Disfigurement effect on Charisma [Archive] - Wizards Community

Disfigurement effect on Charisma [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
outintheweeds
12-15-04, 09:16 AM I have an idea for an NPC. She is a Nymph who had been abducted by Orcs. During her capture she was tortured and disfigured. I am thinking of cutting the points off of her ears, scaring her face with a brand or acid or other damage.

Nymphs have the abilities of Stunning Glance and Blinding Beauty. I would assume that this type of damage would lower her charisma some which would then reduce the save DCs of these attacks.

I was thinking of reducing CHA from 19 to 17. With charisma being much more complex than pure attractiveness and even a woman with facial scars can still be beautiful based on her presence. I am not sure how much to adjust this.
Persephone Imytholin
12-15-04, 09:46 AM I'd personally suggest it's not really worth bothering. For Stunning Glance, there's nothing in there explicitly based on the appearance of the nymph herself. For Blinding Beauty, just describe it differently as a story element, playing up whatever disfigurement you eventually settle on. Leave the numbers as they are, and just tell your story a little bit differently.
D'Nabre
12-15-04, 01:20 PM -4 to charisma sounds right to me.

The saves vs. the Nymph's abilities are CHA-based, so that's reduce them by two.

The fun is, of course, describing the Nymph to your players. If you play up the disfigurement enough, they may think it's something different/more powerful (maybe given them a -2 on knowledge check to identify).
Ahnehnois
12-15-04, 01:54 PM There is a BOVD feat: Willing Deformity. Though this is unwilling, you could use the same mechanic. It does not reduce charisma. A scarred nymph is less beautiful, but probably quite imposing and scary and still having the same magnitude of influence on people overall. The only way the charisma should go down is from emotional scarring, as well; loss of self-image (which could be the case).
Shyunal Drakaven
12-16-04, 11:35 AM Remember, Cha isn't just about physical attractivness, but about actual force of presence. Also, it's possible this disfigurment actually ends up enhancing her beauty, rather than marring it. A brand could have the same effect of a tatoo, in this way. I think Persephone was right - using the BOVD willing deformity, dispite the fact that it was not willing.
CaoSlayer
12-17-04, 02:10 PM yes...

anyway you can add a penalty to charisma social checks, but charisma it is power and personality...

and dont make me again tell how ridiculous would be to make a paladin lose this divine grace because someone throwed acid at this face.
Dreaming Bard
12-17-04, 09:54 PM Being the charismatic Bard that I am :rolleyes:, this has happened to me a few times. When one of the few truely the charismatic becomes scared its time to take up a new ability score. You have your physical charisma and your mental charisma. Physical to determin superficial beauty. Mental for leadership, personality, spellcasting, and powers of perswation. For skills use whatever works for the situation. Trying to convince the elvish ambasator to make peace with your people? Use mental cha. Trying to convince the old charmer to leave his wife for you? Use physical.

If you need anyything else I'm always glad to be of service.
nihility
12-17-04, 11:14 PM There is no reason within the rules to assign a penalty. That said, you can assign a penalty anyway, but the magnitude is entirely up to you. Keep in mind that physical appearance is only a small part of charisma.
Edymnion
12-21-04, 01:33 PM Yes, I'm in the camp of no penalties. The nymph in question may simply be more terrible than beautiful now, but that doesn't mean their force of presence has been diminished. It could very well have increased with the whole "I'll show them, I survived that, I can do anything!" mindset.

Anywho, either way you go, it wouldn't be permanent. I'm sure a nymph would have access to high level healing magic, either from their own ability, or by ties with druids or adventurers from her past.
Princeoflowlight
12-21-04, 07:17 PM "Penalty to diplomacy checks and an equal bonus to intimidate checks" has always been a good way to represent disfigurement.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
outintheweeds 12-15-04, 09:16 AM	I have an idea for an NPC. She is a Nymph who had been abducted by Orcs. During her capture she was tortured and disfigured. I am thinking of cutting the points off of her ears, scaring her face with a brand or acid or other damage. Nymphs have the abilities of Stunning Glance and Blinding Beauty. I would assume that this type of damage would lower her charisma some which would then reduce the save DCs of these attacks. I was thinking of reducing CHA from 19 to 17. With charisma being much more complex than pure attractiveness and even a woman with facial scars can still be beautiful based on her presence. I am not sure how much to adjust this.
Persephone Imytholin 12-15-04, 09:46 AM	I'd personally suggest it's not really worth bothering. For Stunning Glance, there's nothing in there explicitly based on the appearance of the nymph herself. For Blinding Beauty, just describe it differently as a story element, playing up whatever disfigurement you eventually settle on. Leave the numbers as they are, and just tell your story a little bit differently.
D'Nabre 12-15-04, 01:20 PM	-4 to charisma sounds right to me. The saves vs. the Nymph's abilities are CHA-based, so that's reduce them by two. The fun is, of course, describing the Nymph to your players. If you play up the disfigurement enough, they may think it's something different/more powerful (maybe given them a -2 on knowledge check to identify).
Ahnehnois 12-15-04, 01:54 PM	There is a BOVD feat: Willing Deformity. Though this is unwilling, you could use the same mechanic. It does not reduce charisma. A scarred nymph is less beautiful, but probably quite imposing and scary and still having the same magnitude of influence on people overall. The only way the charisma should go down is from emotional scarring, as well; loss of self-image (which could be the case).
Shyunal Drakaven 12-16-04, 11:35 AM	Remember, Cha isn't just about physical attractivness, but about actual force of presence. Also, it's possible this disfigurment actually ends up enhancing her beauty, rather than marring it. A brand could have the same effect of a tatoo, in this way. I think Persephone was right - using the BOVD willing deformity, dispite the fact that it was not willing.
CaoSlayer 12-17-04, 02:10 PM	yes... anyway you can add a penalty to charisma social checks, but charisma it is power and personality... and dont make me again tell how ridiculous would be to make a paladin lose this divine grace because someone throwed acid at this face.
Dreaming Bard 12-17-04, 09:54 PM	Being the charismatic Bard that I am :rolleyes:, this has happened to me a few times. When one of the few truely the charismatic becomes scared its time to take up a new ability score. You have your physical charisma and your mental charisma. Physical to determin superficial beauty. Mental for leadership, personality, spellcasting, and powers of perswation. For skills use whatever works for the situation. Trying to convince the elvish ambasator to make peace with your people? Use mental cha. Trying to convince the old charmer to leave his wife for you? Use physical. If you need anyything else I'm always glad to be of service.
nihility 12-17-04, 11:14 PM	There is no reason within the rules to assign a penalty. That said, you can assign a penalty anyway, but the magnitude is entirely up to you. Keep in mind that physical appearance is only a small part of charisma.
Edymnion 12-21-04, 01:33 PM	Yes, I'm in the camp of no penalties. The nymph in question may simply be more terrible than beautiful now, but that doesn't mean their force of presence has been diminished. It could very well have increased with the whole "I'll show them, I survived that, I can do anything!" mindset. Anywho, either way you go, it wouldn't be permanent. I'm sure a nymph would have access to high level healing magic, either from their own ability, or by ties with druids or adventurers from her past.
Princeoflowlight 12-21-04, 07:17 PM	"Penalty to diplomacy checks and an equal bonus to intimidate checks" has always been a good way to represent disfigurement.