New Mental Disadvantages for GURPS
by Joe Weinmunson and Jeannette Foret
Copyright 1996 by Joe Weinmunson
GURPS gives plenty of real-life mental disadvantages for the average PC, but
doesn't provide much grisly detail for severe mental disorders. Of the
disadvantages listed here, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is the only one
really suitable for PCs, unless you' re playing GURPS Serial Killers. Lots of
people get PTSD--anything from childhood abuse to initial combat experience to
a badly failed fright check can inspire it.
Psychopathia and Sociopathia are a different matter. They represent our
current and imperfect understanding of why a few people, mostly young men,
gain personal and sexual satisfaction from the suffering and death of another
human being. The disadvantages are best used when the GM wants to give a
horrific but realistic adversary to investigating PCs.
PTSD works as a combination of disadvantages, but the pattern is distinctive
enough to think of them as a group. A friend of mine studied psych for a
while before she began roleplaying with us, and she also suffered from the
disorder. Here's how we worked it up:
I believe this is described on the GURPSnet FTP site. If the trauma occurred
recently, the 25(?)-point version might be more appropriate.
These are usually triggered by association with the initial trauma. Some very
severe cases would have the disad at the -15 pt. level.
OPH: Edgy -5 points
PTSD sufferers are often difficult to get along with. They tend to be very
high-strung and twitchy.
This is actually a bit of a misnomer. I chose this disadvantage to represent
the minus to social skills the victims have. While some are actually shy,
many are simply so disconnected from their environments they find it difficult
to relate to others.
I don't remember whether or not this is in 3rd Edition Revised, but I know
I've seen it in some recent GURPS supplement.
This may seem like a lot of points, but I think it represents Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder pretty accurately; people who suffer from it have a very hard
time of things, and it takes lots of therapy (and maybe psychiatric drugs) to
overcome.
This is the disadvantage of the "organized" serial-killer--a seemingly
well-adjusted, likable individual who plans grisly murders in obsessive
detail. Note that unless the psychopath has not yet begun to kill, they will
have a -30 point Secret or a -30 point Enemy (National law enforcement, 9 or
less) and a -4 Reputation (Serial Killer). While they are not included in the
above cost, psychopaths often have above-average IQ and Charisma; they are
also frequently Overconfident and Intolerant of women.
Psychopaths show an unhealthy interest in death from an early age, often
clandestinely killing neighborhood pets and animals. As they mature, their
private life begins to revolve around plans to kill and/or sexually assault
others (usually, but not always, women).
Sadism -15 points
During these assaults, the psychopath revels in the victim's pain--other
sexual release is frequently impossible. He or she eventually gets joy from
nothing but another person's suffering.
-1 to all Social Skills. -5 points
Even in their everyday lives, psychopaths rarely function as well as others.
Their dark fantasies intrude into passing thoughts sufficiently to give them
a slight handicap when conversing with people.
Despite the repeated claims that, "He seemed so normal!," the killer's
neighbors often admit on further reflection that they always felt a bit
nervous around him. Co-workers especially remember instances of lost tempers
quickly repressed.
Sociopaths are more obviously insane than psychopaths, and if your world has
mental institutions they've probably spent time in them. They are usually
"disorganized" by modern FBI terminology; their murders are spontaneous and
not purposefully sadistic. They usually have a low IQ and rarely have wealth
or status. Sociopaths have the same Secret or Enemy and Bad Reputation as
psychopaths do.
This is the crux of the sociopath's problem--deep down, they have the
solipsistic that nobody else is really there. They walk in a world of shadows
and illusions, completely self-centered. This leads to the next disadvantage:
Since notions of right or wrong depend on being able to imagine yourself in
another's place (and the other is not real), sociopaths feels no remorse about
offhandedly harming others. If ignored by a store clerk or snubbed in a bar,
they are likely to kill the offender at the first opportunity.
Unlike psychopaths, sociopaths cannot effectively hide their disorder. They
are routinely grossly inconsiderate of everyone they come into contact with.
-3 to all Social Skills -15 points
The disorder prevents the character from functioning on a fundamental level.
Concepts such as compassion and propriety are completely alien.
High Pain Threshold +10 points
A sociopath is so detached from his surroundings that he or she feels far less
physical pain than most individuals.