STD carrier

[Lucius]

Re: STD carrier

 

Going into almost any roleplaying game, I more or less assume that death by violence is a realistic possibility for the character.

 

Going into something like Paranoia or Hackmaster, I accept that getting killed by my own teammates is a "reasonable" possibility.

 

Death or serious disability by disease is less expected. Venereal disease in particular seems like it would be a kind of "ambush" or "betrayal" of the player's expectations. I note that even 1st edition AD&D had rules for disease, but I don't recall that they were very much used. (Then again the DM's guide also had a chart for prostitute encounters in cities, and I don't recall that being used much either....)

 

Which doesn't keep it from being an interesting intellectual exercise, and I won't even say it could never have a legitimate application.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary is not equipped to catch such a disease

[Christopher]

Re: STD carrier

 

Death or serious disability by disease is less expected. Venereal disease in particular seems like it would be a kind of "ambush" or "betrayal" of the player's expectations.

At least one of the examples for inclduing Complications in the game, is a Hunted Poisioning the PC during a chase through a scrapyard (coating sharp metal along the way with it).

 

Now think about infection him with STD. And when he goes to a doctor, leak it to the press. Works very well vs. "Virgin Bride" type of heroes.

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

Precisely.

 

I'm not going to play "my tragedy is better than yours". Let's focus on the mechanics.

 

Maybe. I wouldn't give it a limitation.

 

But why not? It's far easier to just touch someone or kiss/breathe on them (like some sort of pestilence carrying undead). I imagine, generally speaking, getting that extra step in privacy wouldn't be quite as easy.

 

Well...having your hero taken out by the Fires of Creation while saving the day is one thing. Having them die slowly because you secretly inserted an STD to their DNPC girlfriend would be something else entirely. Few gamers go into a game envisioning their character being felled by AIDS or Cancer. Nuclear explosions or decapitation in combat? That's par for the course.

 

As I basically said, the former would be too slow for the scope of most games. Other "infections" could act faster, or even have immediately apparent non-lethal effects.

 

Besides that, however, not all games are whiz-bang shoot-em-ups or four color slugfests. Sometimes the heroes die from things that don't quite present themselves in the open.

 

ANYWAYS guys, this isn't a thread to discuss morality/sensitivity in. It's how to represent something with game mechanics.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: STD carrier

 

Actually, I've seen some PC's whose in-game behavior would almost inevitably lead to contracting an STD. In most cases, their antics weren't in keeping with the campaign's intended tone, so the GM ignored them, or pointed out that they were wasting game time. If a player disrupted my game like that, I'd be tempted to say "Make a CON check" and let them deal with the consequences.

 

But I doubt that I'd model it as an actual attack power if the character in question is "asking for it", so to speak. "Make a CON check" pretty much covers it for my purposes.

 

OTOH, I've been in some campaigns in which a visit to a "house of ill-repute" was a vital part of my character's information-gathering efforts. (And it worked. When you know what kind of women your arch-enemy favors, it's not hard to find one he's slept with, and get her talking....)* Role-played the information-gathering, and skipped the rest. The GM was not the least bit interested in whether my character caught any diseases. Lucky me.

 

 

Sadly, fighting evil sometimes requires one to make sacrifices -- like taking "leftovers" from your arch-enemy. How's that for "squick?"

[Christopher]

Re: STD carrier

 

But why not? It's far easier to just touch someone or kiss/breathe on them (like some sort of pestilence carrying undead). I imagine' date=' generally speaking, getting that extra step in privacy wouldn't be quite as easy.[/quote']

The question is: Is it still a viable tactic? If it is, you have to have some sort of controll over the circumstances (great charm, MC "Sleep with me"), thus it would be little limitation (extra time for the act + concentration during the act, at tops).

[Vondy]

Re: STD carrier

 

But you can't just generally say cancer/AIDS/other terminal disease is sensitive' date=' there is no games in wich it can't be used.[/quote']

 

I can, however, say "don't even thinking about giving my character or his sex partners a sexually transmitted disease because I have zero interest in dealing with that theme." If it works for another player more power to them. I'll even play out how my character relates to their predicament. But, when it comes to some things, especially reproductive things, players should wield a certain amount of veto power.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: STD carrier

 

I can' date=' however, say "don't even thinking about giving my character or his sex partners a sexually transmitted disease because I have zero interest in dealing with that theme." If it works for another player more power to them. I'll even play out how my character relates to their predicament. But, when it comes to some things, especially reproductive things, players should wield a certain amount of veto power.[/quote']

 

I'll go a step further and say a player should have total veto power on that matter, whether it be STDs, pregnancy, or what.

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

Enough thread drift! Seriously...

[Enforcer84]

Re: STD carrier

 

You have your answers. In fact you had them on your own. Thread drift my ass. LOL

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

You have your answers.

 

Where? The only thing I saw were a bunch of links talking about disease in general, and 5E supplements (I use 6E).

 

In fact you had them on your own.

 

Huh?

 

Thread drift my ass. LOL

 

The thread is not about whether something should come up, but how it should work via mechanics. The topic drifted, buttocks or no.

[Dr. MID-Nite]

Re: STD carrier

 

Ok..no thread drift..I'll try to answer...in Hero System martial arts...there is a poison soaked body power...they give the limitation for requires reasonably close/intimate contact as a -1...and they also gave no range to the power as well. Hope that helps.

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

Ok..no thread drift..I'll try to answer...in Hero System martial arts...there is a poison soaked body power...they give the limitation for requires reasonably close/intimate contact as a -1...and they also gave no range to the power as well. Hope that helps.

 

Is the poison something permanent unless treated, or does it eventually fade away? Is there a modification to cost either way?

[Enforcer84]

Re: STD carrier

 

Oops My bad. Thought this was General Roleplaying not Hero System. *Chagrin*

As to how, to you gave a -1 "Must have sex" Limitation. And the contagions themselves have been written up so you could have a baseline. None of the effects are going to be permanent in HERO that's part of the "No Absolutes" policy (which may or may not still be in effect for 6e).

 

 

I'll take my buttocks and drift elsewhere

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

Oops My bad. Thought this was General Roleplaying not Hero System. *Chagrin*

As to how, to you gave a -1 "Must have sex" Limitation. And the contagions themselves have been written up so you could have a baseline. None of the effects are going to be permanent in HERO that's part of the "No Absolutes" policy (which may or may not still be in effect for 6e).

 

Erm, I didn't think -1 was definitely appropriate for the kind of limitation I had in mind. I basically mentioned that I saw it as at least -1 (it could go higher, based on precedence elsewhere, or perhaps someone has a number they've used with such a power that makes more sense).

 

There's also the Transform option, which I hadn't previously thought of.

 

(Funny enough, the "No Absolutes" policy got broken pretty quickly in the Advanced Player's Guide, plus being able to be immune to a disease (in the Core books) seems like an Absolute to me.)

[Dr. MID-Nite]

Re: STD carrier

 

Is the poison something permanent unless treated' date=' or does it eventually fade away? Is there a modification to cost either way?[/quote']

 

It's built as a Drain BODY with pts returning 5 per day....for what you have in mind..you'd probably use transform...with healed by magic healing or extraordinary medical care...the succubus from the bestiary has a trasnform somewhat along those lines except that it affects the spirit and morals of the target...as opposed to a physical change.

[Enforcer84]

Re: STD carrier

 

Erm' date=' I didn't think -1 was [i']definitely[/i] appropriate for the kind of limitation I had in mind. I basically mentioned that I saw it as at least -1 (it could go higher, based on precedence elsewhere, or perhaps someone has a number they've used with such a power that makes more sense).

 

There's also the Transform option, which I hadn't previously thought of.

 

(Funny enough, the "No Absolutes" policy got broken pretty quickly in the Advanced Player's Guide, plus being able to be immune to a disease (in the Core books) seems like an Absolute to me.)

 

I didn't make the policy up. I just know it was the driving argument behind the "no 100% damage reduction!" Argument, which was also in the APG (with a nod to the folks who hate it.) for what it's worth I agree.

 

As to the -1...I seem to recall someone (a PC in someone's game) had telepathy that was broken up into chunks of incremental proximity...5d6 base, +xD6 for Same hex, +xD6 for physical contact, +xD6 for intimate physical contact....etc. I seem to recall the intimate contact level being -2...so there's something of a precedent for it.

[Vondy]

Re: STD carrier

 

I'll go a step further and say a player should have total veto power on that matter' date=' whether it be STDs, pregnancy, or what.[/quote']

 

Well, the "certain amount" was a product of my habit of understating the patently obvious.

[Vondy]

Re: STD carrier

 

you gave a -1 "Must have sex" Limitation.

 

I would probably go way higher. When you consider the need to seduce someone, and the time required to do so, find a suitable place, and perform the act itself, you are looking at the very least a skill-roll and a big extra-time limitation. I'd probably ball-park it at -3, but a more realistic 20 Minutes to 1 Hour on the Extra Time chart would push it higher, IIRC.

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

I would probably go way higher. When you consider the need to seduce someone' date=' and [b']the time required to do so, find a suitable place, and perform the act itself, you are looking at the very least a skill-roll and a big extra-time limitation[/b]. I'd probably ball-park it at -3, but a more realistic 20 Minutes to 1 Hour on the Extra Time chart would push it higher, IIRC.

 

Would genre matter too? I mean, sex as an element of a campaign in a Four Colors setting would likely be different than sex as an element of a campaign in an Iron Age setting. If this is the case, wouldn't the "cost" fluctuate?

[Vondy]

Re: STD carrier

 

Would genre matter too? I mean' date=' sex as an element of a campaign in a Four Colors setting would likely be different than sex as an element of a campaign in an Iron Age setting. If this is the case, wouldn't the "cost" fluctuate?[/quote']

 

Sure, I was just setting theoretically realistic base-line. For James Bond its just a skill roll, a convenient nook amidst the battle, and a few minutes of exertion. The same pretty much goes for Conan. And Mike Hammer. And Travis McGee. But then, I note, all of them are total man-whores, never concern themselves with protection, and never, despite their constant fornication, ever have to deal with pregnancy or STDs... which raises the question of whether the STDs themselves are genre appropriate. I'm not saying they can't be an interesting story point, but overall, in most fiction, it never comes up.

[phoenix240]

Re: STD carrier

 

I'd give this kind of ability at least the same limitation of poison/toxin that required someone to ingest it and most likely higher. It depends on the tone of the game, how much sexuality is even going to play a part in it (and if any form of "Social mechanics" will be in play). -1 sounds about right for a baseline. This isn't going to be an ability useful "in combat" at al. And really, unless its some virulent super malady or a long term plan, not that useful for most PC level actions. Honestly, this isn't something I'd write up as "power" in most cases aside from extremes like "The Germ" from Dark Champions. Most common STDs aren't going to be fatal or extremely debilitating in the course of play when modern (or futuristic/magical) treatment is available.

 

I've run some darker, grittier games where STDs would have been appropriate subject matter. PCs had no particular protection from it but I was up front. Actions had consquences. If you didn't want your PC at risk from them don't indulge in behaviors that brought those risk into play Some did, some didn't as they felt was appropriate to their characters.

[Greywind]

Re: STD carrier

 

I guess the issue would be how much of a nuisance "Must engage in sexually intimate contact" would be. -1 at the least' date=' in my opinion.[/quote']Easily modifed by COM...

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

Easily modifed by COM...

 

Hm...maybe.

 

But how often do the prices fluctuate based on other complimentary abilities? Does, say, a Touch only power have a higher cost if the character in question can move 100,000 MPH?

[Christopher]

Re: STD carrier

 

(Funny enough' date=' the "No Absolutes" policy got broken pretty quickly in the Advanced Player's Guide, plus being able to be immune to a disease (in the Core books) seems like an Absolute to me.)[/quote']

100 DR is highly GM-Option.

And the Disease immunity only works agaisnt diseases made with NND (Immunity to thsi Diseases). No NDD or a different target imunity (maybe it's a fast aging disease?) and superman is as succeptible as Mr. Robot (when that is not the target, consider using Automaton Powrs as NND Defense).

[Ragitsu]

Re: STD carrier

 

100 DR is highly GM-Option.

And the Disease immunity only works agaisnt diseases made with NND (Immunity to thsi Diseases). No NDD or a different target imunity (maybe it's a fast aging disease?) and superman is as succeptible as Mr. Robot (when that is not the target, consider using Automaton Powrs as NND Defense).

 

An absolute is an absolute. GM Fiat is something that can factor in any time, so it's a bit moot to bring that up.