I hate to go nitpicky, but now is the eleventh hour and it must be done. I think a couple key revision ideas are needed to finalize our Prowess mechanics.
The first issue (as loathe as I am to bring it up again): On technuqie suitability. Climax DC for a masturbating female is at a +2 right now? This isn't right. Most women find it easier to climax while masturbating than with intercourse. Also, women can't achieve climax, DC 22, if they have zero or one rank just by masturbating... So, I've tweaked some numbers.
The second issue: Sodomy needs to have two ends, if for no other reason then to clear up confusion. In fact, I think all the profs need some descriptor text to clarify things.
Third: We need bigtime examples. I mean at least three long and complex examples...
So here is the version of Prowess 1.4a that is my take on things. Everyone speak as you will. DbS, what do you think? Sorn: please update the whole thing when we are done. Several minor changes have been made that might miss a causual glance.
THE PROWESS SKILL v1.4a
This skill is in addition to the skills normally available to characters, as found in Chapter 3 of the PHB.
PROWESS (Cha)
Use this skill to bewilder your sexual partners with an array of exotic techniques. Prowess is a class skill for all characters.
As with the Perform skill, each rank in Prowess grants you a sexual technique, either basic or exotic, within which you can apply your rank bonus to checks - you may not apply your Prowess bonus to any application for which you do not have the appropriate technique.
The sexual techniques are listed below organized into groups for ease of use. If the group is open-ended (etc is listed), you are free to design your own additions, providing they remain within the nature of those preceding it. For example, three ranks in prowess could allow a character to be proficient with Masturbation: Male, Penetrative: Matrimonial, and DSM: Domination. These three techniques would allow the character to add their +3 rank bonus to a Prowess check; all other techniques would be with a +0 instead.
Basic Proficiencies:
Caress (By type - Breasts, Erotic Massage, Stroking etc.)
Masturbation (Male, Female)
Oral (Cunnilingus, Fellatio)
Penetrative (By position - Cross, Frontal, Half-facing, Inverted, Matrimonial, Negresse, Rear, Riding, Scissors, Standing etc.)
Sodomy (Receiving, Penetrative)
Toys (By item - Dildos, Wands, Wizards' Staffs, etc.)
Exotic Proficiencies:
Bondage (By type - Contortion, Hanging, Inverted, Ties etc.)
DSM (Domination, Submission)
Pillow Talk (Dirty, Sweet, Poetic)
Erotic Dance (Lapdance, Poledance, Striptease, etc.)
Caressing refers to all manner of physical touches and brushes. Only a broad group or sensitive area should be allowed for a sexual technique. Masturbation refers to manipulating the sexual organs of the listed gender and some limited stroking of erogenous zones. Oral focuses on one of two types of oral sex. Penetration refers to all acts in which intercourse is involved. The person being penetrated can use their skills to please the thruster back or they can just lie there and pursue a different technique (see Rules below). Sodomy is split into two categories: receiving which pleasures the thruster and penetrative, which pleasures the receiver. Toys is similar to masturbation but involves some other object.
Special: Regardless of circumstances, it is impossible to take 10 or take 20 on a Prowess check, due to its unpredictable nature. There is a way to "take your time" with a prowess check, see the Soft Focus Rules on pg XX.
THE PROWESS CHECK
Performing a Prowess check on someone (including yourself) requires 10 rounds (one full minute) to execute successfully. A single prowess check is made for the entire minute. If the character is interrupted during this time and unable to complete the act, the attempt automatically fails and the minute must be started over. Each round of the prowess check is considered a miscellaneous full-round action incurring attacks of opportunity. If an attack of opportunity hits you, the damage inflicted is counted as a penalty to your prowess check and all such modifiers are cumulative. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Prowess checks can only be made against an Unwilling partner if they are grappled, helpless or immobile. Grappled targets must be restrained for the entire 10 rounds or the prowess check is interrupted.
It is possible to make multiple Prowess checks as the same full-minute action; if your character wishes to do so, a penalty of -4 per additional prowess check is applied to all checks. You cannot make more simultaneous checks than (1+Dex bonus) at any time, unless otherwise stated. In addition, the multiple prowess actions must be possible (a male cannot use a penetrative technique on more than one person for example).
<<SIDEBAR - Rounds vs. Minutes: Sexual encounters generally don't need to be handled in combat rounds. This system assumes that all actions take place uniformly in one minute of time. There are no rules present for switching partners 5 rounds into an encounter or the like. If situations like this arise, the DM has final word on what is possible and what is not. If two people engage in sexual congress during a combat, the DM decides how the minute time keeping should proceed. Spells and other Prowess modifying effects that have been active for at least 5 rounds of the check should have their full effect on the roll. The golden rule is that prowess checks CANNOT overlap just as the minute time segments cannot overlap. Consider the sexual time segment to be like a combat round, just as you can't split your standard or move-equivalent actions up, you cannot split up your minute-long prowess minute either. <End Sidebar>>
Prowess checks are resolved for a single target at the end of the full minute in which they are completed. If multiple prowess checks are used on a single partner, the 10 rounds must be simultaneous. Consider sexual encounters to be working time segments of one minute, not rounds. Individual rounds are not used, only a single minute of effort. Only ONE prowess RESULT can affect a single person at any given time. If multiple checks affect the same target, each prowess check is rolled off the target's current state of arousal and physical condition. The highest successful arousal increase is used as the base roll. If another participant succeeds the DC necessary to raise the target's arousal or keep it at its current level, the base roll receives a +2 synergy bonus. If the aiding participant fails their roll to maintain arousal, then the base roll suffers a -2 circumstance penalty.
When making a Prowess check, you may apply as much or as little of your rank bonus as you desire, but the declaration must be made BEFORE you make the roll. Consult the table below for DCs according to your partner's present condition, where the numbers on the left represent a male partner, and the ones on the right a female one.
Table X-XX: Arousal DCs
Current Arousal - None - Aroused - Peaked - Climaxed - Ecstatic
None -/- 13/16 26/32 52/64 104/128
Aroused -/- 3/4 14/18 28/36 56/72
Peaked -/- -/- 4/5 16/20 32/40
After the check is made, the partner's Arousal is changed to fit the highest DC the character achieved. If the roll fails to meet any listed DC, then the prowess check failed, and their partner looses one level of arousal. A partner may resist a rise in arousal by rolling a Fortitude save against a DC based on the new arousal state (see Table X-XX2), adding an Unwilling bonus where applicable. If successful, they remain in their current state and no additional arousal is gained.
Table X-XX2: Resisting Arousal States
Rise to Aroused DC 10
Rise to Peaked DC 15
Rise to Climaxed DC 20
Rise to Ecstasy DC 25
If a sexual congress is interrupted, all prowess rolls are instantly considered to have failed. Any time a failed prowess roll causes the character to loose all of their arousal (i.e. move from Aroused Status to none at all), they may make a Fortitude to stay in the Aroused state and thus prevent the loss on an erection or "drying up". The DC of this check is dependant upon how prowess roll failed. Use the highest DC available. For instance, if a couple's secret outdoor oral sex encounter was interrupted by a person walking by, but they continued anyway, both checks would fail due to the interruption the save would be DC 15. If however, no one walked by and the partner giving the oral sex simply failed a roll, the save would be DC 5.
Table X-XX?: DCs to Avoid Total Arousal Loss
DC 0* - Inept Check: During Intercourse
DC 5 - Inept Check: During Oral Sex or Masturbation
DC 10 - Inept Check: During Other Foreplay
DC 15 - Interruption: Unusual circumstances (parents walking in)
DC 20 - Interruption: "I have just be stabbed by a sword!"
*Note is the modified DC is zero or below and the partner has a positive Fortitude save, no roll is required and is considered and instant success.
Every minute spent in climax or ecstasy indicates the partner sustained some form of orgasm. This could be a single orgasm, a continuous stream of them, or perhaps just a really pleasurable state. This pleasure allows the partner to acquire gratification (a basic measure of pleasure gained from the encounter). This is a running figure and is often totaled at the end of the sexual encounter (when all sexual activity has stopped for a moderate amount of time). Gratification is based upon the state of the partner and the number of minutes they have been sustained in that state. See Table X-XX3.
It is possible to keep a partner in Climax or Ecstasy for more than one minute, although this may result in adverse effects (see Status Conditions for more details). In order to do so, use the DCs listed in Table X-XX3. If the DC for Climax is not sustained, male characters lose all arousal; female characters reside to Aroused instead. After the first minute spent in Climax or Ecstasy, each further minute spent in Climax does one point of temporary Wisdom damage; each minute spent Ecstatic does 1d3 points of temporary Wisdom damage.
Table X-XX3: Extended Climax DCs
Round - Climax DC//Grat - Ecstasy DC//Grat
1st 16/20**//1 32/40**//2
2nd 24/25//2 48/50//4
3rd 32/30//3 64/60//6
4th 40/35//4 80/70//8
5th 48/40//5 96/80//10*
*Repeat numerical pattern ad infinitum. Numbers on left are male DCs, on right female DCs.
**Typical values for arising from Peaked.
Gratification values are cumulative - take those from each minute of Climax or Ecstasy.
When a partner is using a Penetrative technique against them, characters always make a Prowess check back, if only by virtue of just lying there (this is regardless of whether or not the partner wishes to). If they do not add their rank bonus to this reflexive roll, it is considered a free action and does not impose any penalties against any other prowess checks they may wish to make that minute, or other actions that are not impeded by the sexual activity.
TECHNIQUE SUITABILITY
Only basic prowess proficiencies can be used to physically arouse a partner. Exotic proficiencies are used to induce mental arousal and are covered later. Not all Prowess techniques have equal application - some are best used to initially Arouse a partner, whilst others are best for bringing them to Climax. Switching techniques is possible during the same minute of sexual activity, but the highest DC modifiers must be used. One free position switch is allowed between each minute of prowess checks. Listed below are the modifiers to the DC for bringing a partner to different levels of arousal (as mentioned under circumstantial modifiers).
Table X-XX?: Technique Suitability
Group - Aroused / Peaked / Climaxed / Ecstatic DC modifiers
Caressing - Aroused +0 / Peaked +5 / Climaxed +10 / Ecstatic +15
Masturbation - Aroused +2 / Peaked +0 / Climaxed +0 / Ecstatic +5
Oral - Aroused +2 / Peaked +0 / Climaxed +2 / Ecstatic +5
Penetrative - Aroused +10 / Peaked +2 / Climaxed +0 / Ecstatic +0
Sodomy - Aroused +10 / Peaked +2 / Climaxed +0 / Ecstatic +0
Toys - Aroused +10 / Peaked +2 / Climaxed +0 / Ecstatic +0
EXOTIC PROWESS TECHNIQUES
Exotic proficiencies are not used to physically arouse a partner; rather they are used to raise the partner's mental arousal level. The procedure for using exotic prowess is identical to that of normal prowess rolls, with the following exceptions:
--A partner resists mental arousal with their Will save instead of their Fortitude save.
--It is possible to use exotic prowess to mentally aroused more than the usual number of people. These circumstances listed individually, otherwise use the standard rules.
Mental Arousal is often easier at first, but extremely difficult to get high results. All of the usual circumstantial modifiers for prowess also apply to exotic prowess rolls. The following table lists the progression of mental arousal using exotic prowess:
Table X-XX: Mental Arousal DCs
Current \ Target None Horny Lustful Delirious
None <10/<15 10/15 50/55 90/95
Horny <1/<5 1/5 30/35 70/75
Lustful <1/<5 1/5 10/15 50/55
Table X-XX: Resisting Mental Arousal
Rise to Horny DC 10
Rise to Lustful DC 20
Rise to Delirious DC 30
Bondage: 5 or more ranks in Use Rope provides +2 synergy bonus to this skill. Subjects that are bound may also be pleasured using normal prowess checks after a successful (minimum DC 10) use of this exotic technique. If this is done, your partner continues to get the benefit from all kinks associated with bondage.
DSM: 5 or more ranks in intimidate grants a +2 synergy bonus to domination checks. 5 or more ranks in sense motive grants a +2 synergy bonus to submission checks. Because of the focus required for this skill, it is very difficult to use with multiple partners and all penalties for doing so are doubled. The maximum number of people that can be affected at a time with this proficiency is equal to your charisma modifier +1. Subjects that are dominated or turned on by your submission may also be pleasured using normal prowess checks after a successful (minimum DC 10) use of this exotic technique. If this is done, your partner continues to get the benefit from all kinks associated with DSM.
Pillow Talk: 5 or more ranks in bluff or diplomacy grants a +2 synergy bonus to pillow talk checks (these bonuses stack).
Erotic Dance: 5 or more ranks in Perform (with dance) grants a +2 synergy bonus to erotic dance. Erotic dance can be used on a large number of people. Virtually anyone who is within 30ft of the dancer and can see her well can be affected, they gain a +2 bonus to their Will saves. If the dancer focuses on a single person, she gains a +2 circumstance bonus to her check.
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I know I'm nitpicking terms here, but someone has to.
