Gender Thread Inspired Poll

[Bagpuss]

Cyberpunk doesn't have Charisma modifiers, although I admit the two female characters I played in that had above average Appearance, but then so have all the male characters I've played in that game, and shock horror one even had seduction, (but again so did a number of my male characters).

Mysha Silverbreeze a 2nd Edition Priestess of Idun, only had Charisma 12 which gave no bonuses in those days. She was probably the most 'sexual' of all the female characters I've played but then she did worship a goddess of love, but as she pointed out on a number of occasions "She is a goddess of love, not sex now beat it before I ram this quarterstaff when the sun don't shine."

In vampire I played a female Nosferatu, they arn't known for getting positive social modifiers and have appearance of zero.

In Shadowrun I played a gender neutral character (grown in a vat) that had surgery to become a woman, she didn't have any particular bonus with social interactions.

The old fat housemaid I played in Call of Cthuhlu (1920) wasn't what you would call a babe.

Oh just to add I've played far more male characters something on the ratio of ten to one.

 

[BMF]

wow.

I'm surprised at the number of people (according to the poll) who have played women with low Charismas. I expected the number of men who had played women with high Cha to be greater.

I personally have never played a woman with low Charisma, and I don't think anyone in my current group has either (off the top of my head). However, we rarely play females anyway. most female characters that have appeared in our 3e games have been cohorts. One was even the PC's wife. We have a female cohort in the group now, too. She's the only fighter in the group and she's a real bitch. She likes to beat up the PCs and cause a lot of trouble. I'm not sure what her Charisma is, but I know it's not that high, she is a fighter after all. I would guess it's above 11 though. 12 or 14 maybe.

In 18 years of gaming, I can only remember one time that someone played an "ugly" woman. That was way, way back in the days of 1e. The character was a middle-aged, overweight female gnome thief. The DM let her bring her two snotty brats along on the adventure too (they were 1st level thieves).

 

[Bagpuss]

Yes but you only need to play one female character with average to low charisma to vote yes, even if you regularly play female characters with charisma 14+. So the poll really doesn't give you that much information.

 

[BMF]

I realized that after I posted...

 

[Al]

I'm a male who has never played a female of charisma less than twelve.

But then, I mostly DM, and when I *do* play, I never play characters with an average charisma or worse, irrespective of gender.

 

[Deadguy]

I find it interesting how many people like to have a positive Charisma modifier for their characters regardless of the character's gender. Seems that Charisma is less of a dump stat than is sometimes made out.

As a matter of fact I too prefer characters with a positive Charisma modifier. It just generally helps under 3e to have some ability to impress (that and being a hero is easier when you aren't a social embarrassment! ). But I have played a surly half-orc female Fighter (Charisma 9), and a real laid-back tyro Fighter (Charisma 8).

 

[Hygric]

I had to vote for the only positive modifer category, but like many others out there, I don't normally play low-charisma characters. What can I say, I like sorcerers and paladins.

 

[Bonedagger]

I played a female... something... in a darksun campaign for two sessions back in 2nd ed. I can't remember what her charisma was.

 

[John Smallberries]

The only female I ever played was a half-orc barbarian with an 8 Charisma.

So while she had a Charisma penalty, for some reason I *did* blow 2 points raising it from 6 to 8.

 

[drothgery]

I've played three 3e characters -- an elf male cleric, a human rogue in a social-heavy campaign, and a custom-race female paladin in an online game. The cleric had the lowest Charisma, and he still had a positive modifier.