# Phobias and allergies

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [November 22, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157 "2013-11-22T23:52:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ArcticHuntsman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f475e1/32.png) [@ArcticHuntsman](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ArcticHuntsman)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/1 "2013-11-22T23:52:27Z")

</div>

Two new ideas for character creation. Phopias could range from common things such as the dark or cities ha have varying effects depended on choice. For example you could take a phobia of cities but only get perhaps a morale hit as it isn’t a strong phobia. Whereas you could have a severe phobia and take a massive stat decrease as well as a chance of being frozen it fear. Points giving would depend on the phobia and how common the phobia is.

Allergies would give you a choice of allergies each giving a different amount of points dependent, once again on how common the allergy is and the severity of the reaction.

Thoughts?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vultures](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/vultures/32/69_2.png) [@vultures](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/vultures)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/2 "2013-11-23T00:35:42Z")

</div>

This is the list of common phobias found with the classic Wikis: [Major Ones](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_phobias)  
Even though I can tell you like UW, there’s no need to declare “their” concept as essential and Cata’s +/- Traits abundant.  
Maybe there’s only just a slight chance you could end up with one of the major Zoophobias. After all, Cataclysm lore is pretty much different than of both contemporary and classic roguelikes. For example, Necrophobia would be a serious issue, whilst Nosocomephobia and Nosophobia could both be interesting add-ons.  
Just a scratch on the surface really, a character may be more prone to heat or cold effects; it would be interesting to see how this would work out along with some mild psychoactive medications. Furthermore, standard issues of getting wet or being exposed to prolonged heat might be amplified if the developer sees it fit.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FunsizeNinja123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/funsizeninja123/32/118_2.png) [@FunsizeNinja123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/FunsizeNinja123)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/3 "2013-11-23T00:46:40Z")

</div>

I see a tab with a huge list of phobias. All of them being good and bad.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![infectedmochi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/infectedmochi/32/206_2.png) [@infectedmochi](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/infectedmochi)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/4 "2013-11-23T04:10:37Z")

</div>

Some interesting phobias that can be interesting in Cataclysm.

Acrophobia (Fear of height) Not too much Z-level ?  
Agrizoophobia (Fear of wild animal) No hunting for food but maybe trapping only?  
Algophobia (Fear of pain) Bigger morale penalty for when in pain  
Arachnophobia (Fear of spider)  
Melissophobia (Fear of bee)  
Myrmecophobia (Fear of ant)  
Claustrophobia (Fear of confined/closed space) Can’t or find it hard to enter small rooms  
Frigophobia (Fear of becoming too cold) No more lab and always wear many layers of clothes  
Heliophobia (Fear of sunlight) Pretty hardcore, not sure if reasonable  
Ombrophobia (Fear of rain) Pretty hardcore too  
Phonophobia (Fear of loud sound)  
Pyrophobia (Fear of fire) No more campfire??  
Sociophobia (Fear of people and social interactions) Harder NPC encounter  
Thermophobia (Fear of heat) Opposite of Frigophobia  
Xylophobia (Fear of trees, forests or wood) No more going to the forest

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![moist\_zombie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/moist_zombie/32/131_2.png) [@moist\_zombie](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/moist_zombie)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 7:24am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/5 "2013-11-23T07:24:52Z")

</div>

On the invert, I mentioned in IRC that each character should be “born” with a favorite (non-craftable) food/drink/snack that would give extra morale boost. Kev said he’s been wanting to add it for quite a while now 🙂 Don’t mean to derail or anything, but thought it’d be good to say it out loud here 🙂

Now, forget favorites (derail averted!!), back to TERRIFYING IMMOBILIZING FEARS AND THROATS SWELLING SHUT! 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rask](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rask/32/943_2.png) [@Rask](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rask)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 8:42am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/6 "2013-11-23T08:42:15Z")

</div>

So would adding this be mostly for flavor?  
I personally would never approach GIANT ants or spiders irl, and I move my char FAR away when I see them.  
I imagine if they accidentally pop up when I wake up one morning, I would see “OMG A SPIDER!” BUT MORELIKE “You are frozen in fear by the sight of a nearby -thing that causes fear-”.  
Yeah this is a legit idea, can’t wait for someone to implement those long phobia/favorite food lists.  
Then we have to think if they change over time, what should other consequences be, bla bla bla

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gunmagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gunmagic](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Gunmagic)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/7 "2013-11-23T10:20:27Z")

</div>

Aquaphobia. Although it doesn’t seem to crippling, swimming being as rare as it is. Unless something could splash you with water.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Binky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@Binky](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Binky)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/8 "2013-11-23T18:25:15Z")

</div>

I like the idea, but I don’t think a ‘frozen in fear’ mechanic would be good (anything that paralyses you is always annoying in games I think).

How about if it was a big morale drop, with some other additional effects which randomly happened over a day or two? For instance, you could have nightmares which make it difficult to sleep, nausea which makes it difficult to eat and other sort of hindrances. This would be a bit more realistic, and would allow you to possibly balance it out with meds.

Also, random phobia rolls would probably not be idea, as it’d encourage rolling for a non-frequent phobia, and if you didn’t get to see what your phobia is to start with that might become really annoying later (such as if you found out you were afraid of cities after living in the woods for a week)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inadequate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Inadequate](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Inadequate)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/9 "2013-11-23T18:37:57Z")

</div>

Yeah, phobias/allergies would make for good negative traits, not so much randomized ones for every character. Also anything that freezes you with no chance to break out save through a random stat dice roll isn’t very fun.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![infectedmochi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/infectedmochi/32/206_2.png) [@infectedmochi](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/infectedmochi)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/10 "2013-11-24T05:57:34Z")

</div>

[quote=“Binky, post:8, topic:4157”]I like the idea, but I don’t think a ‘frozen in fear’ mechanic would be good (anything that paralyses you is always annoying in games I think).

How about if it was a big morale drop, with some other additional effects which randomly happened over a day or two? For instance, you could have nightmares which make it difficult to sleep, nausea which makes it difficult to eat and other sort of hindrances. This would be a bit more realistic, and would allow you to possibly balance it out with meds.

Also, random phobia rolls would probably not be idea, as it’d encourage rolling for a non-frequent phobia, and if you didn’t get to see what your phobia is to start with that might become really annoying later (such as if you found out you were afraid of cities after living in the woods for a week)[/quote]

Agree, various detrimental effects and morale drop is the better solution I think.  
Phobias as negative traits make sense IMO, and a nice addition to the game along with Allergies. Talking about allergies, we only have 1 now (wool allergy), Cataclysm could use some more allergies 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cherry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/cherry/32/230_2.png) [@Cherry](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Cherry)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/11 "2013-11-25T17:25:20Z")

</div>

(A)ctivate Picture of a Spider  
You scream like a little girl! (Noise 24)  
You vomit uncontrollably!  
You pass out from the pain D:  
You have nightmares about webs! "8 eyes look at you menacingly!"  
You don’t feel too good (morale -90)

When your mind fades, you remember that you had been born "Allergic to Paper"  
Game Over!  
Alternate Ending- As you wake up from the episode, you seem to hear the clicking (?) of giant spiders around you. (Schizophrenic-esque question mark noises). After you stumbling to your feet, you find there is in fact giant bees giant mutant spiders around you! (Schizophrenic visions or otherwise). Lucky you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/phobias-and-allergies/4157/12 "2013-11-25T19:41:28Z")

</div>

> [@moist\_zombie](#):
>
> On the invert, I mentioned in IRC that each character should be “born” with a favorite (non-craftable) food/drink/snack that would give extra morale boost. Kev said he’s been wanting to add it for quite a while now 🙂

TWINKIES. Or were they Twinkles? I don’t remember.