Editing Talk:Genius The Transgression/Chapter Two: Character Creation (section)

== Breaking Points ==

Breaking points are moments and experiences in a Genius' life that encourage her to ignore societal taboos. Any time she experiences a breaking point, roll to resist Transgression. For an event to constitute a breaking point, it must be applicable to her Obligation level, or lower. For example, a Obligation 5 character risks a breaking point if she commits manslaughter (Obligation 4 breaking point), but not if she lies (Obligation 8 breaking point).
 
The listed breaking points are examples. Add breaking points at Storyteller discretion, or shift these up or down to fit the situation. Typically, the more personal the event is, the lower level a breaking point it should be. If something is significantly distanced from the character, or she had no way to prevent it, it should be a Humanity level higher. If, however, it resonates deeply with the Genius - the child resembles their dead daughter, for example, or they had sworn an oath to defend the temple - it might be treated as a Humanity level higher; generally, this need only be employed at the player's request. Some Storytellers may wish to shift the Obligation level of some transgressions up or down to suit the themes of their Chronicle, or even remove them altogether; however, it is generally advisable to avoid rendering Obligation identical to mundane morality.

Many breaking points reference human contact. This refers to interaction, usually verbal. While it does not have to be positive interaction, it should be human in nature, and meaningful. Beating up a bank robber and flying away before the cops arrive is not interaction. Nor is tying up a mortal and experimenting on them in a basement. However, the act of feeding the captive or arguing with the robber that he doesn't need the money could be. The subject of this interaction need not be strictly human; however, they must be humanlike psychologically, and cannot be Inspired.

Certain breaking points can occur without the Genius' knowledge. At the Storyteller's discretion, these may be applied when the Genius discovers what they have inadvertently done.

''samples should be a breakout or sidebar''

'''Obligation 10 (Five Dice)'''

Benefiting from Inspiration in any way. 

Using a Merit above one dot.

Acknowledging Inspired status.

Saving someone from harm.

Learning you are Inspired (if you didn't know.)

'''Obligation 9 (Five Dice)'''

Personally engaging in combat.

Minor selfish acts.

Experimenting on animals.

Temporarily transforming yourself or others (not healing.)

Being physically attacked.

'''Obligation 8 (Four Dice)'''

Lying.

Failing to save someone from death of serious injury.

Desecrating corpses (grave-robbing.)

Risking injury for knowledge (self-experimentation.)

Allowing an Illuminated or other psychopath to die.

Being lied to by a close friend or confidant.

'''Obligation 7 (Four Dice)'''

Mind control.

Petty crime (shoplifting.)

Risking injury to willing volunteers for knowledge.

Unintentional mass property damage (doom cannon misfire.)

Killing an Illuminated or other psychopath.

Being stolen from.

'''Obligation 6 (Three Dice)'''

Serious crime (Theft or kidnapping.)

Going without human interaction for a week.

Attempting to create a sentient being.

Body-swapping.

Risking one's life or permanent injury for knowledge (self-experimentation.)

Discovering you are not human.

'''Obligation 5 (Three Dice)'''

Death of a loved one.

Risking the lives of willing allies for knowledge.

Mass property damage (most doom cannons.)

Permanently altering someone's personality.

Discovering you are someone else.

'''Obligation 4 (Two Dice)''' 

Sadistic mind control (of the "forcing two friends to fight for your amusement" variety or 
similar acts of cruelty.)

Impassioned killing (manslaughter.)

Becoming permanently and visibly nonhuman (grafting wonders to oneself.)

Treating a sentient but inhuman mane as subhuman.

Going a month without human interaction.

Being inadvertently tortured or permanently injured.

'''Obligation 3 (Two Dice)'''

Treating a human or humanlike mane as subhuman (slavery.)

Killing someone with Obligation 4+

Going a year or longer without human interaction.

Becoming permanently unrecognizable as human (being uploaded into a computer.)

Discovering you were murdered.

'''Obligation 2 (One Die)'''

Killing an innocent.

Attempting to raise the dead or become immortal.

Casual murder.

Attempting to destroy a city, town or other population center.

Attempting to kill someone with Obligation 7+

Having your hometown or neighborhood utterly destroyed.

'''Obligation 1 (Zero Dice)'''

Scientific torture.

Attempting to destroy a human or humanlike civilization.

Unnecessarily painful slow death.

Being extensively tortured.

Having your home or adopted civilization destroyed.

''end samples''