Beneficial Afflictions (aka Beneflictions or Buffs) are a concept seen after the basic set which gives new options for designing Affliction (advantage)
FAQ mention[]
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/faq/FAQ4-3.html#SS3.2.8
- Reverse the HT roll for beneficial Afflictions;
- an Affliction that's HT-x to resist instead requires a HT+x to provide its benefits.
- Duration becomes margin of success instead of margin of failure.
- Use Based on (Other Attribute) if you'd prefer an IQ roll.
It makes reference to two books:
- GURPS Powers makes this official.
- GMs and players asking this question may also be interested in Auras of Power (Pyramid #3/19).
It effectively removes the ability for skill of user to boost duration which is possibly via Malediction changing that to MoV minutes.
Powers[]
GURPS Powers finally adapts these rules on page 40 in Optional Rules for Affliction box
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/powers/afflictions.pdf shares this free for all.
In case the site goes down here is a local copy:
Only the first paragraph talks about flipping HT rolls and MoF>MoS durations.
The 2nd paragraph has added notes absent in the FAQ regarding Malediction function (regardless of whether or not it's classed as beneficial, it seems)
It lets those targeted with Maledictions opt to waive their rolls.
This changes the usual way the duration of Malediction is calculated (based on MoV : the MoS of the user, either subtracting MoS or adding MoF of target) to being based just on MoS of user.
- an interesting aspect of this is that Maledictions you opt NOT to resist actually have lower potential durations, since the user can't add MoF minutes of a trait based on you failing a roll!
PK and MyGURPS and Kromm notes for SELF[]
http://www.mygurps.com/a_selfafflict.html where PK quotes Kromm
- he agreed that the GURPS rules don't prevent anyone from afflicting themselves with their own Affliction -- the confusing blurb on p. 116 of Powers notwithstanding
The blurb they're referencing from P116 is likely this note for Affliction: Warp:
- the former is resisted and doesn’t let the user teleport
Psionic Powers amended that for allowing self-affliction (or self TK) but at a -2 penalty for perspective.
Semantic etymology[]
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=871982&postcount=7 introduces the term Benefliction to refer to this. It is a portmanteau since the F is shared between beneFit (or beneFicial) and afFliction.
Buffs[]
In GURPS Sorcery the rules for Buff Spells also uses the phrase:
- simply a beneficial Affliction
However it does not use the first-paragraph rule from P40 regarding inverting the HT roll where duration is MoS-based instead of MoF-based, or the 2nd-paragraph rule about requiring Malediction.
This creates a special option where non-Maledictions can be waived too, but in that situation, since there is no 'ignores DR' property, DR should create problems.
This is done by forcing targets with DR to make a HT roll despite not wanting to, although in that case "subject has to make a HT roll at a penalty equal to that DR" does not have it function like a resistance roll, because in this case the roll needs to be passed (not failed) for the spell to function.
It's very strange rules because Tough Skin DR doesn't penalize in this way (even though it normally does impede Afflictions) and because only needing to pass a HT roll when wearing DR is a weird restriction.
Instead it might make more sense to:
- use normal beneficial affliction rules, but adapt the idea that DR is a penalty to your success roll for MoS minutes, instead of the usual bonus to your resistance roll for MoF minutes
- have people buy Variable enhancement on their HT if they want the ability to intentionally dial their health down to avoid healing, avoid resisting drugs/afflictions ETC
- it's unclear if DX/IQ/Will are inherently Variable: Per probably isn't since otherwise Light Sleeper would not be a problem