Like it says on the tin. Suppose someone has ophidiophobia and is dropped in a snake pit, or has nyctophobia and gets caught without a flashlight in the woods at nighttime, what will he do? Scream endlessly while running in circles? Curl up in a ball and go catatonic? Faint? I gather that symptoms like ringing in the ears, dizziness, diarrhea, and "feelings of imminent doom" can be associated with phobic reactions, but what is the ultimate reaction to the inescapable rather than symptomatic reactions in cases where someone can run away?

Quote from: Neoplatonist1 on April 16, 2023, 08:15:52 PM
Like it says on the tin. Suppose someone has ophidiophobia and is dropped in a snake pit, or has nyctophobia and gets caught without a flashlight in the woods at nighttime, what will he do? Scream endlessly while running in circles? Curl up in a ball and go catatonic? Faint? I gather that symptoms like ringing in the ears, dizziness, diarrhea, and "feelings of imminent doom" can be associated with phobic reactions, but what is the ultimate reaction to the inescapable rather than symptomatic reactions in cases where someone can run away?

....

They just whip out an Eldersign, of course.

The simple answer is, what ever suits the GM.

Attack their allies in terror and run off screaming (can then be used as a lure,) hysteria that needs to be dealt with by the party, risk life and limb trying to climb out of the pit, etc. A good base would be catatonia, as the mind shuts down to try and protect the psyche.

A matter antimatter explosion that could destroy a whole deck of this starship.

I'd guess the distinct possibility of a fatal heart attack.

Quote from: Thornhammer on April 17, 2023, 12:49:19 PM
I'd guess the distinct possibility of a fatal heart attack.

Ah, a possibility that hadn't occurred to me, but germane in retrospect!

At the very least, a full on mental breakdown if not catatonia.

Speaking as someone who actually has a phobia and once had to endure it for over an hour without being able to escape it or do anything to "defend" against it, reality is rather less dramatic in practice, or at least I found it so; I was in a constant state of misery, extreme nerves, sensitivity and tension for pretty much the entire time, but I was never in danger of having a breakdown or a heart attack, and was able to function socially in company without incurring any concern from others.

In game terms I suspect my phobia is probably only the equivalent of Mild, and I had the boost to my Will roll of there being something else I was more scared of than the phobia itself (namely, disappointing my dad, who'd organized the event at which this happened), but it is possible for people to endure phobic responses without losing control. In the Cthulhuverse, of course, the more thematically dramatic extremes might do better, but even in CoC I think it's more interesting if it takes a while to ramp up to that time.

You pretty much answered your own question, but for us it was based on the severity of the phobia. If it's extreme then

Pit: Screaming endlessly while leaping, desperately trying to claw/climb out, until either going catatonic or fainting.  No bladder or bowel control is a nice touch. If someone else is in the pit, the phobic will forcibly use them as a shield or as a convenient step-ladder.

Flashlight goes dead in the woods (or cave or cellar): 50/50 chance of screaming (no running unless already being chased) or just freezing then fainting/catatonia. Again, no bladder or bowel control thrown in for good measure.

In either case if it's just mild phobia, then flop sweats and/or fainting, and definitely dice penalties.

Quote from: Neoplatonist1 on April 16, 2023, 08:15:52 PM
Like it says on the tin. Suppose someone has ophidiophobia and is dropped in a snake pit, or has nyctophobia and gets caught without a flashlight in the woods at nighttime, what will he do? Scream endlessly while running in circles? Curl up in a ball and go catatonic? Faint? I gather that symptoms like ringing in the ears, dizziness, diarrhea, and "feelings of imminent doom" can be associated with phobic reactions, but what is the ultimate reaction to the inescapable rather than symptomatic reactions in cases where someone can run away?

Thanks for all the ideas, fellows!

(I like the idea of the first phobia a character receives being Mild, and an additional phobia has a chanced of intensifying it to Severe.)