Insulting Your Opponents In Combat

[Mister Trent]

The concept: A character who is so good at sizing up his enemies psychologically and hurling such devastating insults that it makes a noticeable impact on them in a fight. He can, for example, cause opponents to lose all confidence in themselves and fight substantially less effectively, or even goad them into making stupid mistakes they wouldn't otherwise make.

 

How would you write up this ability?

[Grailknight]

Off the top of my head:

 

PRE attacks, perhaps with a linked Aid.

 

Drain OCV/DCV  vs Mental Defense

 

Extra Levels linked to PRE attacks.

[JohnnyAppleseed098]

Drain PRE 4D6 0 END (+1/2), Delayed Return Rate (5 Points Per 5 Minutes; +1 1/4) NND (Target is Deaf or covers their ears; +0) 110 APs Complex Incantations (-1/2), Must Be Within Hearing Range (-1/4). 63 RPs.

 

with 

 

Mind Control 15D6: 0 END (+1/2), NND (Target is Deaf or Covers their ears; +0) 112 APs Complex Incantations (-1/2), Normal Range (-1/4), Must Be within Hearing Range (-1/4), Linked to Drain (-1/2), Set Effect (Fight With Half Your Power; -1/4). 41 RPs. 

[Vondy]

I'm sure you'll be offered all sorts of intricate power constructs.

 

I'd call this simple and use an opposed skill roll.

 

Trash Talking (PRE)

 

I would allow opponents to use ego (will) to resist it with skills in tactics, psychology, etc as complimentary rolls. 

 

Some talents might make it easier to resist the taunts, like Resistance (Unflappable) +3.

 

But, there would also be plenty of psychological complications that might give bonuses to the taunting character's roll.

 

At the same time, I hate people like and don't like it in a game, so I wouldn't bend over backward to accommodate it. 

[ghost-angel]

There are also some Change Environment options that can do similar things.

 

You can also do weird things like: Damage Negation; Requires Skill Vs Skill Roll (your Oratory vs their EGO)

If you win you take less damage from them during the fight.

[JohnnyAppleseed098]

I'm sure you'll be offered all sorts of intricate power constructs.

 

I'd call this simple and use an opposed skill roll.

 

Trash Talking (PRE)

 

I would allow opponents to use ego (will) to resist it with skills in tactics, psychology, etc as complimentary rolls. 

 

Some talents might make it easier to resist the taunts, like Resistance (Unflappable) +3.

 

But, there would also be plenty of psychological complications that might give bonuses to the taunting character's roll.

 

At the same time, I hate people like and don't like it in a game, so I wouldn't bend over backward to accommodate it. 

But wow would you handle the reduction of power?

[Vondy]

But wow would you handle the reduction of power?

In general, I wouldn't. I would, however, impose negative modifiers to skill and atrack rolls. If you want to be fiddly you can use CE for that, but it seems like a lot of work for what is a minor effect. Unless of course the taunted character has berserk or hulkish rage that leads them to squash the mouthy punk. Which would be fun to watch as a backfire. Like I said, I don't enjoy this kind of thing at my gaming table and don't care to put any effort into modeling in.

[Surrealone]

In general, I wouldn't. I would, however, impose negative modifiers to skill and atrack rolls. If you want to be fiddly you can use CE for that, but it seems like a lot of work for what is a minor effect. Unless of course the taunted character has berserk or hulkish rage that leads them to squash the mouthy punk. Which would be fun to watch as a backfire. Like I said, I don't enjoy this kind of thing at my gaming table and don't care to put any effort into modeling in.

 

Because scenes like Loki and the Hulk's 'puny god' trash-talking scene wouldn't be funny at your gaming table, at all?

 

 

Or how about Loki and Stark's 'performance issue' trash-talking scene?

[Vondy]

Because scenes like Loki and the Hulk's 'puny god' trash-talking scene wouldn't be funny at your gaming table, at all?

 

 

I'm not going to argue my aesthetic preferences, social mores, or personal ethics with you.

 

But, for the record:

 

I didn't see anything in those scenes that amounted to anything more than oratory and role-play.

 

It does not, in my opinion, require a fiddly power construct.

[Surrealone]

So if trash talking is commonly considered 'insulting or boastful speech intended to demoralize, intimidate, or humiliate someone, especially an opponent in an athletic contest' ... I'd think Stark making condescending male performance failure jokes ... is, by definition, trash talking.  And I'd think calling someone 'puny' after he had just claimed his godly status ... is, by definition, trash talking, too.

 

You indicated you didn't like it in your game.  Yet you discounted two pat (and funny!) examples of the very behavior you said you didn't like -- and waved it off as if those examples didn't meet the commonly accepted definition. Colour me a little confused on exactly where you stand on the issue. Mixed messages, sir...

 

But I do agree a fiddly construct isn't needed...

[pinecone]

The concept: A character who is so good at sizing up his enemies psychologically and hurling such devastating insults that it makes a noticeable impact on them in a fight. He can, for example, cause opponents to lose all confidence in themselves and fight substantially less effectively, or even goad them into making stupid mistakes they wouldn't otherwise make.

 

How would you write up this ability?

How about, +2 all combat, requires Pres attack, resisted by Ego roll?

If your foe "shakes it off" you don't get the bonus...?

[Anaximander]

A lot depends on how you want to run things determines how best to build this. 

 

If the player is genuinely clever at quips, you could just let him roleplay it.

 

Presence Attacks can already be used to cause opponents to hesitate.  You could buy a bunch of Presence limited to insults.

 

You could buy various Drains, Mind Controls, and that only work when flinging insults.  You could limit them further by tying them to some kind of skill roll like Oratory, Persuasion, PS: Insults, or something depending on how reliable you want them to be.

 

I had to consider this for an NPC I created for my campaign.  He is a low powered hero named Ass O' Nine who was a former carny jerk who uses insults to distract opponents in battle.  I think I just went with the limited Presence idea for him though.