Enthrallment using Sex Appeal

[Beguiler]

Oh, found it! Says there that you need a margin of success of 8 or better to get a Excellent reaction with Sex Appeal... you'd almost need Sex Appeal 20+ for that though. I'd think the 12 Points in Alluring Influence would be cheaper then dumping so many points into Sex Appeal.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Beguiler

Oh, found it! Says there that you need a margin of success of 8 or better to get a Excellent reaction with Sex Appeal... you'd almost need Sex Appeal 20+ for that though. I'd think the 12 Points in Alluring Influence would be cheaper then dumping so many points into Sex Appeal.

Yeah, p. 31. Sorry, I try to answer forum questions I know a bit about, but tonight I was running my game, playtesting some new material,...and do that. :-) 12 Points is a steal of a deal.

[Beguiler]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Yeah, p. 31. Sorry, I try to answer forum questions I know a bit about, but tonight I was running my game, playtesting some new material,...and do that. :-) 12 Points is a steal of a deal.

Definitely. An average appearance character who buys HT at 12, Sex Appeal to 16, and Alluring Influence is basically paying for almost guaranteed Excellent reactions for only 48 points altogether. Versus Average appearance, HT 12, and Sex Appeal at 24 for 68 Points altogether to get guaranteed Excellent reactions? That's 20 Points in savings. There's also a bit more utility to this limited form of Mind Control too, so it's totally more bang for buck.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

That should be under the Sex Appeal skill in the Characters and the Reaction Roll table in Campaigns.

That's if you want to use the alternate influence rolls with variable reactions. I put that into SE because it's part of the prior art, but I personally would never use it; I like the sharper distinction between native advantages and learned social technique.

Bill Stoddard

[Beguiler]

Originally Posted by whswhs

That's if you want to use the alternate influence rolls with variable reactions. I put that into SE because it's part of the prior art, but I personally would never use it; I like the sharper distinction between native advantages and learned social technique.

Bill Stoddard

So, since the influence rolls with variable reactions is really not recommended, this would have to mean buying the 12 Points for basically an always Excellent reaction and then some with Sex Appeal is most definitely better then regular old Sex Appeal with no more then a Very Good reaction. Even much more worth while then dumping so many points into Sex Appeal based Enthrallment it would seem.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Beguiler

So, since the influence rolls with variable reactions is really not recommended, this would have to mean buying the 12 Points for basically an always Excellent reaction and then some with Sex Appeal is most definitely better then regular old Sex Appeal with no more then a Very Good reaction. Even much more worth while then dumping so many points into Sex Appeal based Enthrallment it would seem.

That's not necessarily a problem. Though if I were running a realistic campaign, Mind Control would not be one of the advantages I would allow. In a supers campaign, or a magic-as-powers fantasy campaign, or for that matter a horror campaign, I might allow it.

On the other hand, I've found that Mind Control can be a problem, because it derails storylines too easily. When I was starting my current supers campaign, one of my players specifically asked me to disallow mind control abilities because of her experience in a couple of previous supers campaigns. I urge caution with such things.

Bill Stoddard

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Beguiler

Definitely. An average appearance character who buys HT at 12, Sex Appeal to 16, and Alluring Influence is basically paying for almost guaranteed Excellent reactions for only 48 points altogether. Versus Average appearance, HT 12, and Sex Appeal at 24 for 68 Points altogether to get guaranteed Excellent reactions? That's 20 Points in savings. There's also a bit more utility to this limited form of Mind Control too, so it's totally more bang for buck.

It also occurs to me that this might make a excellent "higher" level of Appearence. And fits quite well with a project I'm working on. Though I did help hash it out, you inspired it, you mind it I snag it for an article I'm writing?

Originally Posted by whswhs

That's if you want to use the alternate influence rolls with variable reactions. I put that into SE because it's part of the prior art, but I personally would never use it; I like the sharper distinction between native advantages and learned social technique.

Could you please clarify what you mean here, Bill?

[Beguiler]

Originally Posted by whswhs

That's not necessarily a problem. Though if I were running a realistic campaign, Mind Control would not be one of the advantages I would allow. In a supers campaign, or a magic-as-powers fantasy campaign, or for that matter a horror campaign, I might allow it.

On the other hand, I've found that Mind Control can be a problem, because it derails storylines too easily. When I was starting my current supers campaign, one of my players specifically asked me to disallow mind control abilities because of her experience in a couple of previous supers campaigns. I urge caution with such things.

Bill Stoddard

Well, alternatively, there could be NPC characters really high Will, Mind Shield, Anti-Psi abilities so that the PCs can't abuse it so much, and it might be encourged to the PCs to have them... but that seems like too much railroading into practically forced point spending which could just be avoided altogether with mind control just being forbidden like you said. Hence why I dislike Mind Control and Psionics in general myself, but I don't mind it if it's appropriate in the campaign.

[Beguiler]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

It also occurs to me that this might make a excellent "higher" level of Appearence. And fits quite well with a project I'm working on. Though I did help hash it out, you inspired it, you mind it I snag it for an article I'm writing?

Absolutely! If this article is expanding upon how appearance works in GURPS, I'm all too supportive. IMHO, I've always felt that appearance in GURPS could have a bit more detail to it... there's a lot to work with already but for some reason I feel like there's some left to be desired that I just can't put my finger on.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Beguiler

Absolutely! If this article is expanding upon how appearance works in GURPS, I'm all too supportive. IMHO, I've always felt that appearance in GURPS could have a bit more detail to it... there's a lot to work with already but for some reason I feel like there's some left to be desired that I just can't put my finger on.

It tinges on it a bit, but is not completely about it. Thanks. :-)