Afflictions

Posts : 24

I shall humble you all with another amazing question from your protective overlord.

Why are Genin not allowed to begin with long term illnesses? Clearly this doesn't concern me, but god forbid the establishment decides to reject my generous proposal, I wish to make sure it is alright for me to create a character that has such an illness. Afflictions like albinism, dissociative identity disorder, color blindness, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and many more are all long term illnesses that one obtains at birth, yet the new special characteristic system clearly states that only B-rank and above afflictions are allowed to be long term. Such illnesses do not randomly appear when you're older, they are clearly evident throughout your life, even though most of them aren't lethal.

Source: http://www.ultimateshinobi.org/t3103-special-characteristics Afflictions template: "Long-Term Effects: Only applicable to B-rank and higher, how this will effect your character's life in the long run."

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

Also notes should be made about whether afflictions being able to be removed or not.

Posts : 1729

Read the last sentence of the first paragraph under afflictions.

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

So you're saying saying that everyone who wants a terminal illness or an illness with long term consequences must ask an Administrator. That logic.

Age : 28 Posts : 223

Mister E wrote:: So you're saying saying that everyone who wants a terminal illness or an illness with long term consequences must ask an Administrator. That logic.

Posts : 24

I have read it, and it states: "Users will also not be allowed to start with an affliction of a higher rank than their character, unless granted Admin approval." This does not answer my question. My question is not "why can I not have a higher ranked affliction". My question is "why do long term illnesses have to be B-rank?" Color-blindness can easily be deduced as a "Minor nuisance at best", which would normally fall under E or D-rank, but instead it has to be a B-rank affliction. I hardly believe a missing pinky toe should warrant administrative approval.

Posts : 1729

The specific wording is long term effects. That is, the affliction will have effects that last into the long term, not simply be something you have for the long term.

By long term effects, it's intended to mean things you never really get over. Color blind, you get used to seeing without those colors. Missing pinkie toe, you get used to balancing on that foot without it. Now, bones as brittle as glass, or screaming nightmares of all you various "deaths" from every individual use of a Clone jutsu; that's something you never really get over.

Does that clarify it?

Age : 28 Posts : 223

No, that confuses everyone even more.

Posts : 1729

D-C rank: You get used to it, it stops affecting you as badly.

B-rank and up: You never really get used to it.

Better? Afflictions 287405

Age : 28 Posts : 223

So I CAN have a missing toe from the start?

Posts : 24

The pinky toe was merely a hyperbole, though the color blindness is not so much. But alas, you're comparing two things in a very wide category that is "Long Term Effects". Would losing your arm not be considered an affliction? Would it not be considered a long term effect? I doubt anyone, in any amount of time could grow accustomed to losing any part of their body; even if it's something as menial and obviously nonsensical as a missing toe. The definition of "Long Term Effect" is too vague to merely dictate what is and is not a long term effect. PTSD is a serious long term condition, but is it not fully possible to eventually get over the trauma? Does that not equate to "getting used to it"? You know, the same way one could "get used to" their color blindness or "get used to" their missing pinky toe? Using Albinism as an example; that is as close to the C-rank description of an Affliction as it can be. "Mildly harmful to the user." I hardly recall anyone dying because they were an Albino. Maybe they died of skin cancer brought on by albinism, but a mere sequence of incorrectly aligned genomes is hardly a "Greatly harmful" effect, as implied by a B-rank. But alas, Albinism is a long term illness, one that, contrary to your examples, a person cannot "get used to."

Posts : 1729

BK-201 wrote:: Name: Kurōn-byō [Clone Sickness]
Rank: B
Type: None.
Range: Personal
Element: None.
Description: The Shadow Clone is a fairly potent jutsu, yielding onto the field another warm body to throw at the enemy, along with training and espionage applications, given that the clone imparts its memories onto the user. For Takeshi Gouka, the memories imparted are much more potent, but in a flawed way. Upon learning the Shadow Clone, Gouka found he was too in tune with his clones. Upon their death, he could remember the very act of dying itself, could still remember the brief moment of terror preceding the cessation of existence, could remember the phantom of pain as a blade slices across the clones throat. In essence, every time one of his clones dies, Gouka personally experiences the death, and all the trauma one would associate with dying, to the point that particularly brutal clone deaths can place a dangerous toll on his mental stability.
Long-term Effect: Over time, the "death memory" begins to seep in from all forms of clones, not only Shadow Clones. Whether it is truly being remembered, or the repeated deaths of the Shadow Clones has impressed a vivid imagination and mental reflex upon Gouka, is debatable. Repeated use of the clones, and thus repeated experiences of the death trauma, will wear away on Gouka over time. Eventually, he will hold less and less regard for life, any life, even his own. If the trauma progresses long enough, he may even begin to see death a a gift, a sweet release, and happily oblige in dolling it out. Alternatively, the repeated death trauma may simply burn him out, causing him to regard death as no more important than an untied shoe. Only time will tell.
Chakra Cost: None.
Word Count Requirement: 1200 Words

This is the kind of thing I'm trying to drive at when I say "long term effect" x_x

Posts : 24

So then incurable and genetic diseases do not count as long term effects?

Age : 31 Posts : 8965

I'm going to have so much fun with this guy when I get back.

Posts : 24

Sorry, I'm not gay.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

I don't really understand the point of the Affliction 'system'. It seems like you're giving yourself a clear disadvantage without gaining anything in return, which isn't what most sites do in such cases. And anyway you're basically saying "This is my character's weakness. I hope you don't exploit it -.-". It's not so much character development as increasing the problem of metagaming, and giving other people the chance to dictate how you fight, namely, because they can pull the card of "So shouldn't your affliction kick in just about now?". Do you have a fear of fire? Gosh how fortunate that I have just the right genjutsu to exploit that...

If you wanna have an illness, put that in your Character Application in 'Appearance' perhaps or your History. Don't go advertising it to the world for others to exploit it against you.

P.S I find it amusing that you have to train your illness .-.

P.P.S Day One: I was punching myself in the head today, hoping that I would do some damage to my brain. Day Two: My vision remains blurry. Day Three: I think I pulled a muscle. I wonder if it's related to that aforementioned brain damage. Herp derp.

Posts : 24

Idea: If you take on an affliction, you are allowed one extra special characteristic of equal rank to the affliction, which you cannot upgrade or whatever unless you upgrade your affliction first. This seems fair to me. It's a trade off game; you get leukemia, but in return you're a tad bit faster.

Age : 30 Posts : 1012

it would have to be something reasonable. If you have a terminal illness, I'm sure you won't be as strong, as fast, and can last longer than other people.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

Cross wrote:: it would have to be something reasonable. If you have a terminal illness, I'm sure you won't be as strong, as fast, and can last longer than other people.

To generalise, if the illness is physical-based, you may be extremely good at Nin and Gen as a result. For example, being in a wheelchair would likely result in your character doing more reading and meditating. :/

For other illnesses, it would be a case by case scenario.

Posts : 24

I never mentioned it was a good idea.

Age : 31 Posts : 1490

O-Zone wrote:: Idea: If you take on an affliction, you are allowed one extra special characteristic of equal rank to the affliction, which you cannot upgrade or whatever unless you upgrade your affliction first. This seems fair to me. It's a trade off game; you get leukemia, but in return you're a tad bit faster.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

O-Zone wrote:: Why are Genin not allowed to begin with long term illnesses? Clearly this doesn't concern me, but god forbid the establishment decides to reject my generous proposal, I wish to make sure it is alright for me to create a character that has such an illness. Afflictions like albinism, dissociative identity disorder, color blindness, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and many more are all long term illnesses that one obtains at birth, yet the new special characteristic system clearly states that only B-rank and above afflictions are allowed to be long term. Such illnesses do not randomly appear when you're older, they are clearly evident throughout your life, even though most of them aren't lethal.

My professional pride compels me to point out that dissociative identity disorder is not something obtained at birth. That aside, I agree with the above...

An affliction system is a good idea. There is a lot of subjectivity in role-playing and so where things can be made more easily measurable, they should be. I also think that much of what has been put in place by the staff is sensible.

No, afflictions should not grant alternative perks. We'll have tons of people wandering round with varying degrees of illness just so they can get a certain ability. For the vast majority of these conditions, there is no upside. Not to say, of course, that a wheelchair-bound person (taking your example, Chris) doesn't study harder and learn more about Genjutsu. But we have SCs for that.

Look, take Autism Spectrum Disorder. I suppose that would qualify for an 'affliction' (the political correctness movement would have a heart attack but never mind that for now). Many people associate this with better-than-average mathematical ability and I can categorically refute this. Most are actually below-average. It, along with sensory disorders, genetic conditions and various other things are debilitating.

So why would anyone want one? Because it's interesting. Because it's challenging. Because it gives you great scope for character developments.

Well fine, I hear you say - but if it's just character-building stuff then why on earth do we need a framework for it? Because even if it is 'just a plot device', it can still have an effect on things like combat. So we need to have a standardized format through which everyone can understand the different afflictions their peers are role-playing with.

-----------
In short, not a bad first attempt guys. I think four things need addressing:

1. Define 'affliction'. Secondary to that, possibly consider more politically correct terms...

2. Don't limit afflictions by rank. I think I understand where you're coming from, but it makes very little sense.

3. Please don't introduce a 'tradeoff' system to allow perks for those with afflictions.

4. For crying out loud, don't make people train afflictions. Unless there is some conceivable upside that cannot be accounted for with SCs. Then maybe do that on a case-by-case basis.

Love to all,

~Soph.

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

~Fox~ wrote:

O-Zone wrote:: Why are Genin not allowed to begin with long term illnesses? Clearly this doesn't concern me, but god forbid the establishment decides to reject my generous proposal, I wish to make sure it is alright for me to create a character that has such an illness. Afflictions like albinism, dissociative identity disorder, color blindness, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and many more are all long term illnesses that one obtains at birth, yet the new special characteristic system clearly states that only B-rank and above afflictions are allowed to be long term. Such illnesses do not randomly appear when you're older, they are clearly evident throughout your life, even though most of them aren't lethal.

My professional pride compels me to point out that dissociative identity disorder is not something obtained at birth. That aside, I agree with the above...

An affliction system is a good idea. There is a lot of subjectivity in role-playing and so where things can be made more easily measurable, they should be. I also think that much of what has been put in place by the staff is sensible.

No, afflictions should not grant alternative perks. We'll have tons of people wandering round with varying degrees of illness just so they can get a certain ability. For the vast majority of these conditions, there is no upside. Not to say, of course, that a wheelchair-bound person (taking your example, Chris) doesn't study harder and learn more about Genjutsu. But we have SCs for that.

Look, take Autism Spectrum Disorder. I suppose that would qualify for an 'affliction' (the political correctness movement would have a heart attack but never mind that for now). Many people associate this with better-than-average mathematical ability and I can categorically refute this. Most are actually below-average. It, along with sensory disorders, genetic conditions and various other things are debilitating.

So why would anyone want one? Because it's interesting. Because it's challenging. Because it gives you great scope for character developments.

Well fine, I hear you say - but if it's just character-building stuff then why on earth do we need a framework for it? Because even if it is 'just a plot device', it can still have an effect on things like combat. So we need to have a standardized format through which everyone can understand the different afflictions their peers are role-playing with.

-----------

In short, not a bad first attempt guys. I think four things need addressing:

1. Define 'affliction'. Secondary to that, possibly consider more politically correct terms...

2. Don't limit afflictions by rank. I think I understand where you're coming from, but it makes very little sense.

3. Please don't introduce a 'tradeoff' system to allow perks for those with afflictions.

4. For crying out loud, don't make people train afflictions. Unless there is some conceivable upside that cannot be accounted for with SCs. Then maybe do that on a case-by-case basis.

Love to all,

~Soph.

I luv dees
Dolan

Age : 27 Posts : 260

Spectre wrote:: I luv dees

If ever there were a more well-thought-out, insightful reply, please, show it to me. Afflictions 287405

Age : 32 Posts : 1912

Tsumi Buredo wrote:

Spectre wrote:: I luv dees

If ever there were a more well-thought-out, insightful reply, please, show it to me. Afflictions 287405

Der iz nun
Gooby

Seriously though,
I do agree with pretty much everything Soph just said. It seems strange to have to train for a lost limb or a blind eye. That said, I do think the trade-off system may turn into something like "I get +10% endurance in trade for wet farts.". Note the joke part, but it is something that can and most likely will be abused if not checked up on well enough.