Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu] (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: GURPS: Self Esteem and Repartee Optional Rules
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 14:32:34 GMT

After my mini-review of Lace & Steel, someone requested I post my
translation of Lace & Steel's repartee and self esteem rules to GURPS.

Okay, why not?  I submitted it to Roleplayer over a year and a half
ago, and if they haven't published it yet, I guess they don't want it.

It'd be a shame to waste Paul Kidd's permission, so here goes:

[Disclaimer:  These are NOT official GURPS rules!!!!  Use at your own
risk; the author is not liable for damage from internal use.  Etc.]

------------------begin article intended for Roleplayer-------------

Copyright 1992, 1994 by Steffan O'Sullivan.  This article may not be
published without written consent of the author.  It may be reproduced
for personal use only.

Self Esteem and Repartee in GURPS Swashbucklers

Importing an Idea from Lace and Steel

_Lace and Steel_ is a roleplaying game designed by Paul Kidd and
published by The Australian Games Group.  The setting resembles Europe
in the mid-17th century, with a twist.  The game combines some fantasy
elements, such as low-level magic, harpies, centaurs (half-horses,
please!), pixies, etc., with black powder weapons and swashbuckling
heroics.  It is a very fun game, with good game mechanics and an
interesting combat resolution system.

Perhaps the best part of the game, however, is the social interaction
that takes place.  _Lace and Steel_ is able to satisfy a gamer who
desires to play a noble courtly lady, for example: there is plenty for
such a character to do in this world and game system.

In particular, two aspects of the game are so fitting to a
swashbuckling setting that I've written them up into _GURPS_ terms.
These are the courtly skill of Repartee and the gaming mechanic of
*self esteem.*

Self Esteem

High self esteem is best thought of as a temporary advantage, and low
self esteem as a temporary disadvantage.  Unless something has happened
to affect your self esteem, consider it always to be 0: neutral.
(While it is possible to create a new advantage, High Self Esteem, and
a new disadvantage, Low Self Esteem, this is not advisable as a
permanent state.  For one thing, the costs would be very extreme.  For
another, it's more fun to have it fluctuate, as you'll see!)

Self esteem can fluctuate from -3 to +3, but is normally 0.  When a
character's self esteem reaches +3, he feels very good about himself
and is full of cocksure bravura and dash, ala Errol Flynn.  When his
self esteem reaches -3, he feels as if he can't do anything right, and
more closely resembles a Woody Allen character.  Anyone who's ever seen
the old Danny Kaye movie, _The Court Jester,_ knows exactly the
difference between high and low self esteem in the same character, and
the effect it has on skills!  (If you don't know this movie, *see* it
soon.)

A character's self esteem level affects all of his skill levels.  If
you feel good about yourself, you'll do better at whatever you try; if
you feel low, you won't have as good a chance as succeeding.  Thus, a
character in a state of +3 self esteem is at +3 to all skills!

The effect lasts for one hour at each level, gradually returning to
normal, until self esteem is back to 0.  For example, a self esteem of
-1 lasts for one hour, at which point the character's self esteem
returns to 0.  A character with self esteem +3 has a +3 to all skills
for one hour, then a +2 for one hour, and finally a +1 for another
hour.

Self esteem can never rise above +3 or below -3.  Repeated attempts to
raise self esteem must wait until the current level changes - that is,
there must be at least one hour in between attempts to raise self
esteem.

At this point, most gamers want to know how to get high self esteem
and avoid low self esteem.  There are two ways to change your self
esteem level: daring deeds and Repartee ``combat.''

Daring Deeds

If a character is trying an especially hazardous or otherwise risky
maneuver, he *may* opt to invest self esteem in the venture.  The GM is
the final arbiter of how much self esteem can be invested: anywhere
from 1 to 3.  If a character has a particularly good chance of
succeeding at something, there is no risk involved, and no self esteem
can be invested.  An example would be the most skilled darts player
taking on a country bumpkin in a game of darts - there is no chance of
his self esteem rising after defeating such a foe.  Conversely, if he
were beaten, he would suspect he was either cheated or ``set up,'' and
his self esteem would not be likely to suffer an undue blow.

But if a fencer is in a ``first blood'' duel with an unknown (but
dangerous-looking) foe, he may opt to risk some self esteem.  Something
as serious as a duel allows risking 0, 1, 2, or 3 self esteem levels,
as the player wishes.  The more self esteem risked, the greater the
loss or gain, depending on the outcome of the duel.

As an example, Pierre, a Musketeer, is in a duel with a stranger.
Pierre feels pretty sure he can beat the stranger, so he risks 3 self
esteem.  If Pierre wins, all of his skills are at +3 for the next hour,
then at +2 for the following hour, and +1 for the third hour.  Should
he lose, however, all of his skills are at -3 for the next hour, and
so on.

Aside from physical danger, other examples of self esteem risk are
courting someone, rescuing someone close to you, asking for a raise or
to be sent as a trusted emissary on a critical mission, succeeding at
such a mission, throwing a party with the king in attendance, and so
on.

Repartee (Mental/Average)       Defaults to IQ-5

Repartee is the skill of verbal combat.  It is full of impaling
witticisms, cutting remarks and crushing retorts.  However, Repartee
isn't overtly insulting: the implications are devastating, but there
is never anything solidly libelous that would stand up in court.
Unlike physical combat, it doesn't do physical damage: it does self
esteem damage.

While Repartee is primarily an upper-class skill, there is a lower-
class version of it, often found in bars and workplaces.  The lower-
class battles tend to be cruder and less witty, but not always.
However, there is a natural reticence to enter Repartee with someone
of a higher status, unless open revolt is brewing.  In general, the GM
should disallow Repartee between the lower classes and the upper
classes.  Should the occasion arise, however, the lower-class combatant
has a penalty to his skill equal to the difference in Status levels.

Repartee combat is begun by one party *almost* insulting another
person.  If the other party chooses to ignore the taunts, a successful
Acting (or Savoir-Faire) roll will extract him or her without any self
esteem risked.  A failed roll means you showed your annoyance with the
remark.  At this point, you must either begin Repartee combat or your
self esteem drops to -1 immediately.

If Repartee combat is engaged, each party engaged must announce how
much self esteem is risked: from 1 to 3.  They then roll a Contest of
Skills and keep a running total of the amount won by.  When one
contestant reaches a total of 10 more than the other, the Repartee
combat is over, and the loser stomps off in anger amid the laughter of
spectators.  The winner's self esteem is enhanced by the amount he
risked, and the loser's is decreased by the amount he risked.  These
may be different amounts.

At any time up until one party has a running total of 10 more than the
other, either participant can break off the Repartee combat, at a cost
of -1 self esteem.  The victor gains +1 self esteem.

If a *player* is making particularly good cutting remarks, the GM
should give a bonus to his character's Repartee skill!

*Example:* Jean-Paul, a Musketeer, and Sebastian, a Cardinal's guard,
are rivals for Marie's hand.  They meet at a fancy ball, with Marie
making eyes at both them of them while the other is watching.
Smallsword combat would be inappropriate at a Duke's ball, so they
engage in Repartee combat.

Jean-Paul struts forward and announces that Sebastian looks very good
tonight - that yellow scarf is especially appropriate.  Sebastian is
quick to respond that Jean-Paul's dress sword looks particularly
polished - or is that unused? Jean-Paul's Repartee skill is 14, and
Sebastian's is 15.  They are both Status 1.  The first round of
``combat'' goes to Jean-Paul, as he rolls a 9, making his Repartee
skill by 5, and Sebastian only rolls a 12, making his by 3.  Jean-Paul
is 2 ahead at this point.

They exchange other remarks, rolling the dice again: Sebastian this
time wins by 6.  Subtracting Jean-Paul's earlier success from the
current score, Sebastian is now ahead by 4.  On the third roll, Jean-
Paul wins by 1, so Sebastian is ahead by only 3.

And so on - they keep bantering back and forth until one either wins
decisively or quits the combat.

_Lace and Steel_ contains an excellent example of Repartee combat: two
women making caustic observations about each other's clothing and lack
of style.  Other possibilities include insinuating cowardice, lack of
virginity, corruption, low mentality, clumsiness, and baseness of
character in many ways - see the list of Mental Disadvantages!

*(My thanks to Paul Kidd for granting his permission to publish this
article.  Lace and Steel is copyright 1988 by Paul Kidd.)

-- 
-Steffan O'Sullivan   | "It is in the heart that the values lie.  I
                      |  wish I could make him understand that a loving
 [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu]  |  heart is riches, and riches enough, and without
                      |  it intellect is poverty."     -Mark Twain