Psychological Effects

[CRMcNeill]

I'm giving this a bump because it turns out that there is precedence in the RAW for PCs being forced to take certain actions on a failed roll, specifically in the Contaminated Drinking Water Optional Rule found in Rules of Engagement on pgs. 22-23. A few of the results say things like:

Fear. A Difficult Willpower must be made every round that an affected character is engaged in combat. Failure to make the required willpower roll indicates the character's nerve breaks and he or she begins a blind retreat in a randomly determined direction. Multiple-action penalties apply when making the willpower roll.

Increased Aggression. Character must make a Moderate Willpower roll to refrain from attacking any nearby target - friend or foe; character may not use stealth during this attack.

Paranoia. The affected character believes he or she is the subject of a conspiracy. Character must make a Moderate Perception roll to refrain from attacking fellow squad members. All multiple-action penalties apply.

Extreme Paranoia. {As Paranoia, but requires a Difficulty Perception roll}

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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

It turns out that WEG is actually in agreement with me as to the skill needed to resist strong emotions. The Emotion Suppressor (pgs. 35-36 of Galladinium's Fantastic Technology) is a discrete piece of jewelry that suppresses the wearer's emotions, usually used in diplomatic, cultural or business settings where displays of emotion would be unseemly. This is expressed as a +2D bonus to Willpower to resist emotional impulses.

The only drawback I see is that I also have a rule allowing Jedi to use Willpower to mitigate the effects (inflict Stun Damage instead of Normal) of otherwise Dark Side Powers (particularly Inure/Kill and TK Kill) by controlling the negative emotions that would normally need to be harnessed to use those powers to their full effect. A tech device that adds a +2D bonus to Willpower to defend against picking up a DSP would be highly sought after by Jedi PCs, but would seem to fly in the face of a Jedi striving to trust in and listen to the Force. My first thought would be to say that the Emotion Suppressor also has a deleterious effect on any wearer who attempts to use Force powers, applying a -1D or -2D penalty to all Force skills while being used.

Thoughts?
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Naaman]

Injure/kill and telekinetic kill award DSPs because they are corruptions of the force, not because they require "negative emotions" to use.

If you want a willpower mechanic to avoid DSPs, apply it to any aggressive actions taken under conditions of emotional stress, rather than to force-power rolls that effectively use the force against itself.
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

In other words, using the force in a certain way makes the Jedi more angry than he was before taking that action?
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

I see.

It seems to me (from the films) that using the force offensively is not inherently evil (as WEG originally asserted) but that the effect generated determines whether something is "dark" or not.

Yoda flings living opponents to and fro, which is presumably more compassionate than chopping them to smitherines with his lightsaber.

This rule that you are proposing seems to (to me) "miss the point." I feel that, if the objective is to replicate the films (Luke using TKK and presumably not getting a DSP), the most accurate way would be to write up a new power along the lines of "telekinetic subdual," which only works if the character is not giving in to anger/fear. A character who fails the control roll (let's say, difficulty very easy) instead manifests TK Kill. The control fifficulty increases by +10 for each DSP the character already has.

I think that the willpower mechanic ought to apply equally to any scenario (attacking with a lightsaber, for example) wherin the loss of emotional control could/should be a factor.

However, this brings up the question of SWU objective morality (how the force actually works) versus the Jedi code's rules/guidelines (the safeguards installed to protect against slipperly slopes). If a Jedi's actions are morally justified, does his emotional state matter with respect to earning a DSP?

If not, then the context of the action should be the only (or perhaps primary) consideration.

If yes, then you need a willpower mechanic. However, does passing the willpower roll mean that the Jedi chooses not to act because he recognizes that he is angry? Or does it mean that he is able to justify in his own mind that his actions are "necessary" despite his negative emotions? Or does it mean that because he doesn't "feel" angry, he can "use the dark side" without risk?
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting

[CRMcNeill]

Many of the Force powers as written do not adequately reflect what we see on screen, and TK Kill is one of the biggest offenders. I dislike the proliferation of myriads of highly specific Force powers, and much prefer a system whereby extant Force powers are tweaked and rewritten to better accommodate what we see on screen. For instance, Place Another In Hibernation Trance very nearly parallels the prequel-EU power Morichro, whereby a target can be placed in a hibernation trance against their will. All that's really needed is a minor re-write of the WEG power to allow it to be used offensively at higher Difficulty.

In general, I find the divide between Light and Dark Force powers to be to polarized, as in the boundaries placed are quite definite, in that certain acts should not be performed. I like a system where the player must weigh the potential risks of using powers that may make their task easier, but also have the potential for great cost.

It's also a fair argument that, at higher levels, Jedi PCs become overpowered. The last thing I'd want to do is add powers that make them even more capable while removing the attendant risk to the PC. Far better to force the player to weigh their options and decide whether they want to risk the "easier" path when the cost could potentially be so high.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Naaman]

Okay. So in order to write the rule, we need to know what a successful willpower roll represents.

For example, does the decision to use TKK mean that the character is already compromised? If the character "feels" the anger needed to manifest the power, is he able to withdraw it's use before it gets out of control?

Here is the scenario I'm wondering about:

Player: Can I make a willpower check in advance to determine whether my character is in enough control to pull this off?

GM: Yeah, sure, but if you fail, you forgo your action this turn unless you want to follow through and take the DSP anyway.

OR

GM: Nope. Now that you've considered using TKK for subdual, you must follow through and suffer the resulting consequences, if any.

OR

GM: Nope. Decide now if its worth the risk. Your character has no way of knowing how he "feels" until after the action is complete.

OR

GM: (Says something else)

Which one is how you envision this to work?
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting

[CRMcNeill]

It's more like the power will have a set Willpower Difficulty (I've played around with either having it be whatever the Alter Difficulty is for the power, or having it be the result of the character's Alter skill roll to bring up the power). Then, after the Jedi makes their Force skill rolls to bring the power up, they roll Willpower to see if they can resist the call of the Dark Side. I'm strongly inclined to say that they get a DSP if they fail the Willpower roll, whether they succeeded in bringing up the power or not.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Naaman]

I'm not fond of making the willpower difficulty based on the alter result. The more skilled (better understanding) the character has, the more likely to fail the willpower roll. I agree that success on bringing up the power should have no bearing on whether a DSP is earned.

If I had any say, I'd go with base alter difficulty, and add (or subtract) a modifier based on number of DSPs already possessed.

As to the interpretation of the rule itself, I gather that you would go with choice number 3 (risk is inherent with the action, no way to know if you're "in control" until after you try).
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

Not bad. I have a character with a "unique" rule like that. Anytime a FP is spent, a willpower roll is required to not give in to anger/fear. Failure means that a DSP is gained unless the character forgoes the FP bonus (but still "spends" the FP). Depending on circumstances, it could be considered heroic, and be regained (and maybe even an additional one) after the adventure.

I feel that, without the option to withdraw the action, the rule feels more like a way to cheapen the dichotomy of the SWU... sort of like an ends-justifying-the-means approach to force use.
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SpecForce Combat Elements
All About Lightsabers: Designing, Building, and Fighting