Who uses Sanity in their games? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Who uses Sanity in their games? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Angry_Elf
02-14-08, 07:43 PM I am planning to incorporate the Sanity system into my current game. I was wondering if anyone has ever used it before and if so, how well did it work? My game has a definite dark theme to it so I'd like to have some way for these poor little PC's to go out of their ever-lovin minds.
Lord_Varos
02-14-08, 08:28 PM I've never used sanity rules before, so my opinion is one step shy of meaningless, but I think that if you're looking for a darkly deep and spooky sort of game then Sanity might ruin that. Think of it this way: what are Sanity rules? They are basically an outline of how to roleplay people losing their minds. You could do this without any "rules."

The only real difference between simple roleplaying and using the written system is that the system forces characters to act a certain way. Nothing can bring you out of immersion more than having control of your character being challenged, and if you're looking for a dark, deep environment, this is not what you'd want at all. It could kill any respect for your game's uniqueness faster than you could say, "No, your character acts THIS way!"
Angry_Elf
02-14-08, 11:17 PM I like darkly deep and spooky. My game is already that. A few sessions ago I had the PCs holed up in an abandoned town during a snowstorm. They were attacked "Night of the Living Dead" style every night until they were able to leave. They still have not figured out why the undead attacked them at the same hour every night. Mwahaha. That kind of thing grates on the mind a bit. So the reason I find the sanity rules intriguing is because it gives the characters and me a tangible way to track their slow descent into madness. I have a several new players, so I want to give them a guideline.
Divisionbyzer0
02-17-08, 12:56 AM I've never used sanity rules before, so my opinion is one step shy of meaningless, but I think that if you're looking for a darkly deep and spooky sort of game then Sanity might ruin that. Think of it this way: what are Sanity rules? They are basically an outline of how to roleplay people losing their minds. You could do this without any "rules."

The only real difference between simple roleplaying and using the written system is that the system forces characters to act a certain way. Nothing can bring you out of immersion more than having control of your character being challenged, and if you're looking for a dark, deep environment, this is not what you'd want at all. It could kill any respect for your game's uniqueness faster than you could say, "No, your character acts THIS way!"

Well in real life mental illness does "force" you to act a certain way to an extent. If you have an anxiety disorder you will avoid certain things, and this feels like the blockage of a choice or a forcing in other words, but it's not certainly so. Giving someone a specific disorder even a psychosis, doesn't force their hand to action absolutely even though it may make them predisposed to some more than others. Just look at a Beautiful Mind, and how John Nash puts his delusions on the back burner eventually, though he seems "forced" by them in the beginning.

You can do "insanity" perfectly well without forcing anyone to do anything. I'd leave out ones that are purely random or complete character controlling things like for example the frenzied berzerkers inability to stop frenzying. Though again in real life people do cite the feeling of being compelled in an unnatural manner when doing certain things. Sometimes people even cite it when they aren't mentally ill. "I don't know where that came from", "something came over me", "I wasnt myself", etc.

It's all a matter of balance and preference in the game.
new_fashion_guy
02-18-08, 05:21 PM Sanity rules have been around since the original Call of Cthulhu RPG. They work really well with seasoned role-players who can use them as a guide on what extent they need to modify their characters' behavior. On people who aren't really used to actual role-playing or can't handle the idea of their characters not being under their complete control, they might not add much, as you'd have to hand-hold the players as to how it affected them.

BTW, from Quest to Geas to Charm, D&D characters have always been put in situations where their characters don't have control of themselves. I don't see sanity rules as any different, except that sanity effects are longer lasting but less controlling.
Angry_Elf
02-18-08, 07:25 PM All of my players like the idea of a sanity system, so I plan to implement it at the next game session. One of the players said that she (3 PCs out of 5 are female. Imagine that...) thought having sanity rules made the game have more depth. No thoughts are ever put to a character's mental health as he goes traipsing through dank pitch black dungeons with nothing but a hunk of sharpened metal and a barely lit torch to guide his way.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Angry_Elf 02-14-08, 07:43 PM	I am planning to incorporate the Sanity system into my current game. I was wondering if anyone has ever used it before and if so, how well did it work? My game has a definite dark theme to it so I'd like to have some way for these poor little PC's to go out of their ever-lovin minds.
Lord_Varos 02-14-08, 08:28 PM	I've never used sanity rules before, so my opinion is one step shy of meaningless, but I think that if you're looking for a darkly deep and spooky sort of game then Sanity might ruin that. Think of it this way: what are Sanity rules? They are basically an outline of how to roleplay people losing their minds. You could do this without any "rules." The only real difference between simple roleplaying and using the written system is that the system forces characters to act a certain way. Nothing can bring you out of immersion more than having control of your character being challenged, and if you're looking for a dark, deep environment, this is not what you'd want at all. It could kill any respect for your game's uniqueness faster than you could say, "No, your character acts THIS way!"
Angry_Elf 02-14-08, 11:17 PM	I like darkly deep and spooky. My game is already that. A few sessions ago I had the PCs holed up in an abandoned town during a snowstorm. They were attacked "Night of the Living Dead" style every night until they were able to leave. They still have not figured out why the undead attacked them at the same hour every night. Mwahaha. That kind of thing grates on the mind a bit. So the reason I find the sanity rules intriguing is because it gives the characters and me a tangible way to track their slow descent into madness. I have a several new players, so I want to give them a guideline.
Divisionbyzer0 02-17-08, 12:56 AM	I've never used sanity rules before, so my opinion is one step shy of meaningless, but I think that if you're looking for a darkly deep and spooky sort of game then Sanity might ruin that. Think of it this way: what are Sanity rules? They are basically an outline of how to roleplay people losing their minds. You could do this without any "rules." The only real difference between simple roleplaying and using the written system is that the system forces characters to act a certain way. Nothing can bring you out of immersion more than having control of your character being challenged, and if you're looking for a dark, deep environment, this is not what you'd want at all. It could kill any respect for your game's uniqueness faster than you could say, "No, your character acts THIS way!" Well in real life mental illness does "force" you to act a certain way to an extent. If you have an anxiety disorder you will avoid certain things, and this feels like the blockage of a choice or a forcing in other words, but it's not certainly so. Giving someone a specific disorder even a psychosis, doesn't force their hand to action absolutely even though it may make them predisposed to some more than others. Just look at a Beautiful Mind, and how John Nash puts his delusions on the back burner eventually, though he seems "forced" by them in the beginning. You can do "insanity" perfectly well without forcing anyone to do anything. I'd leave out ones that are purely random or complete character controlling things like for example the frenzied berzerkers inability to stop frenzying. Though again in real life people do cite the feeling of being compelled in an unnatural manner when doing certain things. Sometimes people even cite it when they aren't mentally ill. "I don't know where that came from", "something came over me", "I wasnt myself", etc. It's all a matter of balance and preference in the game.
new_fashion_guy 02-18-08, 05:21 PM	Sanity rules have been around since the original Call of Cthulhu RPG. They work really well with seasoned role-players who can use them as a guide on what extent they need to modify their characters' behavior. On people who aren't really used to actual role-playing or can't handle the idea of their characters not being under their complete control, they might not add much, as you'd have to hand-hold the players as to how it affected them. BTW, from Quest to Geas to Charm, D&D characters have always been put in situations where their characters don't have control of themselves. I don't see sanity rules as any different, except that sanity effects are longer lasting but less controlling.
Angry_Elf 02-18-08, 07:25 PM	All of my players like the idea of a sanity system, so I plan to implement it at the next game session. One of the players said that she (3 PCs out of 5 are female. Imagine that...) thought having sanity rules made the game have more depth. No thoughts are ever put to a character's mental health as he goes traipsing through dank pitch black dungeons with nothing but a hunk of sharpened metal and a barely lit torch to guide his way.