Question about Flashbacks flaw., Johnny! Johnny! Where's my legs? |
Question about Flashbacks flaw., Johnny! Johnny! Where's my legs? |
Jan 4 2005, 05:48 PM
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#1
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Target Group: Members Posts: 80 Joined: 3-May 04 Member No.: 6,299 |
I personally never gave this much thought until one of my players asked me, so i figured i'd ask everyone here what they think.
According to SRComp, the flashback flaw, once triggered, last for 1D6 rounds. Does the rule of six apply to this? |
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Jan 4 2005, 05:49 PM
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#2
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Man In The Machine Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 |
Im a bitch, and say yes. Flashbacks is a steep flaw.
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Jan 4 2005, 05:55 PM
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#3
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
The answer is no. However, if you'll reread, that's minutes, not rounds.
~J |
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Jan 4 2005, 05:56 PM
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#4
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Traumatizing players since 1992 Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,282 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Las Vegas, NV Member No.: 220 |
...And minutes is an absolute eternity.
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Jan 4 2005, 06:03 PM
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#5
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Target Group: Members Posts: 80 Joined: 3-May 04 Member No.: 6,299 |
Thanks for the correction Kagetenshi. Makes a little more sense now.
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Jan 4 2005, 06:07 PM
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#6
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Indeed. With regards to combat or most other time-sensitive situations, the character may as well have taken a gel round from a Panther Assault Cannon (gel round as big as a man's head), only they won't be as easy to carry. Also no guarantee that it will be quiet. ~J |
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Jan 4 2005, 06:24 PM
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#7
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
I had a character with this flaw for about ten minutes of gametime once. Man did that stink. I personally will never take it again because the guy who GMs when I don't hits the flaws hard and practically ignores any edges.
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Jan 4 2005, 06:26 PM
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#8
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Man In The Machine Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 |
Crap, its MINUTES?!? Never mind then man behind the curten then. Its bad enough as is!
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Jan 4 2005, 06:27 PM
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#9
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
Yeah, nothing like 10-360 combat rounds of dying.
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Jan 4 2005, 06:49 PM
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#10
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Traumatizing players since 1992 Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,282 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Las Vegas, NV Member No.: 220 |
Nitpick, one minute is 20 combat rounds, so it's 20-120 combat rounds :D
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Jan 4 2005, 07:09 PM
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#11
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
Can you tell I've been playing D20 for a while now?
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Jan 4 2005, 07:36 PM
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#12
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,353 Joined: 5-June 02 Member No.: 2,840 |
I've never had it triggered before, but I always thought the Flashbacks flaw could be incredibly compelling if it's handled correctly. A good example of what I'm thinking about would be Wolverine's flashbacks from the X-Men movies, and that's how I've always pictured them as.
In my opinion, the flaw should be more for story purposes than to allow a sadistic NPC a sitting duck target. A GM that uses it like that regularly I would probably see as a bit asshole-ish. |
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Jan 4 2005, 08:19 PM
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#13
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Traumatizing players since 1992 Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,282 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Las Vegas, NV Member No.: 220 |
if that's the case then you shouldn't get the rather heinous point value that it's worth. That flaw IS a dehabilitating flaw and it even says in the description that it should come up once or twice per game session. |
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Jan 4 2005, 08:29 PM
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#14
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
I don't think my GM was sadistic, I just had a flashback at a really bad time.
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Jan 4 2005, 09:24 PM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 289 Joined: 17-August 03 From: The Waves. Care to Join Me? Member No.: 5,505 |
I have always found that flaw to be a bit severe even though it is stated as being one hell of a flaw. Now, triggering such a flaw IN COMBAT is downright evil, and personally I think that one should skip the minutes rule. A normal battle is over within 2-5 combat rounds mostly and having a character missing the entire combat, and probably, dying in the process is just plain wrong.
My solution? The character looses 1D6 combat rounds instead of minutes if somthing of a combat is a triggering factor and use minutes when they are out of combat. It speeds things up and the situation will STILL be very, very deadly for a character since missing one or two combat rounds without even the chance to dodge is just suicidal. The Jopp |
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Jan 4 2005, 09:31 PM
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#16
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Traumatizing players since 1992 Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,282 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Las Vegas, NV Member No.: 220 |
How bout if you arent willing to suffer the consequences then don't take the flaw? :)
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Jan 4 2005, 09:36 PM
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#17
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Indeed. I'd bump the value of the flaw up, personally, but leave it with just as many teeth.
~J |
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Jan 4 2005, 09:38 PM
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#18
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
You could also discuss a trigger with the GM and not get into combat when it is likely to occur....
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Jan 4 2005, 09:42 PM
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#19
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Generally getting into combat is something done involuntarily. Voluntary combat should optimally be a slaughter.
~J |
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Jan 4 2005, 09:42 PM
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#20
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 141 Joined: 21-December 04 From: 50 Clicks north of Dragon City (Front Range Free Zone) Member No.: 6,896 |
Man this flaw would be just as bad if the trigger were guys in suits.
Right in the middle of a meet... the shellshocked street sam goes catatonic, or starts seeing the Johnson as a bad guy from some war. Talk about your social fubars |
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Jan 5 2005, 05:23 AM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 116 Joined: 3-January 05 Member No.: 6,925 |
Typically, combat flashbacks occuring during combat will not render the character helpless- they'll just impose images of their remembered enemies over their actual enemies. The flashbacks don't have to be a total and full immersion experience- just dehabilitatingly different than reality (for instance, if the flashback makes the character remember a time when he was surrounded by enemies, and half the characters around him are actually friends...)
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Jan 5 2005, 05:53 AM
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#22
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Typically, combat flashbacks occuring during combat will not render the character helpless- they'll just impose images of their remembered enemies over their actual enemies.
And their friends, and that guy over there, and the toaster oven. As far as I'm concerned, once you can no longer act on the situation you are helpless. What does it matter if you're gunning people down left and right if half the people are on your team? More, likely, as they're probably going to be in closer proximity and thus a higher threat. ~J |
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Jan 5 2005, 05:56 AM
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#23
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Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
The game mechanics for Flashbacks is that the PC is incapacitated and cannot do anything useful. A PC with Flashback needs to fail a Will(6); like any other test, you could use up a Karma to reroll.
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Jan 5 2005, 06:07 AM
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#24
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Toturi brings up a good point; even negative effects are houserules of the flaw as it exists.
~J |
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Jan 5 2005, 07:11 AM
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#25
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,144 Joined: 22-September 04 Member No.: 6,690 |
I can't imagine a GM letting you take flashbacks as a flaw without talking it over first, to lay down what the triggers are. A bad GM will use it whenever he feels it will be fun to screw over your character.
GM: A puppy wanders through the combat zone, and is torn apart by the crossfire. Make the roll to see if you have flashbacks to that terrible incident of your youth. Player: But we're on an Arc run! GM: There can be puppies in the Arc. Player: We're in the labyrinth! And this is the sixth time! GM: Deus is messing with you. I think it's a really bad idea to take flashbacks as something that can be commonly triggered in combat, and I hate when I see it abused for a munchkin. It can be very interesting to roleplay because A well thought out trigger often occurs at best (rp wise) of times, but OOC having a good chance of the character collapsing into quivering fits whenever someone fires a gun is just a really stupid thing to do. |
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