New Flaw: Vice

[DrObvious]

I’ve put together this flaw for some chars I’ve made for online games, and I wanted to share it here. I know this could fall under the Quirk flaw, but this is a little more defined, if you like that:

Vice: 10 point flaw
The hero is addicted to some vice that is detrimental to his life. This could range from alcohol and drugs, to hatred of a group/individual, laziness, or really any of the 7 deadly sins. When the hero is directly tempted by his vice he must make a will save versus a DC determined by the list below. Examples of directly tempted include a drug addict asked if he wants a hit, an alcoholic in a bar, a racist confronted by his hated race, and a gamer walking into an arcade. Examples of not being tempted are a drug addict in a conversation about drugs, an alcoholic at a ball park that serves beer, a racist walking past a person of his hated race, or a gamer who gets on his computer to type his term paper.

(Examples are for a video game addict)
20: Base DC
-10: Directly, negatively affects a current goal (tailing a villain into an arcade)
-5: Indirectly, negatively affects a current goal (stakeout in an arcade)
-5: Immediate support from a friend or ally (“Hey, you need to pay attention”)
-5: Knows that someone is trying to get an advantage on them (“You could fight me, but wouldn’t you rather hop on a Little Goomba?”)
+10: During leisure time (Sunday afternoon, nothing to do)
+10: With a friend or ally (“Hey, wan to play Duck Hunt?)
+5: Done to get away from real problem (Stupid report card, I’m going to go play Donkey Kong)
+5: Surrounded by its use (tailing a villain into an arcade)

7 Examples (that you might not have thought of) based on the 7 sins:
Pride: Gloating-> roll to not explain your plans when you have them tied up
Greed: Unhealthy love of beanie babies-> roll to not blow $300 on ebay.com
Envy: Hero worship of a popular character-> roll whenever you would try to do something your “Hero Worship Guy” wouldn’t do.
Anger: Hated enemy / Arch nemesis -> Roll to not target them in combat or instigate a fight
Lust: Addiction of any kind -> roll to not smoke a joint
Sloth: Emotionally uncomfortable -> roll anytime you want to have a heart to heart comversation

[j]

I’ve put together this flaw for some chars I’ve made for online games, and I wanted to share it here. I know this could fall under the Quirk flaw, but this is a little more defined, if you like that:

Vice: 10 point flaw
The hero is addicted to some vice that is detrimental to his life. This could range from alcohol and drugs, to hatred of a group/individual, laziness, or really any of the 7 deadly sins. When the hero is directly tempted by his vice he must make a will save versus a DC determined by the list below. Examples of directly tempted include a drug addict asked if he wants a hit, an alcoholic in a bar, a racist confronted by his hated race, and a gamer walking into an arcade. Examples of not being tempted are a drug addict in a conversation about drugs, an alcoholic at a ball park that serves beer, a racist walking past a person of his hated race, or a gamer who gets on his computer to type his term paper.

(Examples are for a video game addict)
20: Base DC
-10: Directly, negatively affects a current goal (tailing a villain into an arcade)
-5: Indirectly, negatively affects a current goal (stakeout in an arcade)
-5: Immediate support from a friend or ally (“Hey, you need to pay attention”)
-5: Knows that someone is trying to get an advantage on them (“You could fight me, but wouldn’t you rather hop on a Little Goomba?”)
+10: During leisure time (Sunday afternoon, nothing to do)
+10: With a friend or ally (“Hey, wan to play Duck Hunt?)
+5: Done to get away from real problem (Stupid report card, I’m going to go play Donkey Kong)
+5: Surrounded by its use (tailing a villain into an arcade)

7 Examples (that you might not have thought of) based on the 7 sins:
Pride: Gloating-> roll to not explain your plans when you have them tied up
Greed: Unhealthy love of beanie babies-> roll to not blow $300 on ebay.com
Envy: Hero worship of a popular character-> roll whenever you would try to do something your “Hero Worship Guy” wouldn’t do.
Anger: Hated enemy / Arch nemesis -> Roll to not target them in combat or instigate a fight
Lust: Addiction of any kind -> roll to not smoke a joint
Sloth: Emotionally uncomfortable -> roll anytime you want to have a heart to heart comversation

So we have a 10pt flaw that for the vast majority of the examples given has no real drawbacks in game except roleplaying... And then only in very specific circumstances...

j

[DrObvious]

Well, I gave 6 examples (because, apperantly I can't count to 7), and I would consider the Pride, Envy, Anger and Lust examples to all have more than just "roleplaying" drawbacks.

And even then, there are flaws in the book that only affect "roleplaying".

[Anthony]

When the hero is directly tempted by his vice he must make a will save versus a DC determined by the list below.

Saves to resist weaknesses are not an M&M thing. Use the quirk rules, and charge a hero point.

[j]

Well, I gave 6 examples (because, apperantly I can't count to 7), and I would consider the Pride, Envy, Anger and Lust examples to all have more than just "roleplaying" drawbacks.

And even then, there are flaws in the book that only affect "roleplaying".

Possibly, possibly not, the Pride example isn't really a real drawback of any sort to a Hero (though it's a staple of some villians), Envy (Hero Worship) just means you have to chose a Hero whose personality you'd like to play which turns it into 'Act in Character, make a will save if you don't want to' , Anger could be a drawback occasionally (assuming you have a reason not to fight your Arch Nemisis which is rare), and Lust could get you into trouble if it's always on.

I think my base problem with it is the roll to avoid - which isn't usual for a M&M flaws and can be twinked and that the majority of those listed I don't think are really a drawback for the character. But YMMV of course


j

[DrObvious]

I understand where you are coming from, and if you have a better way, I would love to hear it. To me, it was the way that made the most scense, based on what I know about vices in my life.

I will expand on what I ment on the example, not to prove myself right, but so you can see where I'm comming from. I would have done it before, but I was pressed for time.

Pride: This example mostly is for Villians. There are countless times that Bond/Batman/the Hardy Boys/whoever hear the villians plan, excape a trap, and then use the knowledge they get to the beat the villian

Envy: Dorky teenager superhero idolized Darth Vader. Sees a villian breaking into his justice base, and instead of turning on the automaic defence system, grabs his lazer sword and anounces that he is going to duel him instead. Cuz thats what Vader would have done.

Anger: hero hates tall people. short person has his hand on the doomsday device, while tall person is fighting your buddy. Do you go after the logical choice of the short person, or do you give into your hate of tall folk and go after him.

[mgg]

Pride: You don't get points for genre! Sure, in a gritty realistic game if the villain is compelled to act like a cheezy 4-color villain then that might be a serious weakness, but otherwise it is just personality.

Read through the published NPCs. Most of them have well defined personalities with plenty of psychological problems and weaknesses, codes of honor, hatreds and so forth, and almost none get points back.

I like your idea, I just wouldn't incorporate it into the game.