What are practical uses for Erotic Art?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

That's well beyond Erotic Art. That's an Affliction (Ecstasy). Unless you're playing an extremely over-the-top Action game, I wouldn't allow that. A bonus to their stealth roll, sure, but not a free-pass.."

I think you are being a little over-literal. A huge penalty to his perception (and it should be huge, because that's a very distracting thing), is just as good.

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

EDIT: A totally satisfying answer to this would be 'to ward off penalties during combat'

How about to ward off penalties caused by fatigue, noise, inquisitive pets, and the chance that a small child who really should be in bed could walk in at any minute?

(Any other parents here? Can I get an amen?)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

Alright, so here's a poser;

What'd be so penalizing that you'd need anything about 10-Skill in Erotic Art (since 10'd be a good base for the bonuses for Extra Time Taken and one'd imagine some All-Out Maneuvers).

Skill 14 would represent someone impressively versed but what'd the game-purpose for this be? Other just than being that good.

EDIT: A totally satisfying answer to this would be 'to ward off penalties during combat'

It ought to take penalties for uncomfortable locations, inadequate preparation time, unsuitable partner(s), large number of partners, heavy or restrictive clothing (that isn't deliberately erotic), acts the character finds "squicky", and cultural familiarity.

Uses as a supplementary or capping magical skill may take most of the same penalties as the actual Ritual Magic skill. Especially penalties for Ritual Space and Time. It might also be penalized by some things that provide a bonus to the actual ritual, for example if you are burning some noxious substance to get a bonus to the ritual, and only necrophiles ought to get a bonus to Erotic Art when creating a Hand of Glory or animating corpses with sex magick.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

Alright, so here's a poser;

What'd be so penalizing that you'd need anything about 10-Skill in Erotic Art (since 10'd be a good base for the bonuses for Extra Time Taken and one'd imagine some All-Out Maneuvers).

Skill 14 would represent someone impressively versed but what'd the game-purpose for this be? Other just than being that good.

EDIT: A totally satisfying answer to this would be 'to ward off penalties during combat'

Not Safe For Work: http://www.menagea3.net/d/20090530.html

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

Skill 14 would represent someone impressively versed but what'd the game-purpose for this be? Other just than being that good.

The purpose of roleplaying is roleplaying. In my first Transhuman Space campaign, we had characters make roles against Art (Painting), Boxing Sport, Cooking, Erotic Art, Musical Instrument (Saxophone), and Professional Skill (Parenting), among others . . . one of the PCs got up to Cooking-19 by the end of the campaign. None of this was "adventuring"; most of it was "character interaction." Players who made a critical success got to describe the brain-melting taste of the curry they had just made, or the brilliant painting they had just done . . . and in the latter case to sell it for a lot of money, if they wanted. One of the PCs got recruited for a modern jazz ensemble, which led to his getting involved with the quaddie drummer, which led to his going through memetic therapy to overcome his phobia of space travel. . . .

Yes, this is action/adventure. But the action/adventure I like is series like Alias or Buffy where the characters have lives and relationships. trooper6 made up his character's pre-teen daughter Constanza, but when I brought her on stage, the players reacted well to seeing their relationship, so I developed her a bit further, and she ended up as nearly as big a presence as the PCs and bigger than any of their AIs—and when I ran a plot about a memetic attack that had parents killing their children, it had a real impact on all the players, partly because there was a potential threat to Constanza. Which is the payoff of relationship stuff in action/adventure terms.

For me, the real goal of running games is to have an emotional impact on the players. This can be edge-of-the-seat excitement, but it can also be awe or horror or falling over laughing. But to get that, well, as Flaubert said, Emma Bovary, c'est moi. The more involved the players are with their characters' lives the better.

Bill Stoddard

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Hopefully for obvious reasons: GURPS is a G-rated game.

This is not true, Kromm. GURPS, at best, is PG-13. There are chapters on how to kill someone, and bleeding rules and the like. There is also a passing mention of sex. Basically, it's not using vulgar language or blatant sex, but it's still full of gore and violence.

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I think you are being a little over-literal. A huge penalty to his perception (and it should be huge, because that's a very distracting thing), is just as good.

A penalty to Per, yes. However, the post I was quoting said:

Originally Posted by starslayer

You can deliver that super-stunning mind-melting kiss to the guard that allows your other companions to sneak past, in full gear, with no stealth checks.

(emphasis mine)
And that's what I had a problem with. I don't have an issue that a successful Erotic Art roll might distract a guard, giving him a penalty to his Per check, or even a bonus to their friends' Stealth check. But, that's not what the post said.

And, I don't think I'd let it be all that huge a penalty since, if you're walking up to a guard and making out with them, while they're on duty, they're going to know something is up. It's probably just a Complementary Skill use from Action. In any genre other than Action, said seducturess is likely to be shoved away and held at gunpoint while the guard hits the alert button.

I'm also with Bill Stoddard: I'm not terribly fond of games that are centered mostly around violence. I make characters and enjoy interacting with their world through them. Very few of my characters start with combat skills above DX level, if they start with any at all. The vast majority of my characters are more like The Doctor than Rambo. That "Doctor" may be Ruth, depending on the game, but you get the picture.

[Qoltar]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Personally, I'd let victory in a Quick Contest of Erotic Art vs. Will function about as well as any other deception or distraction. I'd even let it be a tad more complete and airtight, since it involves the hero taking a direct personal risk, and I'm a believer in ***-for-tat trades. If somebody is willing to risk intimate physical contact with a stranger who's a potentially violent enemy, a possible rapist, a disease-carrier, or just filthy, then I'm willing to match the reward to the risk.

The TV series "24" dealt with almost that very specoific situation in their 4th or 5th episode of this season. A well-liked character was placed in an awkward situation while using a cover identity and background. Tho it seemed more like a battle of wills was involved, not sure how much Erotic Art came into play.

- Ed Charlton

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Hopefully for obvious reasons: GURPS is a G-rated game.

Yes, lopping off limps and melting people alive. Fun for the whole family. The Manson Family, that is.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

Yes, lopping off limps and melting people alive. Fun for the whole family. The Manson Family, that is.

Why, of course. Without the former, we would've never had Thing.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Why, of course. Without the former, we would've never had Thing.

That's The Addam's Family :-).