Seduction
Your character seeks to ply his allure, charm and sheer magnetism to make someone else compliant to his will, typically to agree to a sexual tryst. Or your character's aim might be some goal short of a physical encounter, such as getting a person's phone number, learning his or her address, or convincing a subject to do a favor with the implicit reward of romance. The same forms of coercion might also be applied on your character by inhuman beings, to make him agreeable to a private rendezvous that could mean his life.
The act of seduction has two basic elements, physical and social, and those elements tend to indicate stages of the overall process. The first stage is based largely on physical attraction. Your character plies his appearance and demeanor to win the subject's attention and interest. This phase is typically non-verbal. Presence + Persuasion + equipment is rolled in a contested action against the subject's Wits + Composure + equipment. Appearances are important, so possessing the Striking Looks Merit (p. 117) offers a bonus to the roll for the seducer. If the seducer gets more successes, he gains the subject's interest. If successes tie or the seducer gets fewer, the subject is disinterested or needs further convincing (see below).
"Equipment" in the contested roll might include alluring clothing (+1), an appealing perfume or cologne (+1) or an offered drink (+1) for the seducer. The subject might have an existing significant other (+1 to +3), a headache (+1) or be in a really bad mood (+1) for his or her roll.
The social aspect of the seduction begins after the initial contested action is complete. The social aspect involves dialogue and interaction between participants. In this stage, the seducer's Manipulation + Persuasion + equipment is rolled against the subject's Wits + Composure + equipment in an extended and contested task. Each roll represents about 10 minutes of time. The winner of the previous contested roll also gains bonus dice equal to the successes rolled before. So, if your character seeks to seduce a woman at a bar and you win the initial contested roll with three successes to the woman's two, you add three dice to your Manipulation + Persuasion rolls in the social part of the process. "Equipment" bonuses at this stage might include a good pick-up line (+1), an excellent line (+2), a mutual acquaintance (+1) or suggestive physical contact (+2) for the seducer. Those listed above can be applied again for the subject.
The required number of successes for the seducer equals twice the subjectÕs Resolve. The required number of successes for the subject equals twice the aggressor's Presence. While the process has become much more interactive, the relative attractiveness of the aggressor is still encouraging or discouraging. Whoever accumulates the required number of successes first either convinces the other to cooperate or refuses the proposal. Once a wouldbe seducer is rebuked, no other attempts can be made to charm the same subject in the same scene.
If the seducer loses the initial contested roll to determine physical interest, he can still try to engage in social interaction to sway the subject's opinion. He's on thin ice, though. The subject gains the number of successes rolled for her in the contested action as a bonus to her rolls in the extended and contested process. So, if in the previous example the seducer had acquired two successes and the subject had acquired three, she would have gone unimpressed with his looks. If he had still tried to engage her socially, her Wits + Composure rolls would have received a +3 bonus to resist his charm.
Example: Now that James is dead, he has discovered that he possesses an unearthly air that attracts almost anyone he desires. Little do they know that he really desires their life's breath. Hungry for more, James turns his allure on a woman in a mall. James has 5 Presence and 3 Persuasion. He uses no particular props beyond his own bearing to get her attention. The woman has 2 Wits and 2 Composure and is happily married (which the Storyteller decides is worth a +3 bonus). JamesÕ eight-dice pool gets four successes. The woman's seven-dice pool gets two successes. Despite herself, the woman is physically interested in James. James' four successes on the first roll give him a +4 bonus in the social stage of the seduction. He also has 1 Manipulation and 3 Persuasion, but the Storyteller decrees that his days spent without washing impose a -2 penalty, for a total of six dice in his pool. Once again, the woman has a Wits + Composure of four, with a +3 bonus for being happily married. The woman's Resolve is 3. James therefore needs a total of six successes to win (twice the woman's Resolve), and the woman needs 10 (twice James' Presence).
After four rolls (40 minutes of banter), the woman accumulates 10 successes while James has only five. She soon wonders what she saw in him. Suffering pangs of guilt for even considering an indiscretion, she quickly leaves. James must seek prey elsewhere.
Example: A rival investigator wants to learn what Royce has discovered thus far on a case. She decides to seduce him for whatever information she can get, but has no intention of actually participating in a physical encounter. Royce proves disinterested in the rival physically. He gets one success to her none in the initial contested roll. She doesn't let that stop her, though. She becomes more aggressive and tries to tease Royce into confessing what he knows in return for "favors."
Both parties arrive at their required number of successes simultaneously in the extended and contested part of the process. The Storyteller rules that Royce sees through the ruse, confesses nothing and expects nothing, and sends his rival packing. Had Royce lost the extended and contested task, the Storyteller was prepared for him to reveal one piece of information for every point that Royce was short of his required successes. So, if he had lost the competition and still needed three more successes, he would have revealed three pieces of information. The fact that he would have gotten nothing in return would have been learned too late.
For most human interaction, seduction involves both verbal and non-verbal interaction. (Thus, both Presence + Persuasion and Manipulation + Persuasion rolls for the aggressor.) More instinct-driven seduction, such as that between animalistic or bestial beings, can be based on physical attraction alone. In those cases, the Storyteller may rule that Presence + Persuasion versus Wits + Composure rolls are made in an extended and contested action. There is no two-step process. There is still a contest of attraction and will, but itÕs based purely on demeanor rather than dialogue. In this case, each participant still seeks a number of successes equal to double the opponent's Resolve or Presence.
Failure: Your character kills time with the object of his attention, but gains little ground. She is not yet encouraged or discouraged in him.
Success: Your character gathers some interest in his subject.
Exceptional Success: Your character has his subjected riveted, maintaining her attention with his every move or word.
Suggested Equipment: For seducer - alluring clothes (+1), an appealing perfume or cologne (+1), an offered drink (+1), a good pick-up line (+1), an excellent line (+2), a mutual acquaintance (+1), suggestive physical contact (+2 For subject - significant other (+1 to +3), a headache (+1), bad mood (+1)
Possible Penalties: For seducer - ugly or inappropriate clothes (-1), bad personal hygiene (-2), unkempt appearance (-1 For subject - drunk (-2), sexually frustrated (-1), recent break-up (-2)
The act of seduction has two basic elements, physical and social, and those elements tend to indicate stages of the overall process. The first stage is based largely on physical attraction. Your character plies his appearance and demeanor to win the subject's attention and interest. This phase is typically non-verbal. Presence + Persuasion + equipment is rolled in a contested action against the subject's Wits + Composure + equipment. Appearances are important, so possessing the Striking Looks Merit (p. 117) offers a bonus to the roll for the seducer. If the seducer gets more successes, he gains the subject's interest. If successes tie or the seducer gets fewer, the subject is disinterested or needs further convincing (see below).
"Equipment" in the contested roll might include alluring clothing (+1), an appealing perfume or cologne (+1) or an offered drink (+1) for the seducer. The subject might have an existing significant other (+1 to +3), a headache (+1) or be in a really bad mood (+1) for his or her roll.
The social aspect of the seduction begins after the initial contested action is complete. The social aspect involves dialogue and interaction between participants. In this stage, the seducer's Manipulation + Persuasion + equipment is rolled against the subject's Wits + Composure + equipment in an extended and contested task. Each roll represents about 10 minutes of time. The winner of the previous contested roll also gains bonus dice equal to the successes rolled before. So, if your character seeks to seduce a woman at a bar and you win the initial contested roll with three successes to the woman's two, you add three dice to your Manipulation + Persuasion rolls in the social part of the process. "Equipment" bonuses at this stage might include a good pick-up line (+1), an excellent line (+2), a mutual acquaintance (+1) or suggestive physical contact (+2) for the seducer. Those listed above can be applied again for the subject.
The required number of successes for the seducer equals twice the subjectÕs Resolve. The required number of successes for the subject equals twice the aggressor's Presence. While the process has become much more interactive, the relative attractiveness of the aggressor is still encouraging or discouraging. Whoever accumulates the required number of successes first either convinces the other to cooperate or refuses the proposal. Once a wouldbe seducer is rebuked, no other attempts can be made to charm the same subject in the same scene.
If the seducer loses the initial contested roll to determine physical interest, he can still try to engage in social interaction to sway the subject's opinion. He's on thin ice, though. The subject gains the number of successes rolled for her in the contested action as a bonus to her rolls in the extended and contested process. So, if in the previous example the seducer had acquired two successes and the subject had acquired three, she would have gone unimpressed with his looks. If he had still tried to engage her socially, her Wits + Composure rolls would have received a +3 bonus to resist his charm.
Example: Now that James is dead, he has discovered that he possesses an unearthly air that attracts almost anyone he desires. Little do they know that he really desires their life's breath. Hungry for more, James turns his allure on a woman in a mall. James has 5 Presence and 3 Persuasion. He uses no particular props beyond his own bearing to get her attention. The woman has 2 Wits and 2 Composure and is happily married (which the Storyteller decides is worth a +3 bonus). JamesÕ eight-dice pool gets four successes. The woman's seven-dice pool gets two successes. Despite herself, the woman is physically interested in James. James' four successes on the first roll give him a +4 bonus in the social stage of the seduction. He also has 1 Manipulation and 3 Persuasion, but the Storyteller decrees that his days spent without washing impose a -2 penalty, for a total of six dice in his pool. Once again, the woman has a Wits + Composure of four, with a +3 bonus for being happily married. The woman's Resolve is 3. James therefore needs a total of six successes to win (twice the woman's Resolve), and the woman needs 10 (twice James' Presence).
After four rolls (40 minutes of banter), the woman accumulates 10 successes while James has only five. She soon wonders what she saw in him. Suffering pangs of guilt for even considering an indiscretion, she quickly leaves. James must seek prey elsewhere.
Example: A rival investigator wants to learn what Royce has discovered thus far on a case. She decides to seduce him for whatever information she can get, but has no intention of actually participating in a physical encounter. Royce proves disinterested in the rival physically. He gets one success to her none in the initial contested roll. She doesn't let that stop her, though. She becomes more aggressive and tries to tease Royce into confessing what he knows in return for "favors."
Both parties arrive at their required number of successes simultaneously in the extended and contested part of the process. The Storyteller rules that Royce sees through the ruse, confesses nothing and expects nothing, and sends his rival packing. Had Royce lost the extended and contested task, the Storyteller was prepared for him to reveal one piece of information for every point that Royce was short of his required successes. So, if he had lost the competition and still needed three more successes, he would have revealed three pieces of information. The fact that he would have gotten nothing in return would have been learned too late.
For most human interaction, seduction involves both verbal and non-verbal interaction. (Thus, both Presence + Persuasion and Manipulation + Persuasion rolls for the aggressor.) More instinct-driven seduction, such as that between animalistic or bestial beings, can be based on physical attraction alone. In those cases, the Storyteller may rule that Presence + Persuasion versus Wits + Composure rolls are made in an extended and contested action. There is no two-step process. There is still a contest of attraction and will, but itÕs based purely on demeanor rather than dialogue. In this case, each participant still seeks a number of successes equal to double the opponent's Resolve or Presence.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Your character looks awkward, clumsy or foolish, or puts his foot in his mouth. He's likely to be laughed at publicly, gets a drink thrown in his face, or draws the attention of an angry boyfriend or bouncer. No one else is willing to pay your character sexual interest for the remainder of the scene.Failure: Your character kills time with the object of his attention, but gains little ground. She is not yet encouraged or discouraged in him.
Success: Your character gathers some interest in his subject.
Exceptional Success: Your character has his subjected riveted, maintaining her attention with his every move or word.
Suggested Equipment: For seducer - alluring clothes (+1), an appealing perfume or cologne (+1), an offered drink (+1), a good pick-up line (+1), an excellent line (+2), a mutual acquaintance (+1), suggestive physical contact (+2 For subject - significant other (+1 to +3), a headache (+1), bad mood (+1)
Possible Penalties: For seducer - ugly or inappropriate clothes (-1), bad personal hygiene (-2), unkempt appearance (-1 For subject - drunk (-2), sexually frustrated (-1), recent break-up (-2)
Dice Pool: Presence + Persuasion + equipment or Manipulation + Persuasion + equipment (seducer) versus Wits + Composure + equipment (subject)
Action: Contested and/or extended (the extended and contested part of the task requires a number of successes equal to double the seducer's Presence or double the subject's Resolve; one roll equals 10 minutes of banter)
Action: Contested and/or extended (the extended and contested part of the task requires a number of successes equal to double the seducer's Presence or double the subject's Resolve; one roll equals 10 minutes of banter)