Rules for Insanity?

[Chainsaw]

Anyone got suggestions for insanity rules? Thinking of running a horror themed campaign that might benefit from them. I suppose the players could do wisdom checks or will checks, take a point when they fail, and have various maladies associated with different levels of points or something. Points would be cumulative on a short-term basis, but wear off over time. Maybe the check's more difficult at night, when the moon's full, in a dungeon or confined space, or when friends are hurt or dead.

Any ideas or systems already out there?

 

[Nur-ab-sal]

Off the top of my head I would think something similar to disease tracks, with Will or Wisdom or an appropriate skill replacing Endurance, would be a good place to start.

 

[Chainsaw]

Thanks. I checked out those disease tracks and may incorporate that mechanic. We're having a mostly low magic, human campaign. I want interactions ith monsters and magic to have added gravitas and long-term effects. I want to avoid, "oh, another 9 headed, undead demon spawn hydra. big deal."

Incidentally, I must be the only DM sadistic enough to desire rules for insanity, heh. 42 views, 1 response! I suppose this sort of interest is why such rules weren't included to begin with. The players face enough challenges as it is, I suppose.

 

[Nur-ab-sal]

I would guess that a lot of people would be interested in mechanics for it, but aren't interested enough to go to the work of coming up with ideas for it themselves.

 

[Chainsaw]

Shouldn't take too much effort to design a simple system. I'm not interested in building "Freud, the RPG," just adding some flavorful, if temporary, eccentricities and phobias for characters who've come into contact with bizzare or terrifying beasts. Seemed smarter to check the Great ENWorld before potentially reinventing the wheel, that's all.

 

[Terwox]

Just lift the system from Call of Cthlulhu completely.

Use wis x5 instead of will x5 for max sanity.

 

[Chainsaw]

Good idea. Thinking I'll probably order the Cthulu book(s) today.

 

[Triangleman27]

FYI: Some monsters and attack powers inflict 'Psychic Damage' that deducts from your usual Hit Points.
Something to consider before you convert the CoC sanity rules.

 

[demonking1]

You could try to convert the depravity/taint rules from 3.5 Heroes of Horror

 

[azigen]

Here is our work on the paizo boards.