This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
fleb: Is that really how they spell Mi-go? I think they're doing it wrong. Leliel: They are, but that's a correct spelling too.
Noaqiyeum: With everyone's powers taking such a great toll on their mental health and all... does sanity offer any advantages? You'd think strategy would be forced out the window at some point and then the cosmic horrors win anyway.
Gattsuru: Well, you can have both — unless you're on the front lines, or working against the NEG, psychiatric help is common and mandated (and more effective than, say, the folk in Unknown Armies). Staying insane tends to result in nasty side effects : I'll need to check the rulebook tomorrow, but I remember you can run into negative effects pretty quickly. And it's mostly the researchers, mages, Eva pilots, and Tagers that really have to deal with the Insanity Meter; if you don't have friends slaughtered or massacres occur, a normal mech pilot or street detective can avoid having their brain go tapioca.
Okay, to take an example, you see the true form of a Great Old One and manage to survive, but hit four insanity points on the way. Your character was previously at 0 insanity, but this pops you up to 4, and that results in two Permanent Disorders (in addition to the temporary general insanity earlier — for up to five days following the loss of an insanity point, you're pretty much the GM's toy when it comes to neurological issues). The GM assigns you a Panic Disorder and a Conversion Disorder; you'd start panicking during combat or social interactions, and stressful situations might cause your character to suddenly have impaired vision or hearing or range of movement. You also have a -1 penalty to further insanity tests. If you don't get those fixed, you're going to have problems.
