Book of Insanity

[RUMBLETiGER]

Not discurage you if you're determined to develop rules for what you intend, but this all appears to me to fall under the realm of Roleplaying.

It appears you're talking, in game terms, about specific forms of the applications of social skills.

 

[Greenfield]

You want a mechanic for rash decisions? Try time pressure.

Normally players can take several minutes to decide on an action that their PC has a few (specifically six) seconds to make.

You want to emulate a condition that forces rash decisions? Limit the amount of time they have to decide on their actions. And if they can't pick an action in that time frame then their character stands around in indecision. Kind of like the "takes no action" result on the Confusion table.

Here's a simple way: Keep a half dollar around. When it becomes their turn, spin it on the table top. They have until it settles to come up with their action. And if it hits something and topples early, well that's too bad.

The time delay will be uneven, to be sure, but they'll see it happening and will have an idea of how much time they have. And when the time is up, everybody at the table will know it.

Want a faster time? Use a quarter. Want a slower time? Use something larger, like an Eisenhower dollar, or a 1 3/4 inch washer.

Lighter weight objects, like poker chips, don't spin well and lose speed too quickly to be anything like fair.

But if you want a rushed decision, rush the players.

All of that having been said, I agree with Rumbletiger: Playing a personality flaw should be a role playing thing. Give out Exp rewards or penalties for doing it well or poorly, if you want to add incentive, but limit your rules to a simple description of the behavior, without bonus or penalty involved, and let the players use these descriptions as guidelines.

 

[Dozen]

All of that having been said, I agree with Rumbletiger: Playing a personality flaw should be a role playing thing. Give out Exp rewards or penalties for doing it well or poorly, if you want to add incentive, but limit your rules to a simple description of the behavior, without bonus or penalty involved, and let the players use these descriptions as guidelines.

I'd rather not go that far. If I let the players decide when madness kicks in the campaign would go straight down to Crazy Town(no pun intended). But since two is more than one, I think you guys beat me to it. What's the point of asking for help when you won't accept it when it's given, after all?

Here's my idea: Let the numerical bonuses/penalties and compulsions stay as they are, while the rest(e.g. Those requiring Wisdom checks at the moment, + rash decisions) should be roleplayed instead, with the help of aforementioned guidelines as the two of you propose. That'd take care of somewhat unfair issues like attitude change and others which are the under player control by RAW, but keep the PCs at bay and arguments away from the table.

 

[Greenfield]

Dozen, I have been listening, and I've been delivering constructive criticism, as requested. You asked for a mechanic to enforce rash decisions, and I made a suggestion.

I even made a suggestion on how to reward and punish people who take RPing of disorders to "Crazy Town".

I'm sorry that you didn't find any of it useful.

 

[Dozen]

Dozen, I have been listening, and I've been delivering constructive criticism, as requested. You asked for a mechanic to enforce rash decisions, and I made a suggestion.

I even made a suggestion on how to reward and punish people who take RPing of disorders to "Crazy Town".

I'm sorry that you didn't find any of it useful.

Wait wait wait. Sorry, I think I just failed that Will Save against impress talk(I'm histrionic myself). No, you've been helping a lot, and I particularly like your last idea, which I'm partially implementing in this very moment. I'd be more than happy if you'd continue to contribute to this thread as well.