Mind-Numbing Magnetism

-1 point

Certain qualities, while well-regarded in small doses, grate
on many people: Cheerful, Enthusiastic, Gallant, Jovial, Opti-
mistic, Pensive, Playful, Precise, Romantic, Talkative, and so
on. In a social situation, tell the GM whether you’re “turning on
the charm”; it’s good roleplaying to do so as often as possible.
This is a gamble – and as you think your trait is a virtue, you’re
blind to whether this is wise, so you don’t get any kind of roll
to test the waters first.
If the GM decides that your outlook matches the circum-
stances (e.g., Romantic at a poetry reading or Talkative at a
cocktail party for powerful businesspeople), you receive +1
on reaction and Influence rolls in that scene. If your audience
isn’t appreciative (e.g., Romantic at a frat party or Talkative
at a funeral), your first such roll is at -1 and all later ones suf-
fer a cumulative -1, to a floor of -4, as you grow progressively
more annoying.
You can shut up to avoid mounting penalties. In a large
group, you also can delay the progression by switching conver-
sation partners – but this merely puts off the cumulative
penalty by one roll, after which you’ll be regarded as “flighty”
or “shallow” and suffer growing penalties anyway. Either way,
you’re unlikely to end up getting the information or aid you
seek, whether because you aren’t asking or because you’re
speaking with the wrong person.