Emotional Conflict Mechanics Options

[Fyndhal]

Dahrken- thats why it is listed as a GM rule. It not something that a player can just throw out there for his own use. If the GM sees it fitting with the story then it gets thrown in. As such I can see how many would see this as a "Hamfisted" way of controling a player's character. However, i would argue that it is more of the position of the GM acting as a "Director" of the story, giving his "Actors" assistance in how the character would feel during any given situation.

My problem with this is that I don't need a director telling me how my character should act. I play my characters as people and they act and react based on their internal motivations.

Let's say I have a character whose background includes a brother who was killed. The character was devastated and used that event as a catharsis that drove them into the shadows. During game, you as the GM set up a nearly identical circumstance to how my brother was killed, only now it's my girlfriend/wife/child/dog/favorite tie/whatever.

If you script that I am terrified that I will lose whoever/whatever like I did my brother and surrender, that's fine. It is only one possible reaction though, and is likely NOT the course that I would take as the character. I might go with enraged. I might be terrified and use that to shore up my determination to win this time. I might recuse myself, refuse to engage and hire another team to take care of the problem in an attempt to think outside the box.

Basically, what I'm saying, is that by trying to define beforehand how you want the characters to act/react in your story, you are limiting what the story can potentially be. Trust your players and only pull out the composure tests if you have a player who consistently acts in a fashion that doesn't 'sit right' with the group.

[Garou]

I don't think you should do this at all. Feelings are NOT supposed to be enforced by the GM

With that being said, i think you should look at Pendragon, one of the best Medieval RPGs i've ever seen in simulating specific genres. It uses a great mechanical system of opposed traits (Lustful/Chaste, Proud/Humble, Pious/Wordly, Merciful/Callous, etc), to allow finer emotional definition of the character. If a trait is over 15 (it goes from 1 to 20), from time to time the player's freewill will be limited by that trait. As he placed it in his char in the first place, he has no right to complain. It's appropriate to a game where you can get mad for years because your Loved Lady is angry with you.

Does not fit shadowrun at all though, so i'd handle it with care. Like using nitro.