Compulsive Behavior

"Excuse me sir, but would you have the time to discuss the nature of Duty?" -- Sokrates, probably

Compulsive Behavior is a mundane mental disadvantage where you have a habit -- often a vice -- that wastes a good deal of your time or money^[1], or tend to get you into trouble! For heroic characters (or at least, protagonists), compulsive behavior can be a tragic flaw that rounds out the character.^[2]

The base Self-Control Number and cost varies depending on the type of Compulsive Behavior involved and in some cases there are other factors related to the disadvantage.Base cost: -5 to -15 points; can be resisted.

Being Prepared[]

If your habit is something that keeps you in better condition (clean guns, clean hands, keeping back to the wall, always checking zombies to make sure they're dead), that's a Standard Operating Procedure!

In PCs and Protagonists[]

Green Arrow: This whole trip might just prove the kid shouldn't eat nachos before bed.
The Question: Peanut butter sandwiches.
Supergirl: How did... What, do you go through my trash?

The Question: Please. I go through everyone's trash.

Compulsive behavior can often work as a hook to reel a character into the plot. Sometimes these behaviors are how characters decompress, acting as their hobbies and comfort sources (hacking, modding cars, tinkering)--or represent their bad habits (carousing, snooping, gossiping)

In NPCs and Antagonists[]

Just like with protagonists, Compulsive Behavior can represent some bad habit

Examples[]

"Anyone remember that episode when Pinkie Pie couldn't throw a party and she kinda just.. threw a party for a bunch of inanimate objects at her house?"

Write up as "Compulsive ___" and the type below:

Carousing [-5]: If there's no party, you'll make one. If there is one, you'll go. If you're not invited, you show up anyway. This is often paired with some level of extroversion like chummy, and in settings with lots of sapients, may pair well with xenophilia.^[1]
Gambling [-5]: You can't pass up an opportunity to gamble. Cards, dice, horse-races, you name it. If you don't know the game, you'll learn it, just to play it. Characters with this will probably want the Gambling skill (if they're not particularly good at it, take reduced wealth too!). Gamblers can be chummy companions or silent loners depending on who they play with, and may even have a Duty or Enemy from their gambling debts.^[1]
Generosity [-5]: You're awfully open-handed. You tend to lose cash quickly, and have a higher cost of living, but those who know your generosity (such as the pious, or the poor) react higher to you at +1. This trait is incompatible with Miserliness.
Lying [-15]: You lie a lot, often when you don't need to. You've likely made up stories about your deeds, lineage, wealth, whatever--anything that might impress your audience. You likely have a negative Reputation with those who know your tricks, and some level of Fast-Talk in order to deliver your tall tales.
- In Action: Compulsive liars tend to not have the same pulse/sweat response to lying, possibly since they're used to improvising on the spot. In polygraph tests, interrogators get -5 to Interrogation when using a polygraph.^[3]
Spending [-5]: Cash just flows through your fingers, doesn't it? You like luxuries, or just like the hobby of buying things, or like being seen as a big spender. This disadvantage increases cost of living and penalizes the Merchant skill for bargaining. This trait is incompatible with Miserliness, but can be combined with Greed.
Vowing [-5]: In the name of the Moon, the Allfather, and Someone's Grandma's Soul, you never simply decide to do something. You make vows and try your hardest to accomplish them. Some shonen characters and high-energy adventurers will have this disadvantage.

Other Examples[]

In alphabetical order:

Assassination (this one's a bit silly)^[4]
Car-Modding^[5]
Cleaning (not just hands, everything, so there's no trace)^[6]
Clothing a pet in amusing outfits^[7]
Gossiping^[8]
Haggling^[9]
Hanging out with Wizards (or Psis, Supers, etcetera)^[10]
Legalism/Judging^[11]
Rhetoric (explaining your plans, justifying your schemes, magnifying your grandness)^[12]
Snooping^[13]^[14]
Thrill-Seeking^[15]
Tinkering^[16]

Ghosts and Zombies[]

Ghosts and zombies tend to have relatively simple Compulsive Behaviors.

Wander through (Area) [-5]^[17]

Mentions[]

It is referenced in GURPS Fantasy, p.219, which gives the new variant Compulsive Debating.

Compulsive Sexual Activity (Pyramid 3/6: Space Colony Alpha p. 6)

While listed under Compulsive Behavior in GURPS Zombies, Zombie Motivation can also be considered an Obsession and so is listed separately.

Quirk Versions[]

These are "small" versions of Compulsive Behavior. This character can handle not doing these things, but they'll prefer to do these things when they get the chance.

Compulsive Carousing: Enjoys carousing, Party animal, Social
Compulsive Gambling: Enjoys Gambling, Likes bets/games of chance
Compulsive Generosity: Generous, Magnanimous, Munificent
Compulsive Lying: only with regards to the time a task will take
Compulsive Spending: Big spender, Displays wealth ostentatiously, Shopaholic.
Compulsive Vowing: “Oath-taker”; Conan (By Crom) and Thunddar (Demon dogs) have this

Kromm Quotes[]

Sean Punch has commented on Compulsive Behavior in the following posts to the SJG GURPS Forums:

Compulsive Generosity compared to Selfless [1]
On Compulsive Dancing [2]
Compared to Alcoholism in a GURPS Dungeon Fantasy™ game [3]