The fact of the matter is, there are far too many instances of people being rendered brain dead without taking much physical damage are all, same applies to people entering catatonic mental states or regressing to permanent incurable insanity. This game is based on balance and horror. Those are the two foundations it is built on and it will remain so. This game will fully support the notion that if you have some super stacked physical monster with the mind of a three year old you are vulnerable. Same thing applies to character who are super geniouses yet are sickly and weak, they are vulnerable. I think the biggest problem is erasing the old notions, from other games, of how you create your characters to play in this setting and under these rules. Cause I can assure you, the Negative Mind and Soul rules causing a character to not be playable are going to remain and their presence isn’t up for debate. The only thing up for debate is the semantics, and perhaps the Recovery Times.
Though I certainly like the details you added in for the Mind and soul damage, and I don’t want you to think me blind or stubborn, the fact of the matter is that I was entrusted to make this game because I have a strong desire for balance. To me it is as unfair for someone to die from one punch as it is for someone to die from pne Psionic Blast or Soul Rend.