What are reaction bonuses?

[kirbwarrior]

Obviously, to answer my own question, are modifiers to reaction rolls made for NPCs. Most seem reasonably priced (given they're all based around +1=[+5]).

But I almost never use reaction rolls. And I know I've been giving too much of a bonus in situations where it matters. My problem is lack of ability to compare.

So, what does a +1 do in situations where a roll isn't made? How exactly should people react around those with Transcendent?

(Side Note: Why does androgenous give a worse bonus? Shouldn't it give the same bonus to both genders, with possible negative reactions when your found out to be the "wrong" gender, and other mixed-up situations? I remember it working that way in 3e, and thought it was one of the very few things that should have stayed.)

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Obviously, to answer my own question, are modifiers to reaction rolls made for NPCs. Most seem reasonably priced (given they're all based around +1=[+5]).

But I almost never use reaction rolls. And I know I've been giving too much of a bonus in situations where it matters. My problem is lack of ability to compare.

So, what does a +1 do in situations where a roll isn't made? How exactly should people react around those with Transcendent?

A really dumb, simple way to handle it is to add up all reaction bonuses, and add 10 or 11. So, for example, Transcendant would give you a roll of 18-19 with the opposite sex. See the reaction tables, or the expanded tables to come in Social Engineering, when they're available.

You can also use reaction bonuses as bonuses to Influence skills. So Transcendant would give +8 to Sex Appeal, and either +2 or +8 to Diplomacy.

Bill Stoddard

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

How exactly should people react around those with Transcendent?

Like young girls reacted to the Beatles, only they do it even when the person isn't made up or well dressed or bothering to entertain.

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Why does androgenous give a worse bonus? Shouldn't it give the same bonus to both genders

In my copy of the Basic set, that's what it already does.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Obviously, to answer my own question, are modifiers to reaction rolls made for NPCs. Most seem reasonably priced (given they're all based around +1=[+5]).

But I almost never use reaction rolls. And I know I've been giving too much of a bonus in situations where it matters. My problem is lack of ability to compare.

So, what does a +1 do in situations where a roll isn't made? How exactly should people react around those with Transcendent?

(Side Note: Why does androgenous give a worse bonus? Shouldn't it give the same bonus to both genders, with possible negative reactions when your found out to be the "wrong" gender, and other mixed-up situations? I remember it working that way in 3e, and thought it was one of the very few things that should have stayed.)

A +1 reaction means there's a 30% chance that someone who would otherwise hate you will just dislike you instead. Transcendent means that people will react like the Fellowship of the Ring did to meeting Galadriel. Androgyny gives a lesser reaction on average because there are guys who like women to have boobs and women who like men to have muscles.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

In my copy of the Basic set, that's what it already does.

Sorry, let me rephrase; Shouldn't it give the same bonus as it unmodified to both genders? I don't even care if it costs more, but I can't see a very beautiful girl somehow being less attractive overall because she's androgenous.

Ninja'd by David: boobs are one thing but muscles come from ST, not neccessarily look, right?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Sorry, let me rephrase; Shouldn't it give the same bonus as it unmodified to both genders? I don't even care if it costs more, but I can't see a very beautiful girl somehow being less attractive overall because she's androgenous.

Ninja'd by David: boobs are one thing but muscles come from ST, not neccessarily look, right?

Muscles don't come from look. Look comes from muscles. And people with visible muscles aren't necessarily actually stronger than people with more wirey or ectmorphic builds. And that's missing the point anyway. Muscles were just an example of masculine features in general. And no, not everyone goes for androgyny.

[Phoenix_Dragon]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Sorry, let me rephrase; Shouldn't it give the same bonus as it unmodified to both genders? I don't even care if it costs more, but I can't see a very beautiful girl somehow being less attractive overall because she's androgenous.

The reason androgynous gets the averaged value is so that it gets the same overall value for the same points. Since it costs nothing to be androgynous instead of a normal appearance, there would be absolutely no reason to not take it any time you could. By averaging the reaction bonuses for each gender, then it gives the same overall power, to keep it balanced. To get a better reaction than that by everyone, take a higher level of appearance.

As for in-world justification... For the most part, people find appearances to be fairly gender-oriented. What is seen as attractive in males is typically different than what is attractive in females. Androgynous appearances blend the two features, which may not be perceived as positively. Of course, then there are some who find androgynous people (Or even just a single gender) much more attractive (These people would probably receive the full reaction modifier), or flat-out unattractive (Receiving the lower reaction modifier, or worse!). Pretty much, someone who is a "very beautiful girl" is not really androgynous. There are going to be significant differences between a woman with "Very Beautiful" and a woman with "Very Beautiful (Androgynous)."

In the end, super-fine details like that are going to be overly-complicated for such a broad trait as a simple, linear-scale appearance. Much of the detail would really come from the other side, the person who is doing the reacting, who would have various traits they do or do not like. Reacting to androgynous characters as either the higher or lower reaction modifier seems quite simple as a 0-point feature. Reacting negatively to androgynous characters in general seems like a valid quirk, as well (Unless they're so common as to warrant a higher value Intolerance).

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Muscles don't come from look. Look comes from muscles. And people with visible muscles aren't necessarily actually stronger than people with more wirey or ectmorphic builds. And that's missing the point anyway. Muscles were just an example of masculine features in general. And no, not everyone goes for androgyny.

That's true. But is it that "not everyone goes for it" or is it "most people find it weird, and so there is a built in -3 to the +8"? What if the "perfect specimen" for each gender isn't too far apart? What about guys who are more attractive than female models, and yet still pull off being attractive to females (i might have seen too much anime...)?

(Dang it, people keep posting when I do)

[chris1982]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

That's true. But is it that "not everyone goes for it" or is it "most people find it weird, and so there is a built in -3 to the +8"? What if the "perfect specimen" for each gender isn't too far apart? What about guys who are more attractive than female models, and yet still pull off being attractive to females (i might have seen too much anime...)?

(Dang it, people keep posting when I do)

It is a fact that most people like women to look like women and men to look like men. Some cultures like the Japanese currently like to blur the two things. This is generally attractive to some, but not the majority of human beings.

I'd even say about 80% of world population straight men like women that have visible secundary sexual characteristics and soft facial features, and 80% of straight women like men to have bodies that show a little bit of muscle and a general broad shoulders slim hips shape with strong facial features.

[Witchking]

Or if Androgyny were the same as Very Beautiful Male + Female...Sir Mix a Lot would have sold about 5 copies of Baby Got Back....

NSFW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4he79krseU