The Role of Faith

[dhorn]

I just did a search for this answer, but couldn't find it.

There was an interesting discussion on the ability of a nun to bless water, but I am more interested in the idea of the personal faith (which Gallahan was alluding to) of each individual character.

I believe that this will definitely influence the character's reaction to, and interaction with, the supernatural across the spectrum from good (e.g., angels) to evil (e.g., demons). For example, take Gallahan's example:

That's what makes a crucifix powerful against vampires. It's not the shape or design or cross itself. The crucifix is merely a focus for the true power: FAITH. A person who doesn't believe in God would have no more success wielding a cross (in my opinion) than wielding a tennis racket. I love the line from Fright Night, when the vampire hunter produces a cross to ward off the bad vamp, and the vamp grabs it easily and says: "To use that on me, yah gotta have faith." And later, when the cross does work, we can see the strength, resolve and FAITH in the vampire hunter's face. Great movie, great moments.

I guess my questions are:
1) do any of you explicitly include a PC's personal faith as part of your game(s)?
2) how do you quantify the degree of faith for a PC?
2) how does that faith (or lack thereof) influence game mechanics? For example, rolls to save vs. horror factor and/or insanity, or psychic approaches to exorcism, or even possibly bonuses to strike against supernatural evil.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue as I am considering the possibility of making faith more important to the game I am starting.

[mrloucifer]

Since horror deals explicitly with arousing emotions, it can operate on the fringes of some powerful issues, issues that can make the players or GM’s uncomfortable. Eventually this adds uneasiness over fear and derails the game. Religion is one such Taboo to tread very lightly on.

Religion is almost a part of any horror game, but you have to talk to the players ahead of time and ask them about their beliefs and if they will be offended if you strongly infuse religion into the game.
Religion as a villain (Satanists, witches, voodoo, pagans, Christians, etc) is especially treacherous grounds. If a player belongs to one of these religions, they may take this as very insulting.

Using religion as trappings of power can be a hazard as well. If a game has a player using holy cross, holy water, the lord prayer in concert with pentagrams, astral projections and other forms of magic, these obvious catholic methods may make a catholic player feel as though your trivializing his beliefs by using his faiths practices as game props or being intermingled with “pagan magic”.

In fact, adding an absolute god into a campaign can vitiate the concept of horror itself and ruin it in your game. It’s hard to maintain suspense when the players know that eventually god will stamp out the demon threat. Too many divine interventions will make it hard for the players to feel the fear.

In the ideal world, of course, we could all agree that games and games and gods are gods and never the twain shall meet. But as we all know, the real world is hardly that simple. For some players, separating their religious beliefs from the game world is harder than it is for others. Keep your players beliefs in mind when designing the game and consult your players if you’re when unsure.

[gaby]

A Nega-psychic who believe in God some much,he think he or She have a protection against Evil.
What do you think?

[mrloucifer]

A Nega-psychic who believe in God some much,he think he or She have a protection against Evil.
What do you think?

I don't think its possible, not as a nega psychic anyway. Having VAST experience with people of faith as well as not having any (as a sometimes paranormal investigator I deal with both a lot). But the very notion of believing in a higher power would negate the nega-psychic's abilities, period.

To be able to have faith that a god exists, means believing in a lot of other supernatural things like demons, angels, miracles, and many other "unexplainable things". the whole basis of a nega-psychic is dealing only in provable facts and sciences. Closely read "The Skeptic's Viewpoint" on pages 61-62 of the main book, these passages are the bible of the skeptic.

[tmikesecrist3]

That is Why I am always vary clear on what and how I will use. I never call a pact witch a witch but always a pact witch, to show that he/she has made a pact to gain power and as you know most of the things offering to make pacts with some one are in fact not vary nice things. I try focise on the human, and how he or she might use religion to ether uplift his spirt or how some twist it for there own ends. I do not treat religion lightly. though it is an aspect of most of my games. Have I had problems some times? yes some times I have offended people. That is why I always try to show both sides of the coin. The witch whom practess dark magic for he/her gain is nearly always balinced by the those whom use the power to heal, for ilemation and personal growth and understanding. If there has been a lot of scandel with cathic priests I tend to have the Kind but stern old grandfatherly priest. That well he may be hard would not harm any one and would be deaply ashamed of any one abusing there trust. Same goes for the bigettes that tend to be fundomentlests. I show the kindly of a bet ecintric evaglacol with the heart of gold. that just wants to save all goods chuildren and help those in need.

I am a practising druid in rl, I know many of the pagan and neo pagans out there. Does that mean that all Wiccans are going to be prepie fuzzy bunnies "the unavers is a friendly place" of course not. if I show one of them to anoy the pc's there will also be one of the ones that knows the real deal to be annoyed as well.

But then I also try and deal with Racesm in my games, and other issues. the idea is to get the players to think about things the may not be thinking about other wise. I also try and use RPGs as a teaching tool as well as a means of entertanment.

And use I make adisclamer that some might find the subject matter offincave. and if they find something officsave to talk to me about it in privat if we have to take a brake to deal with it. well its porbly time for a smoke brake any way. and usealy just by explaining my thoughts on a subject I have been able to deal with most missunderstandings. espeacly when I explain that I am not trying to depict a stero type.