Player A stands transfixed as his (zombie) girlfriend shambles towards him. Player B swings his baseball bat and rolls "doubles on un-cancelled positive dice" and caves in the zombies head.

As a GM how would you handle the effect on player A?

I would probably just assign the player stress because it works with the story. But then again, I'm lazy and shy away from added complication. Also, my players would be fine with that and yours might feel chafed at being forced to take stress without a chance to avoid it.

I would probably just assign the player stress because it works with the story. But then again, I'm lazy and shy away from added complication. Also, my players would be fine with that and yours might feel chafed at being forced to take stress without a chance to avoid it.

I'm glad you said that

Probably a role playing cliche by now but I would have the character roll willpower to see how well they handle it and possibly add a negative dice or two (or more since it's his gf) to show the potential for really messing him up.

If he fails give him what you think is fair mental stress for the situation plus additionals for any unchecked negative dice. For that scenario you may even give him a reduced amount of stress even if he succeeds, it would certainly mess most people up.

Probably a role playing cliche by now but I would have the character roll willpower to see how well they handle it and possibly add a negative dice or two (or more since it's his gf) to show the potential for really messing him up.

If he fails give him what you think is fair mental stress for the situation plus additionals for any unchecked negative dice. For that scenario you may even give him a reduced amount of stress even if he succeeds, it would certainly mess most people up.

I like and second this idea.

Probably a role playing cliche by now but I would have the character roll willpower to see how well they handle it and possibly add a negative dice or two (or more since it's his gf) to show the potential for really messing him up.

If he fails give him what you think is fair mental stress for the situation plus additionals for any unchecked negative dice. For that scenario you may even give him a reduced amount of stress even if he succeeds, it would certainly mess most people up.

This is exactly (generally) how it works. If you feel it affects his sanity (it breaks his mind to watch his love become infected and brutally kill her), it would be a Willpower test. If it affects his his anxiety (he can never speak to anyone again), it would affect his empathy.

But then again, this game is so vague in its rules, you could literally have it be whatever you want.