That armor is SO Sexy...

[Hermit]

Defensor decided it was time to take his patrol on foot. His boot jets made a soft whirr sound as they depowered, and he landed on the concrete surface. The power armored hero's visor glowed on the dull gray helmet as he adjusted his sensors to incorporate the infared. No signs of his team mate, but a group of female citizens soon came upon him. They passed by, flirting and smiling at the hero, offering to help him, and making small talk. He thanked the ladies and felt a bit embarrassed when he discovered one lovely lady had slipped a piece of paper with her phone number under his shoulder guard. Fortunately, his helmet hid his blush along with the rest of his face.

Steelguard finally came into view. Defensor waved to his companion, encouraging the other armored hero to join him. Steelguard's own full powered armor hummed as he did so. As always, Defensor couldn't read Steelguard's mood as his expression was hidden by a helmet and faceplate of pure questionite. The ladies around him noticed Steelguard's arrival as well. One blonde wrinkled her nose as she glanced at Steelguard, and the brunette muttered under her breath to her friend, "woof."

"Pardon me ladies, I have to go talk to my team mate," Defensor said as he disentangled himself from the throng of beauties to join Steelguard."Anything new to report?"
Steelguard shook his head, "No. Something's still jamming the radio signals in the area... but no clue what."
"We''ll figure it out," Defensor assured him.
"No doubt, but that's not what I'm really curious about..." Steelguard admitted.
"Oh?" His companion inquired, "What is it you want to know?"
With frustration, Steelguard pointed a thumb back to the ladies now behind them, "We both wear powered armor that hides our faces, so how the HECK do they know our comliness scores?"
There was a long pause, then Defensor replied, "Danged if I know..."

Okay, the above is a metagame exageration of what might happen in actual roleplay. How do folks handle the logistics of this, assuming they worry about it at all? I suppose one could buy (Only in Hero ID) to avoid normally low comliness ("No one need know I am hideously scarred under this mask.") But what is 'Only in Secret ID' worth ?

Or does Defensor just have a sleeker sexier design to his armor than Steelguard? :)

[lemming]

Originally posted by Hermit
Or does Defensor just have a sleeker sexier design to his armor than Steelguard? :)
It's all in the walk? Larger codpiece? Mannerisms?

[Killer Shrike]

I would adjudicate that people see the Armor, not the person, so thier COM is largely immaterial.

Just another example of why COM is not a good thing to quantify in game terms as a statistic. It should be handled as a combination of Talents (A Talent-fied PRE vs consexual only for Social Effects) and Disadvantages, and occasionally Perks (Wealth: Movie Star/Model/etc) that flesh out a bg that indicates the character is more attractive and gains some benefit from it.

[pinecone]

Hey...I figure high Com=cool equipment so why not. "Hey man the chicks realy like where I placed the plasma emitter" :)

[Rechan]

It also could represent not just the hotness of an individual, but just how attractive their personality is (Sorry if I'm falling into D&D and Charisma :).

Defender may just act a lot more pleasant, have one of those attractive personalities that just makes people *interested* in him. The armor may take away the physical aspect, but then they... get to know the Real Defender, or whatever. :)

[Prometheus]

Maybe it can just be considered to be "turned down" while in Superhero mode. Bruce Wayne in a good looking guy, but you don't see many people hitting on Batman.

[Klytus]

Personally, I'd just remove COM as a stat and replace with a Perk and/or Disads. In our games, almost all the femal characters who buy their COM over 20 (and most of them do) also take the Distinctive Feature DIsad: Very Beautiful - Difficult to Conceal, Extremee Reaction.

[Killer Shrike]

Love the quote Klytus (Quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win and never quit are idiots.)

[Klytus]

Originally posted by Killer Shrike
Love the quote Klytus

:)
Thanks, Shrike. I hope like my next quote just as well, though. I change my sig line every month, and I noticed that on these boards it changes that sig on all the old posts as well. So, it would kinda look silly for you to have to retract your praise because you find my next tag line less than lovable :cool:

[Lightray]

While you're all talking about COM...

Something I noticed the other day: cute kids are less likely in Hero 5th than handsome/beautiful adults.

Normal Char Max COM for adults = 20
Normal Char Max COM for children (10-) = 16

:confused:

Usually, I think of kids as being more cute, not less.

[Urklore]

How about Disinct Feature: Cool Armor OR
+10 COM, only wearing super cool armor (-1)

[Killer Shrike]

Originally posted by Klytus
:)
Thanks, Shrike. I hope like my next quote just as well, though. I change my sig line every month, and I noticed that on these boards it changes that sig on all the old posts as well. So, it would kinda look silly for you to have to retract your praise because you find my next tag line less than lovable :cool:
Good point. Ill fix it. :cool:

[Zaratustra]

I still prefer handling comeliness as a special effect (possibly DF) and Skill Levels to relevant skills. And ugliness as DF + PER bonuses (that 'self-conscious' stuff really looks like a D&D rule)

[Fur Face]

I think in this case its more of akin to "Nice sportscar, so driver can't be bad'.

Mannerisms & such kind of leads more into PRE as much as COM, if its deliberate (If ya got it, flaunt it), but in Defenders case I think the "chicks" dig the fact he truly treats people like a "knight in shining armor", and he does it without even thinking.

Of course, in all honesty, this is guys talking about a girls perception, so it could all be incredibly flawed. :) Any ladies care to enlighten our perspective?

[DocMan]

Originally posted by Klytus
Personally, I'd just remove COM as a stat and replace with a Perk and/or Disads. In our games, almost all the femal characters who buy their COM over 20 (and most of them do) also take the Distinctive Feature DIsad: Very Beautiful - Difficult to Conceal, Extremee Reaction.

And almost all the male characters don't put any points into COM at all.

"Yes, I'm an average looking guy with superpowers. And that means I get to hang out with women who put supermodels to shame! :D "

COM just seems to be the only stat that doesn't really DO anything. Unless your charcter is particularly based of of social skills (The Incredibly Charming Schmoose Man! "Hi there!" :cool: ), high COM scores just take away points that could be spent elsewhere. Like Stun. Yes a good COM score might be very much in character, but could you build a character around it?

It's MUCH more likely to represent a good looking character with a high PRE score instead.

Doc

[RevHooligan]

I find that the points involved in Com are so minute that I never worry about it. If a player wanted to buy his com with limitations to reflect the character's face being obscured, I'd probably let him, then take the piss because he saved 2-3 piont tops.

[Blue]

Some armor just looks cooler than other armor. Of course you could chalk that up to PRE, but I generally don't.

I'd say that if you really wanted to reflect this, you could buy your normal COM for your non-armored form. Then you sell back COM for your Armored form with the "Only in Hero ID" limitation applied.

So UNARMORED GUY(tm) has a COM of 18. Costs him 4pts.
He changes into ARMORED GUY(tm) who has a COM of 10. That's -4pts from his normal stat then apply the OHID limitation. Gets you a smaller negative, and it's kinda backward thinking, but it works.

Personally... I just wouldn't bother. It's like the "Is it still an Obvious focus if you have it concealed in your pocket" argument. It's still you're COM, even if you're fully covered in dung, wearing a full suit of plate armor, or beaten to a bloody pulp by bad guys.

[BNakagawa]

When I think of sexy armor, I think of BGC hardsuits.

[BlackCobra]

Well, if you can't see the person's face or general body shape too well, then effectively your character would be a 0-8 COM in the armor.

However, if the suit enhances his musculature, back-lights his face really well and looks sleek & cool -- THEN you want to buy extra COM through the armor.

Actually, I have a character who's taken the Tuxedo package:
+4 COM, OIF, fragile
+5 PRE, OIF, fragile

Every super-spy or pulp hero should have a Tux! (Don't crash a supervillain's party without one!)

[Cosmic Man]

Is it possible they are reacting to the power armor as an expression of wealth?

"Many" women are attracted to wealth.

[Peregrine]

Originally posted by Cosmic Man
Is it possible they are reacting to the power armor as an expression of wealth?

"Many" women are attracted to wealth.

More accurately, attracted to the possibility of gaining control of said wealth... :)

[Blue]

Originally posted by BNakagawa
When I think of sexy armor, I think of BGC hardsuits.
Not sure I've EVER thought of sexy armor.








Gee, thanks. Now I'm thinking of sexy armor.

[Prometheus]

Originally posted by DocMan
And almost all the male characters don't put any points into COM at all.

For most campaigns I agree, but in Pulp Hero, it's practically a prerequisite. Even with only 150 points to spend, every member of my group dropped at least 3 pts into COM.

More in general, most stats can be turned down- STR, DEX, SPD, you can even argue that a character can act dense (INT) or lazy (CON). While lowering your COM while wearing powered armor is not a conscience act, it could be a special effect.

On the other hand, powered armor probably accentuates your musculature (+STR), and improves your posture and bearing (+PRE), so maybe you can look good in skin tight metal. Let's face it, chrome can be damn sexy.

[Brandi]

Originally posted by Blue
Not sure I've EVER thought of sexy armor.


I think Hajima Sorayama (http://www.suicide.couk.com/gallery/sora/yod10.htm) has. WARNING: Picture may not be work-safe, depending on how they feel about boobies.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Brandi
I think Hajima Sorayama (http://www.suicide.couk.com/gallery/sora/yod10.htm) has. WARNING: Picture may not be work-safe, depending on how they feel about boobies.
I actually think that's a rather silly design. Unless that's like some high defense see through armor. It would distract some of the people taking shots at you and really work well for your team mates.

[Brandi]

Sorayama's about looks, not practicality.

[Nucleon]

Nucleon finded out that Earth women are attracted by traits of masculinity like strenght, ambition and power (monetary, politic or else), and of course, fame. We men are more attracted by exclusive physical beauty than women. It's in our genes.

So, unless the said heroes are uncouth, they're pretty sure to score one way or another.

A high COM score permit a hero to rise above his lot in this departement. Good, of course, for a gloryhound or a womanizer. This could be bought (or bought back) with a focus or OIHID. Never had a problem with it.