Upcoming: Sex and Story

 First off, Modern Spellcaster is edging into the top 20 over at RPGnow, and hopefully it'll crack the top 10 or top 5 by Monday. I'm waiting on a little bit of art for the Modern Grimorie and adding a few more spells each day to it; right now, I've got about 110 modern and sci-fi focused spells, including some very kick ass damage dealers, and will probably top 120-130 by the time everything's said and done. 

Anyway, a while back a fan of mine, Alzrius, posted a very good review of Black Tokyo and a wish list for what he'd like to see in a revised edition. One part of that fairly long review stuck with me, and I've been mulling it over in the back of my head for the last couple of months. 

"Ultimately, the game needs not only a way to make sex have a reward mechanic, but also make sex (and, perhaps, a wider array of non-combat interactions) have as many options and variables as combat does now."

The other night, I finally figured out a way to incorporate not only a reward mechanic into sex, but to tie the narration of the act into the ongoing campaign storyline. This is an excerpt from an upcoming short PDF, entitled Sex & Story for Black Tokyo. (Note the final product will have about twice as many options as you see here, and related starting talents.)

Take a look, and let me know what you think. I had initially considered modifing Paizo's relationship rules from the Jade Regent Adventure Path, but they just seemed too clunky, adding an unnecessary subsystem to the game. My relationship rules are basically just a refinement of the existing Diplomacy rules with some neat action point mechanics built in. 

CHRIS

 

Relationships, Sexual and Otherwise

            Sexuality defines Black Tokyo- enjoying wet pleasure with willing (or not) new lovers, exploring the limits of the body and the limits of morality itself are as important of challenges as slaying oni and battling Amakaze minions. Convincing a cute 19 year old bishonen to offer you his virginity is a function of social skills- especially Diplomacy, though sexually predatory characters can try their luck with Bluff or Intimidate.

The associated Diplomacy DC for sexual and relationship matters are shown below. The player can take 10 or take 20 on a DC to begin a relationship, reflecting a prolonged and subtle courtship. The player can usually take 10 on other sexually oriented Diplomacy checks, at the gamemaster’s option, but usually can’t take 20. 

A character may substitute a Bluff or an Intimidate check at the gamemaster’s description, though such a dishonorable course carries its own consequences. Using Bluff may be considered an evil act at the gamemaster’s discretion, and if the Bluff fails or is discovered later, permanently increase the DC of all future sexual Diplomacy checks by +1d4.

Using Intimidate is an evil act and the player is considered to have committed rape. That means the Eyrines Sisterhood and their guns will be showing up at the player’s doorstep sooner or later….

Diplomacy Check DC	Sexual or Relationship Goal
DC 15	Relationship Convince a friendly or helpful NPC who is attracted to your species and gender to begin a casual relationship with you. This relationship is non-sexual and only includes minor displays of affection, appropriate to the culture. If involved in an ongoing relationship, you reduce the DC of future checks to convince the NPC to perform sex acts by DC -5, and once you beat DC 15 for normal sex acts, you can always achieve that DC (and get vanilla nookie) without a check with that NPC. Time: one day
DC 22	Marriage Convince a friendly or helpful NPC who you have already begun a relationship with to enter a long term legal and religious bond, as appropriate to their culture. Reduce the DC by -1 per month of an ongoing relationship, to a minimum DC 15. Alternatively, convince the NPC lover to begin a planned pregnancy with you.
DC 15	Vanilla Convince a friendly or helpful NPC to perform sexual acts considered acceptable and mainstream in their culture with you. Time: 15 minutes-hour
DC 20	Kinky Convince a friendly or helpful NPC to perform slightly transgressive, moderately kinky sex acts that would result only in mild social shame if revealed. Anal, baby! Time: 15 minutes-hour
DC 23	Transgressive Convince a friendly or helpful NPC to perform extremely transgressive, very unusual sex acts with you. If you’re looking for noose play, ponygirls and poop, look right here. Time: 1d4 hours
DC 28	Vile Convince a friendly or helpful NPC to perform dangerous or morally repugnant or highly illegal sex acts with you. This includes things like snuff sex, pedophilia, incest, and worse stuff. Time: 1 day

Ending a Relationship

            The gamemaster usually determines when a relationship with an NPC ends, unless the player makes it very clear that they are ending the relationship. Infidelity, cruelty or long periods out of contact can all end a relationship.

Modifiers to Sexual Diplomacy

           

            Various cultural concerns might make sex more complicated for the NPCs. The following situations add new wrinkles to Diplomacy skill checks made for sexual purposes. All these modifiers are cumulative.

Situation	Diplomacy Check DC Modifier
Convincing an NPC into their first relationship or sexual experience	+3 DC
NPC’s culture prizes virginity or punishes non-marital sex harshly	+5 DC
Sexual act would result in a loss of class abilities, such as a Paladin’s moral code or Chaste’s oath of virginity	+10 DC
The player character is involved in a relationship with another NPC, and this is known to the current NPC lover (except in cultures where polyamory is normal)	+1 DC per additional relationship
The player is simultaneously trying to talk multiple NPCs into sex for a threesome, orgy, or more-gy.	+2 DC per additional NPC.
The player character is from a race, culture, alignment or allegiance hostile to the NPC or their culture.	+3 DC
The NPC had a previous relationship or marriage to the PC that ended badly, or has been previously betrayed or abandoned by the PC.	+2d4 DC
If the player has failed previous sexual Bluff checks or had their lies discovered by the NPC	+1d4 DC
Player character has a reputation for dangerous, cruel or predatory sexual behavior	+2 DC
The NPC has been chosen as a cohort by a player with the Leadership feat.	-5 DC
The player presents the NPC with a gift. The value doesn’t really matter so long as the gift is either heartfelt, really needed or extremely desired by the NPC.	-2 DC
The player is in a position of authority over the NPC lover.	-1 DC
The player has a reputation for enjoying a particular fetish of the NPC’s.	-2 DC for Kinky, Transgressive or Vile acts desired by the NPC.

The Goal of the Act

            Once the player character succeeds in convincing an NPC into sex, the scene can either discretely fade to black, or be described by either the player or gamemaster, whatever those around the table are comfortable with. In most cases, the sex may be good, it may even be great, but in a story sense, the seduction was more important then the sex act that played out after.

            The players can change that, making the sweat and cum an important, even critical part of their story. During any sexual act, the player can sacrifice an action point, and briefly describe some special action he or she takes that transforms mundane sex into an act of passion, or carnal expertise or sheer horror, that will drive their relationship with this particular lover for the rest of the campaign.

            The player can choose any of the following sexual themes, which changes the nature of their relationship with the NPC (or NPCs involved in the orgy) forever.

All’s Forgiven

            The sex is just so damn, toes curlingly good, the NPC lover can’t remember why they were pissed with the player character in the first place. Sexual Diplomacy checks made against this NPC no longer suffer a penalty for previous failed relationships, nor for discovered/failed Bluff checks, though depending on the player’s future actions, these penalties might find their way back into the relationship.

Debasement

            The player performs degrading, cruel and sadistic, emotionally scarring acts with their unfortunate lover. Doing so is an evil act, and the player is considered to have committed rape. The player receives a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks made to convince the NPC to perform a Vile act.

            Outside of sex, the player receives a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks and a +1 bonus on melee attack rolls against this NPC. The player suffers a -2 penalty on all CHA-based skill checks, except for Intimidate, made against this NPC.

Dominance

            The player takes total command of the NPC lover, body and soul, making him or her their willing sexual slave. This sexual theme can only be invoked during a Kinky or Transgressive sexual act. If in a relationship with the NPC, the player can always receive Kinky or Transgressive acts without requiring an additional check.

            Outside of sex, the NPC will always hold their action in combat until the player acts, and receives an additional +1 morale bonus on checks and rolls when receiving the aid another action from the player.

Empowerment

            The player has a strange kind of sex, one that is more about emotions finally bubbling to the surface than carnal release, allowing a previously abused or violated character a way to come to terms with the trauma in his or her past. The player chooses one of the following benefits for an Empowerment sexual theme:

• The sex act is treated as an atonement spell for the NPC lover, but only for the purpose of wiping away specifically sexual sins.

• The NPC lover receives a permanent +1 morale bonus on melee attack or damage rolls against any character that has previously raped the character or used the Debasement sexual theme against them.

Excellence

            The player performs an act of tireless sexual stamina and carnal expertise, hitting all of their lover’s sweet spots…. multiple times. The player receives a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made to convince the NPC to perform Kinky or Transgressive acts. If in a relationship with the NPC, the player can always receive Kinky or Transgressive acts without requiring an additional check.

Passion

            The player makes tender, passionate and emotional love to the NPC, concerning themselves with their lover’s pleasure above their own. The PC can immediately choose to begin a Relationship with one NPC involved in the act without requiring a check. The player character receives a +2 bonus on checks to convince that NPC into marriage.

            Outside of sex, the player receives a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks involving this NPC.