According to "The Four Stages of Burnout" model (Mark Gorkin), professional burnout works like this: If Results, Rewards, Recognition and Relief are continually withheld from a hardworking person who constantly gives their all, that person will begin to advance through these four stages in order: (1) Exhaustion, (2) Shame/Doubt, (3) Cynicism/Callousness, and (4) Helplessness/Crisis.

This system is designed to model that dynamic.  It is especially intended for *W-style games focusing on high-stress high-performance jobs, such as cops, military, EMTs, doctors, nurses, private detectives, etc.  It's intended for the sort of player who's into complex characters, conflicting emotions and deep roleplay; I wouldn't really suggest it for casual players.

NOTE: The fourth stage "Crisis" may include an attempted suicide, whether consciously intended or not.  Note that this is a potentially loaded topic, and the MC should have a clear idea of the player's lines and veils before going there.  This thread is an excellent place to get your bearings on thinking about this subject.

BP = BURNOUT POINTS

Burnout Points work on a "countdown clock" similar to hits.
You basically have 6 of them before entering the next stage of burnout.

Every 24 hours, the workload of each Client/Job causes 1 BP to be acquired automatically.
In addition, game events may affect this value in play:

WAYS TO ACQUIRE 1BP:
• Any 6- roll
• Losing something to a rival
• Any sort of Bad Relationship scene
• Getting screwed on pay, conned or misled
• Being passed over for a promotion or sweet assignment
• Getting dissed/misquoted in the news, name spelled wrong
• Getting transferred to a crappy location
• Being belittled by a respected character or someone with rank
• Having sex with strings tied to it, the kind you wish you hadn't
• Losing a competent underling
• Losing a night's sleep
• Going on a bender

WAYS TO REDUCE 1 BP:
• Get a new job/client
• Any 10+ roll
• Getting 1 XP for anything else
• Getting paid in full or fairly compensated
• Winning an award, being treated to a luxurious meal/drinks
• Being assigned or inheriting something valuable or useful
• Getting mentioned in the news, interviewed, photographed
• Getting a promotion or transfer to a better location
• Having an important character acknowledge their debt to you
• Having sex with nothing negative about it
• Hiring/acquiring a competent underling
• Taking two days off

When you take your 6th Burnout Point, you enter the next STAGE OF BURNOUT.  Write it on your sheet (in pencil) and clear the BP clock.

THE STAGES OF BURNOUT:
1) Exhaustion (Physical, Mental and Emotional)
2) Shame or Doubt
3) Cynicism or Callousness
4) Failure, Helplessness or Crisis

SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT:
Each time you progress to a new stage of Burnout, you must choose one of the following symptoms.  NOTE: Choosing the same symptom multiple times IS allowed, provided they are each uniquely defined.

[ ] penalty to professional efficacy, ability to perform (-1 to one stat)
[ ] mood swings, neuroses, forgetfulness, anger (roleplay)
[ ] chemical dependencies, self-medication (roleplay)
[ ] inability to support/tolerate those who depend on you (roleplay)

RECOVERING FROM BURNOUT:
The Stages work the same backwards as forwards: As BP are reduced, you go back down through the stages one at a time. As each stage is left behind, its symptom is removed. If the character has an opportunity to take an extended vacation between sessions (at least one week for each Burnout Stage), the character may be assumed to have recovered in full - but only if the player wishes them to.

# # #

The human body requires roughly 1 liter of water a day to survive.  The average person can survive three to five days without water.  Our heroes, of course, are not average people, but we don't want to throw all verisimilitude out the window.  Therefore I propose for your consideration:

DYING OF THIRST RULES

For each day you go without food and water, you suffer 1 harm.  Your mouth is dry and your eyes are sunken.

When you have gone three full days without food and water, you begin dying of thirst.  You have stopped urinating.  You are lethargic and irritable.  Roll +hard every day when you wake up.  On a 10+ you keep it together by sheer will.  On a 7-9, choose one Thirst Symptom and the MC holds it to be played as the next Hard Move if you fail another roll within the next 24 hours.

When you've gone five full days without food and water, you really don't feel like moving.  All stats except weird are -1.  Continue to roll +hard every day when you wake up, but the results are different now:  On a 10+ you keep it together by sheer will.  On a 7-9, choose one Thirst Symptom and the MC will hold it to be played at any time within the next 24 hours.  On a fail, in addition to the resulting Hard Move, the MC will choose a Thirst Symptom and hold it to be played at any time within the next 24 hours.

THIRST SYMPTOMS:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Minor Heart Attack

REHYDRATION:
Consumption of 1 liter of water will remove all harm and symptoms caused by thirst.  This takes only a few minutes.

FOOD BUT NO WATER

Water is extracted from food during digestion, so if the character is eating food but not getting water, the rules are different:

For every 48 hours you get food but no water, you suffer 1 harm.

When you have gone six full days in this condition, you are lethargic and irritable.  Roll +hard every day when you wake up.  On a 10+ you keep it together by sheer will.  On a 7-9, choose one symptom and the MC holds it to be played as the next Hard Move if you fail another roll within the next 24 hours.

When you've gone ten full days in this condition, you really don't feel like moving.  All stats except weird are -1.  Roll +hard every day when you wake up.  On a 10+ you keep it together by sheer will.  On a 7-9, choose one symptom and the MC will hold it to be played at any time within the next 24 hours.  On a fail, in addition to the resulting Hard Move, the MC will choose a symptom and hold it to be played at any time within the next 24 hours.