Character with a mental strain... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Character with a mental strain... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
NehpetsTtocs
08-10-05, 12:55 PM I haven't posted here in a long while, anyway, I want to play a character with an obsessive-compulsive disorder, not a personality problem mind you, the honest to gosh disorder. I hope this topic is not taboo? If it is, I apologize.

Anyway, I was wondering how this might affect a character's ability scores. I ask because I thought of playing the character as a knight, and thought Paladin might be a good class for this; however, I wonder what sort of effect a serious mental disorder might have on a character's wisdom score.

If this has been asked before, I apologize. I tired using a search function, but I wasn't able to find it. If this is in the wrong place, I apologize yet again.
weasel fierce
08-10-05, 02:06 PM For the most part, mental conditions and quirks should not really affect ability scores, unless you strongly feel it should.

Taking a slightly lower wisdom possibly, but I'd leave it as a roleplay thing purely.
Board_Rider
08-10-05, 02:26 PM I agree that the overall ability scores will not be affected. Check Unearthed Arcana for the Flaws and Traits section and see if something there will help you.

Basically it may hurt some of your skills but not your abilities,
NehpetsTtocs
08-10-05, 02:51 PM Thanks everyone. I guess I'll take a trip to Barnes and Noble.
Rny2
08-10-05, 02:56 PM interesting
Lao, Ninja of the Dragon
08-10-05, 03:18 PM Rny2, is that all you ever say?
Rny2
08-10-05, 06:40 PM not at all
Bartmanhomer
08-10-05, 06:43 PM I really don't see anything wrong with that! It's really normal to have a characther even with a learning disability! So if you really want to use an OCD characther, go for it! :)
The Vagrant
08-10-05, 07:20 PM Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations.

So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them.

I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!"
Gort32
08-10-05, 08:37 PM I agree that the overall ability scores will not be affected. Check Unearthed Arcana for the Flaws and Traits section and see if something there will help you.

Basically it may hurt some of your skills but not your abilities,

Actually, Unearthed Arcana has an even better section for this: Mental Disorders. It describes OCD on page 205 ;) Most of it is roleplaying, not machanics though.
Board_Rider
08-10-05, 09:03 PM Actually, Unearthed Arcana has an even better section for this: Mental Disorders. It describes OCD on page 205 ;) Most of it is roleplaying, not machanics though.
Yeah I couldn't recall the exact area at work. Eh...
anarco_rata
08-10-05, 09:04 PM An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat.
I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying
alandark
08-10-05, 09:18 PM I love good roleplaying and your idea rocks. For me, there are so many times when I am not the center of attention, or directly involved in what is going on, that I need something extra to do. That is where roleplaying can really be fun.

One of my peeves is a player who abuses out-of-character knowledge - so whenever someone else is alone in a room learning secret things, I try to keep disctracted so I don't "cheat". It can be really fun to role-play with another character - just talking in character about what's going on in the game. Nothing that requires the DM's attention.

But often, other players aren't as enthused so your OCD idea is great. It doesn't have to affect your stats at all - and since it is a self imposed limitation you could even say that when you are under pressure or the heat of battle your character's OCD is less or even vanishes. Then you have a GREAT roleplaying tool. The options are endless!

"We pack up the camp and continue south to the Tomb of Skulls."
"I'm checking my gear."
DM: After 10 minutes of easy riding, you see four men approaching.
"I'm checking my gear."
"We stop and wait for them to get closer. Hey - wait are you back at the campsite?"
"I'm checking my gear."
DM: As the riders approach you notice they are all heavily armed. They charge.
"Attack!"
"I'm checking my gear."

AFTER THE BATTLE
"Good fighting everyone. We just need to get healed up and we can move on."
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal."
"Uh....is that a Cure Serious Wounds you're casting?"
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...Cure Serious Wounds....definitely....heal."
"Roll your dice man!"
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal."
"Arrrg!"

FUN!
Bartmanhomer
08-11-05, 07:42 PM Don't forget other disablities too? Like, ADD, ADHD, Panic Attack, and other symptoms. :)
Lina_Inverse
08-11-05, 07:45 PM An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat.
I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying

horrible roleplaying.an insane adventurer would get his party killed like that.and shouldnt survive a single game,and killing other pcs is by definition bad roleplaying.
Ringmereth
08-11-05, 07:55 PM horrible roleplaying.an insane adventurer would get his party killed like that.and shouldnt survive a single game,and killing other pcs is by definition bad roleplaying.

If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying.

Anyway, I'd discourage it on the simple basis that a wise person with OCD would not live a life of adventuring. If you really want to and your group is okay with it, then go for it. I'd make it something that won't interefere with combat too much. If you have a compulsive urge to sort your potions by color or something, it's just kinda weird. If you have the urge to walk up to every creature and invite them in for tea politely, your lifespan will be rather short, and for good reason.
ragingmaro
08-11-05, 08:39 PM Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations.

So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them.

I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!"

Mr monk is the greatest detective there ever was! Yeah and maybe a ChA deduction could be in order.
Lina_Inverse
08-11-05, 09:09 PM If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying.

reduceing another PCs fun is bad gameing.
Vaelan
08-12-05, 12:41 AM reduceing another PCs fun is bad gameing.
And now, if you wish to be anything more than an ignorant being that cannot use their shift key and does not understand the terms used on the forum, you will explain to us why, in every conceivable situation, killing a PC reduces the player's fun.
weasel fierce
08-12-05, 12:46 AM If you want to play a game where noone can ever die, play Everquest.
Lina_Inverse
08-12-05, 01:00 AM And now, if you wish to be anything more than an ignorant being that cannot use their shift key and does not understand the terms used on the forum, you will explain to us why, in every conceivable situation, killing a PC reduces the player's fun.

looseing a pc is fun?i ussually dont like looseing hours of thought and emotion,but it happens but it definitly shouldnt happen because someone thinks its fun to randomly kill pcs off.i dont think people want to adventure with people they hate anyhow.if you think thats a great thing i suggest call of cthululu.quite fun at times but you dont really get attached to your charecters being you know there dead in 1-2 sessions anyways.
weasel fierce
08-12-05, 01:04 AM You were the one stating that the PC shouldn't survive a single session.
NehpetsTtocs
08-12-05, 09:51 AM Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations.

So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them.

I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!"

Thanks, that makes a little more sense. Though I am liking some of the stuff I've found in Unearthed Arcana lol.
NehpetsTtocs
08-12-05, 09:53 AM An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat.
I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying

Yeah, it's funny you mention this, because I have had the "double checkin that your enemy is dead" idea in my head for awhile now. If the character does in fact turn out to be a Paladin, I was also thining of having him ride to previous areas to make sure that he didn't "hit anything".
NehpetsTtocs
08-12-05, 10:43 AM "We pack up the camp and continue south to the Tomb of Skulls."
"I'm checking my gear."
DM: After 10 minutes of easy riding, you see four men approaching.
"I'm checking my gear."
"We stop and wait for them to get closer. Hey - wait are you back at the campsite?"
"I'm checking my gear."
DM: As the riders approach you notice they are all heavily armed. They charge.
"Attack!"
"I'm checking my gear."

AFTER THE BATTLE
"Good fighting everyone. We just need to get healed up and we can move on."
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal."
"Uh....is that a Cure Serious Wounds you're casting?"
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...Cure Serious Wounds....definitely....heal."
"Roll your dice man!"
"Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal."
"Arrrg!"

FUN!

I might have to start taking notes here, lol.
Dalar Ragnos
08-13-05, 07:32 PM looseing a pc is fun?i ussually dont like looseing hours of thought and emotion,but it happens but it definitly shouldnt happen because someone thinks its fun to randomly kill pcs off.i dont think people want to adventure with people they hate anyhow.if you think thats a great thing i suggest call of cthululu.quite fun at times but you dont really get attached to your charecters being you know there dead in 1-2 sessions anyways.Ringmereth mentioned nothing about killing people at random. There are some situations where, unless you're a Paladin or saint, you need to kill a fellow PC.

If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying.

A few examples of perfectly justifiable situations for PKing:

-They endanger the entire rest of the party with their actions. (They spit in the face of the King/Queen, in front of dozens of veteran guards. The only way to keep everyone from dying is to slay the offender yourself.)

-They specifically endanger YOU with their actions. (You're a rogue, and the party's fighter keeps running up and alerting your foes while you're sneaking in their midst.)

-You RP your character as having a short fuse, everyone knows it, and the problem PC consistently harasses your character, because their metagame thinking tells them that you won't PK them. (You RP a half-orc barbarian who is very sensitive about his mother, and one of them goads and teases you about her constantly.)

-You RP your character as having a large phobia or being easily spooked/startled, and the problem PC knowingly takes advantage of this. (You RP your fighter or barbarian as being extremely jittery, and the party wizard sneaks up on you one night and spooks you after lots of scary stories have been told around the campfire; it's bad RP to ignore your reflexive action, which in this case would be to scream like a little girl and swing your sword at whatever snuck up on you. Unfortunately for the wizard, you might drop them with a single hit.)

-The other PC plays a Kender. (All Kender should be wiped from the face of the earth. 'Nuff said.)
a_psh
08-14-05, 01:14 AM -You RP your character as having a short fuse, everyone knows it, and the problem PC consistently harasses your character, because their metagame thinking tells them that you won't PK them.
By that same token, playing a character who is an obvious liability in most situations and causes more trouble than he's worth and counting on the party to trust you and love you and not tell you to get far, far away from them because of metagame thinking, which is what overplaying the OCD like in the examples above amounts to, is bad gaming. It makes absolutely no sense for the party to let this guy stick around long enough to get them killed.

Now, I think it's possible to play a character with a neurological or personality disorder. But, when overdone, the disorder becomes the character, which makes for bland one-sided roleplaying and, by the third session or so, makes you wish you were dead so you could make a new one, while annoying the hell out of your fellow party members the whole time.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
NehpetsTtocs 08-10-05, 12:55 PM	I haven't posted here in a long while, anyway, I want to play a character with an obsessive-compulsive disorder, not a personality problem mind you, the honest to gosh disorder. I hope this topic is not taboo? If it is, I apologize. Anyway, I was wondering how this might affect a character's ability scores. I ask because I thought of playing the character as a knight, and thought Paladin might be a good class for this; however, I wonder what sort of effect a serious mental disorder might have on a character's wisdom score. If this has been asked before, I apologize. I tired using a search function, but I wasn't able to find it. If this is in the wrong place, I apologize yet again.
weasel fierce 08-10-05, 02:06 PM	For the most part, mental conditions and quirks should not really affect ability scores, unless you strongly feel it should. Taking a slightly lower wisdom possibly, but I'd leave it as a roleplay thing purely.
Board_Rider 08-10-05, 02:26 PM	I agree that the overall ability scores will not be affected. Check Unearthed Arcana for the Flaws and Traits section and see if something there will help you. Basically it may hurt some of your skills but not your abilities,
NehpetsTtocs 08-10-05, 02:51 PM	Thanks everyone. I guess I'll take a trip to Barnes and Noble.
Rny2 08-10-05, 02:56 PM	interesting
Lao, Ninja of the Dragon 08-10-05, 03:18 PM	Rny2, is that all you ever say?
Rny2 08-10-05, 06:40 PM	not at all
Bartmanhomer 08-10-05, 06:43 PM	I really don't see anything wrong with that! It's really normal to have a characther even with a learning disability! So if you really want to use an OCD characther, go for it! :)
The Vagrant 08-10-05, 07:20 PM	Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations. So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them. I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!"
Gort32 08-10-05, 08:37 PM	I agree that the overall ability scores will not be affected. Check Unearthed Arcana for the Flaws and Traits section and see if something there will help you. Basically it may hurt some of your skills but not your abilities, Actually, Unearthed Arcana has an even better section for this: Mental Disorders. It describes OCD on page 205 ;) Most of it is roleplaying, not machanics though.
Board_Rider 08-10-05, 09:03 PM	Actually, Unearthed Arcana has an even better section for this: Mental Disorders. It describes OCD on page 205 ;) Most of it is roleplaying, not machanics though. Yeah I couldn't recall the exact area at work. Eh...
anarco_rata 08-10-05, 09:04 PM	An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat. I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying
alandark 08-10-05, 09:18 PM	I love good roleplaying and your idea rocks. For me, there are so many times when I am not the center of attention, or directly involved in what is going on, that I need something extra to do. That is where roleplaying can really be fun. One of my peeves is a player who abuses out-of-character knowledge - so whenever someone else is alone in a room learning secret things, I try to keep disctracted so I don't "cheat". It can be really fun to role-play with another character - just talking in character about what's going on in the game. Nothing that requires the DM's attention. But often, other players aren't as enthused so your OCD idea is great. It doesn't have to affect your stats at all - and since it is a self imposed limitation you could even say that when you are under pressure or the heat of battle your character's OCD is less or even vanishes. Then you have a GREAT roleplaying tool. The options are endless! "We pack up the camp and continue south to the Tomb of Skulls." "I'm checking my gear." DM: After 10 minutes of easy riding, you see four men approaching. "I'm checking my gear." "We stop and wait for them to get closer. Hey - wait are you back at the campsite?" "I'm checking my gear." DM: As the riders approach you notice they are all heavily armed. They charge. "Attack!" "I'm checking my gear." AFTER THE BATTLE "Good fighting everyone. We just need to get healed up and we can move on." "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal." "Uh....is that a Cure Serious Wounds you're casting?" "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...Cure Serious Wounds....definitely....heal." "Roll your dice man!" "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal." "Arrrg!" FUN!
Bartmanhomer 08-11-05, 07:42 PM	Don't forget other disablities too? Like, ADD, ADHD, Panic Attack, and other symptoms. :)
Lina_Inverse 08-11-05, 07:45 PM	An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat. I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying horrible roleplaying.an insane adventurer would get his party killed like that.and shouldnt survive a single game,and killing other pcs is by definition bad roleplaying.
Ringmereth 08-11-05, 07:55 PM	horrible roleplaying.an insane adventurer would get his party killed like that.and shouldnt survive a single game,and killing other pcs is by definition bad roleplaying. If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying. Anyway, I'd discourage it on the simple basis that a wise person with OCD would not live a life of adventuring. If you really want to and your group is okay with it, then go for it. I'd make it something that won't interefere with combat too much. If you have a compulsive urge to sort your potions by color or something, it's just kinda weird. If you have the urge to walk up to every creature and invite them in for tea politely, your lifespan will be rather short, and for good reason.
ragingmaro 08-11-05, 08:39 PM	Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations. So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them. I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!" Mr monk is the greatest detective there ever was! Yeah and maybe a ChA deduction could be in order.
Lina_Inverse 08-11-05, 09:09 PM	If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying. reduceing another PCs fun is bad gameing.
Vaelan 08-12-05, 12:41 AM	reduceing another PCs fun is bad gameing. And now, if you wish to be anything more than an ignorant being that cannot use their shift key and does not understand the terms used on the forum, you will explain to us why, in every conceivable situation, killing a PC reduces the player's fun.
weasel fierce 08-12-05, 12:46 AM	If you want to play a game where noone can ever die, play Everquest.
Lina_Inverse 08-12-05, 01:00 AM	And now, if you wish to be anything more than an ignorant being that cannot use their shift key and does not understand the terms used on the forum, you will explain to us why, in every conceivable situation, killing a PC reduces the player's fun. looseing a pc is fun?i ussually dont like looseing hours of thought and emotion,but it happens but it definitly shouldnt happen because someone thinks its fun to randomly kill pcs off.i dont think people want to adventure with people they hate anyhow.if you think thats a great thing i suggest call of cthululu.quite fun at times but you dont really get attached to your charecters being you know there dead in 1-2 sessions anyways.
weasel fierce 08-12-05, 01:04 AM	You were the one stating that the PC shouldn't survive a single session.
NehpetsTtocs 08-12-05, 09:51 AM	Mr. Monk has OCD and he's brilliant and wise, except for in his personal life and in social situations. So maybe, instead of OCD effecting WIS, have it affect CHA. People with any disorder are usually always taken more hostily anyways. People don't belive them, disregaurd them entirly, or shun them. I, personally, make it a point to tease every person with a disability that I come across by calling them random fruit brands. "Hey, you: Jaceta!" Thanks, that makes a little more sense. Though I am liking some of the stuff I've found in Unearthed Arcana lol.
NehpetsTtocs 08-12-05, 09:53 AM	An OCD should not affect your ability scores, but it would prove to be very, very dangerous in some situations. Especially in combat. Double checkin that your enemy is dead, over-healing party members "just to be sure", checking your armor 5 or 6 times before entering combat. I would like to congratulate you too for such a display of "lowergaming" ^^ that is, roleplaying Yeah, it's funny you mention this, because I have had the "double checkin that your enemy is dead" idea in my head for awhile now. If the character does in fact turn out to be a Paladin, I was also thining of having him ride to previous areas to make sure that he didn't "hit anything".
NehpetsTtocs 08-12-05, 10:43 AM	"We pack up the camp and continue south to the Tomb of Skulls." "I'm checking my gear." DM: After 10 minutes of easy riding, you see four men approaching. "I'm checking my gear." "We stop and wait for them to get closer. Hey - wait are you back at the campsite?" "I'm checking my gear." DM: As the riders approach you notice they are all heavily armed. They charge. "Attack!" "I'm checking my gear." AFTER THE BATTLE "Good fighting everyone. We just need to get healed up and we can move on." "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal." "Uh....is that a Cure Serious Wounds you're casting?" "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...Cure Serious Wounds....definitely....heal." "Roll your dice man!" "Gotta heal...yeah...definitely heal...definitely....definitely....heal." "Arrrg!" FUN! I might have to start taking notes here, lol.
Dalar Ragnos 08-13-05, 07:32 PM	looseing a pc is fun?i ussually dont like looseing hours of thought and emotion,but it happens but it definitly shouldnt happen because someone thinks its fun to randomly kill pcs off.i dont think people want to adventure with people they hate anyhow.if you think thats a great thing i suggest call of cthululu.quite fun at times but you dont really get attached to your charecters being you know there dead in 1-2 sessions anyways.Ringmereth mentioned nothing about killing people at random. There are some situations where, unless you're a Paladin or saint, you need to kill a fellow PC. If you have a good, well-fleshed-out, believable character who would, realistically, kill another PC, and your group can handle it, not doing so is bad roleplaying. A few examples of perfectly justifiable situations for PKing: -They endanger the entire rest of the party with their actions. (They spit in the face of the King/Queen, in front of dozens of veteran guards. The only way to keep everyone from dying is to slay the offender yourself.) -They specifically endanger YOU with their actions. (You're a rogue, and the party's fighter keeps running up and alerting your foes while you're sneaking in their midst.) -You RP your character as having a short fuse, everyone knows it, and the problem PC consistently harasses your character, because their metagame thinking tells them that you won't PK them. (You RP a half-orc barbarian who is very sensitive about his mother, and one of them goads and teases you about her constantly.) -You RP your character as having a large phobia or being easily spooked/startled, and the problem PC knowingly takes advantage of this. (You RP your fighter or barbarian as being extremely jittery, and the party wizard sneaks up on you one night and spooks you after lots of scary stories have been told around the campfire; it's bad RP to ignore your reflexive action, which in this case would be to scream like a little girl and swing your sword at whatever snuck up on you. Unfortunately for the wizard, you might drop them with a single hit.) -The other PC plays a Kender. (All Kender should be wiped from the face of the earth. 'Nuff said.)
a_psh 08-14-05, 01:14 AM	-You RP your character as having a short fuse, everyone knows it, and the problem PC consistently harasses your character, because their metagame thinking tells them that you won't PK them. By that same token, playing a character who is an obvious liability in most situations and causes more trouble than he's worth and counting on the party to trust you and love you and not tell you to get far, far away from them because of metagame thinking, which is what overplaying the OCD like in the examples above amounts to, is bad gaming. It makes absolutely no sense for the party to let this guy stick around long enough to get them killed. Now, I think it's possible to play a character with a neurological or personality disorder. But, when overdone, the disorder becomes the character, which makes for bland one-sided roleplaying and, by the third session or so, makes you wish you were dead so you could make a new one, while annoying the hell out of your fellow party members the whole time.