notices puppy from then on)

 

I would have Repped you, but I must spread more first.

 

That is an even better idea.

[Sean Waters]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

My point is that any or all of those might apply' date=' depending on context. Are you suggesting I take 50-60 points in elevator related Disadvantages to represent a phobia?[/quote']

 

I'm sugegsting that, if your most defining personality trait is elevatorphobia, then you should probably take a lot of points there, and expect it to come up a lot as a result.

 

BA Barracus (sp?) was afraid of flying and, whilst it isn't that big of a deal, he clearly had a lot of points from it because it came up all the time.

[GamePhil]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Indeed, a Disadvantage is a request to the GM to mess with a character in a specific (though, one hopes, entertaining) fashion. The more points in it, the more urgent the request.

 

If the GM does not feel up to making an entertaining mess of a character in a specific way, of course, the Disads should be disallowed, but that's another story.

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

Indeed, a Disadvantage is a request to the GM to mess with a character in a specific (though, one hopes, entertaining) fashion. The more points in it, the more urgent the request.

 

If the GM does not feel up to making an entertaining mess of a character in a specific way, of course, the Disads should be disallowed, but that's another story.

 

No it isn't.

[JmOz]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

No it isn't.

 

I have to agree with gamephil on this, HOWEVER, I want to emphasis mess with the CHARACTER, not the PLAYER (I have had to many bad GM's who were opositional to not say so)

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Disadvantage Idea: Phobia

 

I don't like the term "mess with" at any level - it's a confrontational term.

 

Let's try "Involve In The Story" - it's a mutually inclusive term.