Fearless/Jaded

By Massaker, in Dark Heresy Rules Questions

With the "Fearless" talent you are immune to the effects of fear (and pinning), but you accumulate still insanity points, right?

Otherwise you wouldn't need the "Jaded" talent which saves you from accumulating IP from mundane sources.

(Both talents are obtainable for the Tech Priest at the Technomancer Rank, which confuses me even more).

What do you think?

Generally mundane sources of insanity points require the player to fail a fear check. As fearless makes you immune to fear, you can't fail the fear test, so you avoid insanity.

But fearless also comes with a disadvantage: You must make a willpower test to disengage from combat or back down from a fight.

If you have a low willpower, this can cause you serious problems because you may be unable to leave a combat. Even if you know you will lose if you stay.

Is your willpower high enough for you to risk it ?

Generally mundane sources of insanity points require the player to fail a fear check. As fearless makes you immune to fear, you can't fail the fear test, so you avoid insanity.

Er... huh? There are quite a few sources of insanity which I wouldn't consider fear effects. Examples would be prolonged exposure to combat and warzones (having your friends die around you, having to jump at every shadow and being forced to stay awake far beyond the point you'd like to = PTSD), abuse (especially ****, if your gaming group dares to go there) and possibly revulsion at certain sights, though that one does go near fear.

Cifer said:

Generally mundane sources of insanity points require the player to fail a fear check. As fearless makes you immune to fear, you can't fail the fear test, so you avoid insanity.

Er... huh? There are quite a few sources of insanity which I wouldn't consider fear effects. Examples would be prolonged exposure to combat and warzones (having your friends die around you, having to jump at every shadow and being forced to stay awake far beyond the point you'd like to = PTSD), abuse (especially ****, if your gaming group dares to go there) and possibly revulsion at certain sights, though that one does go near fear.

PSTD is pretty much a result of fear and/or adrenaline. And of course the process of being raped is heavily influenced by fear, otherwise women (and men) would probably fight back. Although this is a huge simplification, all of these emotionally scarring episodes is either resulting from fear or causing it.

Additionally, insanity is also linked with fear, think about Phobias (greek for fear), fearful delusions, "bugs under my skin!" etc. Remove all those and all you have left are "positive" illusions, schitzophrenia and MPDs, which I see as an escape of a reality you cannot bear, because of... fear.

Ok I admit I'm no psychiatrist, but I think they would agree that fear is quite importart.

I suspect a psychiatrist would laugh in your face the moment you mentioned that you were trying to figure out whether somebody who was fearless could possibly go insane from being raped. (Or maybe cry, one or the other.)

But seriously... the DH insanity system is not remotely like real life. In real life most insanity does not reduce from some terrifying incident. A great deal of it may result from abnormal and unpleasant experiences, to be sure. I doubt it has all that much to do with fear.

(Caveat: while I do have a psychology degree, I'm not a psychiatrist either.)