comeliness

[alsih2o]

am i in the only group that rolls a comeliness score?

this easily seperates the whole "looks" issue from the whole charisma issue

3d6 boys and girls, not 4d6 kick out the lowest...just cause you are a snot-kicking advebnturer doesn't mean you are cuter than anyone else

 

[Leopold]

wow 1e rules!

 

[Ruvion]

Even though I liked the idea of comliness in 1e, there was a disparaging gap in logic where the standards of comeliness amongst differing races and culture were concerned. What a hill giant find beautiful may not suit the haute couture taste of an elf. Even among humans, there are a great difference of opinion on what's beautiful and what's ugly...

This is why I came up with the Scarring score for 3e. You might find it hard to judge beauty or ugliness, but a battle scar (which might make you look more ugly or more appealing) is a battle scar.

 

[Frosty]

Even though I liked the idea of comliness in 1e, there was a disparaging gap in logic where the standards of comeliness amongst differing races and culture were concerned. What a hill giant find beautiful may not suit the haute couture taste of an elf. Even among humans, there are a great difference of opinion on what's beautiful and what's ugly...

I don't quite agree with this reasoning. Most appreciate beauty the same way. We adore the same supermodels around the globe and there is not a man with a heartbeat that doesn't think Marilyn Monroe is beautiful. Physical differences have nothing to do with beauty. Sure, the standard of beauty may vary with time but yet we speak of timelsess beauty.

Orcs don't appreciate beauty the same way elves do but both kinds agree that elves are prettier.

"Greetings, Ogrog. Admit that I'm prettier than ye!"
"Sure, but I'm stronger and... hungry come to think about it. Gnarl..."

A good-looking dwarf lass can set hearts on fire, even human hearts.

 

[Wicht]

I don't quite agree with this reasoning. Most appreciate beauty the same way. We adore the same supermodels around the globe and there is not a man with a heartbeat that doesn't think Marilyn Monroe is beautiful.

Actually, while I might agree that Marilyn Monroe was pretty, she was not what I have ever thought of as Beautiful. I prefer brunettes myself, preferably with a latin look.

Beauty is really in the eye of the beholder

 

[Ruvion]

A good looking dwarf lady? I, as a human, don't find a girl with beard any more attractive than the dwarf beside her (no offense to dwarves).

Supermodels are wide considered appealing all over the globes nowadays true, but back several centuries they would not be considered the height of fashion...many beautiful women back then were plump by our current standards.

P.S. I personally do not find Marilyn Monroe beautiful. Pretty yes, mysterious looking maybe, but not my idea of the apex of female beauty IMO.

 

[Darraketh]

I played it as only applying to ones own race unless it was exceptional then other races would just notice that "this one seems more interesting."


Edit: There that looks right.

 

[KnowTheToe]

comeliness can be a difficult issue, but as long as it is used within racial lines it works. As mentioned above a pretty dwarf might not move my package, and a pretty human girl might effect me more or less than the next guy over, but we both would recognize the girl as attractive.

 

[LostSoul]

What's the saying?

Male appreciation of female beauty comes down to round breasts, a firm butt, and the right ratio of hips to waist.

Good skin is important too. So are any features that are associated with sexual maturity.

As far as PCs go, I let them look as good as they want.

 

[Voadam]

I don't quite agree with this reasoning. Most appreciate beauty the same way. We adore the same supermodels around the globe and there is not a man with a heartbeat that doesn't think Marilyn Monroe is beautiful. Physical differences have nothing to do with beauty. Sure, the standard of beauty may vary with time but yet we speak of timelsess beauty.

Orcs don't appreciate beauty the same way elves do but both kinds agree that elves are prettier.

"Greetings, Ogrog. Admit that I'm prettier than ye!"
"Sure, but I'm stronger and... hungry come to think about it. Gnarl..."

A good-looking dwarf lass can set hearts on fire, even human hearts.

I disagree with you. I find most supermodels to be too thin, anorexic waifs appear unhealthy and disturbing to me and I find them unattractive even though the fashion industry may hold them up as an ideal of beauty.

I guess you are trying to say physical differences in an observer do not change that observers view of what is beatiful, from your example it is the physical differences between orcs and elves that separates beauty from ugliness.

There are overlaps in what is considered beautiful but I would say beauty is more akin to taste. Which is better: vanilla, chocolate or strawberry? it depends on your tastes. Most people like ice cream, but you can only say which ice cream you like best, not what is the best universally and not be reasonably contradicted.