Ways of expressing the 'Nerds Are Sexy' trope using GURPS Traits

[quarkstomper]

I'd treat it as a Talent, probably a more limited version of "Smooth Operator" focused on skills used to pick up chicks.

Another possibility is an Aspected version of Empathy: Members of the Opposite Sex Only

And I agree that "Pitiable" is probably in there as well.

[SonofJohn]

Maybe a perk wich allowes you to use IQ as basic for sexapeal instead of HT ...

[Faolyn]

Charisma with the limitation "works only on geeks." Say... -40%?

[Novembermike]

Originally Posted by SonofJohn

Maybe a perk wich allowes you to use IQ as basic for sexapeal instead of HT ...

Nah, you're still talking about people that are basically attractive. The only difference is that they embrace a particular subculture. It's the same as an attractive Goth girl or hippy or whatever.

EDIT: It's not like anyone's going "Oh my god, look at the size of her cranium!"

[ClayDowling]

I'm going with Novembermike's point here. From what I see at Linux and Fandom conventions, it's not an overly photogenic lot, and there are more socially disfunctional people in the Geek subculture than in the population at large. Not that there aren't very attractive people within the subculture. But even a person considered of only average to slightly more attractive than average in the general population can be the belle of the ball in the geek world.

My physics degree, gaming and fiction choices put me firmly in the Geek category. I can tell you that none of those things have ever gotten me laid. Knowing how to make the lady the center of my attention and opportunistic application of liquor have been much more useful than my physics degree (also, flowers don't hurt).

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by quarkstomper

And I agree that "Pitiable" is probably in there as well.

Well, maybe. IMO relationships based on pity and those based on sexiness are different categories (both likely to have different problems compared to harmonic relationships, of course).

Originally Posted by SonofJohn

Maybe a perk wich allowes you to use IQ as basic for sexapeal instead of HT ...

Sorry, but is this somehow different from the line about Attribute Substitution in the OP?

Originally Posted by Novembermike

Nah, you're still talking about people that are basically attractive. The only difference is that they embrace a particular subculture. It's the same as an attractive Goth girl or hippy or whatever.

No fun. I was trying to find traits that would at least be be in synergy with the primarily cerebral pursuits. Straight Appearance makes nerdy sexiness indistinguishable from blondy or jocky sexiness.
Likewise, relying on reaction bonuses from a Talent is unlikely to affect the majority of characters (which is why I didn't treat Classic Looks (Geeky) as a serious option either).

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

I didn't know this was a trope.

Nevertheless, the OPs list is interesting for the apparent purpose. How about:

-Psychology (Spec: Reproductive Attraction);
-depending on your interpretation, modify Attractiveness for wearing/not wearing glasses; and
-Pitiable -- which sometimes even worked for me ;-).

An afterthought -- make Pitiable require an IQ roll.