Date: Fri, 10 Feb 1995 00:08:05 -0500 From: "Graham Wills (11265)" gwills@research.att.com To: Multiple recipients of listSubject: Re: Appearance Question
I rule that Appearance is a purely visual effect, but Presence is a combination of words, actions, attitude and visual.
Your character would have a better than average appearance, so characters of the opposite sex would notice you more. Then when they get closer or start listening to you they are wowed by your charm.
A character in a game I GMd had a 101 presence and 92 Appearance. His good (but not awesome) appearance meant people would be notice him. When he concentrated his attention on someone, he could wind people round his fingers ...
Typically he could make any reasonable request of a friendly or neutral person and it would just happen. Anything which involved some effort and they saved versus a first level mentalism spell, with bonuses to saves depending on the action.
EG:
1) Walks into a new village. Spots a person by a pump. "hello, could you get me a drink of water". No roll, person does.
2) Walks into bar. "Barman, I have no loose change, may I have a drink on credit?". Barman tries to resist presence, fails *badly* and gives him drink on the house.
3) Bargaining. "How about that suit of chain at half the price". That would represent a loss of money to the seller, who is anyway used to this kind of presence attack! Saves at +100. Succeeds. "How about 20% off?" this is a good deal, but not impossible, saves at +20. Succeeds. "Oh well, how about a cheaper suit?"
I got fed up of fighters continually assigning their lowest scores to presence, so I stated that I would let people benefit from high presence. I was thinking of letting people make presence attacks in combat to cow their opponents and reduce their OB. Any thoughts? Anyone? Bueller?
-Graham -- Graham Wills Data Visualization / Software Research (11265) gwills@research.att.com AT&T Bell Laboratories, Indian Hill, Naperville IL