Pheromones

[Modric]

Hi all. I'm looking to develop a race for a DF game where the women have a pheromones that they use to seduce/ control men. Any thoughts how to structure this? Possible an innate attack advantage?

[Kelly Pedersen]

Bio-Tech has several different builds for pheromones (p. 48). They mostly take a more "realistic" view of pheromones - for things like "sex pheromones", where smelling them makes someone aroused, it applies generally, not just to the pheromone-emitter. Those are built as Afflictions that impose relevant disadvantages.

Since this is Dungeon Fantasy, I'd assume you'd be happy with a bit more unrealistic approach, one where the pheromones are somehow specialized to focus the effect on the person emitting them. Affliction may still be the appropriate trait for some effects, but Mind Control might also work. In either case, you'd apply the Scent-Based limitation (a specific version of Sense-Based, p. B109, worth -20%), which means someone has to smell the person to be affected, and anything that affects scent (other strong scents, heavy winds blowing away from the target, or just plugging their nose) will make the ability less effective.

Exactly how much control do you want them to be doing with this effect? Can the pheromones totally take control? Or is more a matter of becoming more susceptible to seduction, but someone could still resist?

[Imion]

The first part of an pheromone-based ability should be the Sense Based (Smell) modifier.

Now you can employ a number of means. Eg. you could go with Appearance, Charisma, Affliction (Lecherousness), or a skill bonus to Sex Appeal. Or simply hit them with a full Mind Control.

(Don't forget an Accessibility modifier if the ability is to only affect the males of the species.)

[Varyon]

Pheromones are already worked out in Bio-Tech, primarily on page 48. They are mostly built on Affliction and aren't precisely targeted (anyone within range of Sex Pheromones and that are attracted to your gender, for example, gain Lecherousness - and not just toward the producer of the pheromones), which is realistic. Some are outright Advantages with scent-based Limitations (Dominance Pheromones give the user Charisma). I strongly suggest checking out those builds and modifying them for your own use.

EDIT: Ninja'd

[Sam Baughn]

Typically an Affliction causing suitable disadvantages (Gullibility, Lecherousness, Slave Mentality or Xenophilia) with the Area Effect and Respiratory Agent enhancements and Accessibility (only on males of suitable species, -25%) and Emanation limitations. You might also want to give it Always On, Dissipation, and Onset.

Add Charisma with the same accessibility and the limitation version of Sense Based to make it even easier to manipulate them.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Modric

Hi all. I'm looking to develop a race for a DF game where the women have a pheromones that they use to seduce/ control men. Any thoughts how to structure this? Possible an innate attack advantage?

I defined it in my current campaign as Musk, which was a perk. I'm not sure if I made it up or took it from a published book; I don't see it in GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks. I think of it as giving a bonus to Sex Appeal rolls.

[Modric]

Thanks everyone. I have Biotech, so I will check that out. I was thinking something along the lines of the Orion women from Star Trek. Not really an attack, but a subtle way to exert influence.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Modric

Thanks everyone. I have Biotech, so I will check that out. I was thinking something along the lines of the Orion women from Star Trek. Not really an attack, but a subtle way to exert influence.

For that, I think a perk giving +1 to Sex Appeal rolls under specified conditions would be suitable.

[Kelly Pedersen]

For a fairly subtle effect, you could go with Affliction with Susceptible to Sex Appeal as the afflicted disadvantage. Susceptible doesn't specifically say it's applicable to Will-based effects as well as HT, but I think it's reasonable, given that its advantage counterpart, Resistant, is so-modifiable. All influence rolls would be a Very Common category, so just one influence skill, Sex Appeal, would be a reasonable Common category, I think. So each level of Susceptible to Sex Appeal would be -2 points, and hence a +2% enhancement to Affliction. You could get quite a hefty penalty applying to people's Will rolls to resist the character's Sex Appeal rolls, for relatively cheap. Personally, I'd cap the number of levels of Susceptible at 10, just to avoid complete ridiculousness.

[Rupert]

Transhuman Space - Bioroid Bazaar, p.6 suggests 'Perfume Glands' as a more realistic form of Pheromone Control. Basically, it's giving a racial bonus to Sex Appeal that's Scent based.