What the heck is a pornomancer? Options

[Neko Asakami]

The topic says it all: What the heck is a pornomancer? Where'd the name come from and what are they exactly? Also, would someone be willing to post a skeleton build of one?

Thanks in advance!

[Midas]

If you type "pornomancer" into the search function, you will find any number of threads on the topic. Basically, a pornomancer is a social skills god or goddess, with high CHA (elf or dryad are common) with high Influence group skills and Intimidation, with Tailored Pheremones and Kinesics (adept power) to further boost their social skill DP.

I don't like Dryads (stand out too much for my taste), or the BP-heavy Exceptional Attribute or hard-maxing any Attribute on Char Gen, so a soft-maxed skeleton would look like this:

Race: Elf (30BP)
CHA 7 (40BP)
+ve Qualities: Adept (5BP), First Impression (5BP)
Kinesics 3 (1.5PP)
Improved Skill 2 (0.5PP) for favourite social skill
Tailored Pheremones 3 (45K = 9BP)
Influence Group 4 (40BP)
Intimidation 6 (24BP)

The above gives social skill DP of 19 for 2 skills (Intimidation and improved skill) and 17 for all others (with a further +2DP where First Impression kicks in) at the cost of 163BP (inc 20BP for the 2PP worth of Magic used in the above adept powers). I am sure the above search or other posters will be able to give your social monster a much higher dice pool, although the BP cost will probably go higher ...

[Makki]

a pornomancer's dice pool for either Con or Negotiation ranges from minimum 20 to 50+. depending if you want to actually play the character, or just do some math. It's always a SURGE Bioware Adept with Mentor Spirit

[Machiavelli]

Or a simple mage with Charisma 7, big boobs and the "orgasm" or "orgy" spell. Who could resist?^^

[Seriously Mike]

Not to be confused with my use of the term ("rampant pornomancy") in reference to absurdly large dice pools (~20) in pretty much anything.

[Pepsi Jedi]

If you type "pornomancer" into the search function, you will find any number of threads on the topic. Basically, a pornomancer is a social skills god or goddess, with high CHA (elf or dryad are common) with high Influence group skills and Intimidation, with Tailored Pheremones and Kinesics (adept power) to further boost their social skill DP.

I don't like Dryads (stand out too much for my taste), or the BP-heavy Exceptional Attribute or hard-maxing any Attribute on Char Gen, so a soft-maxed skeleton would look like this:

Race: Elf (30BP)
CHA 7 (40BP)
+ve Qualities: Adept (5BP), First Impression (5BP)
Kinesics 3 (1.5PP)
Improved Skill 2 (0.5PP) for favourite social skill
Tailored Pheremones 3 (45K = 9BP)
Influence Group 4 (40BP)
Intimidation 6 (24BP)

The above gives social skill DP of 19 for 2 skills (Intimidation and improved skill) and 17 for all others (with a further +2DP where First Impression kicks in) at the cost of 163BP (inc 20BP for the 2PP worth of Magic used in the above adept powers). I am sure the above search or other posters will be able to give your social monster a much higher dice pool, although the BP cost will probably go higher ...

Not trying to be argumentative, but isn't Standing out... kinda the point?

[Glyph]

Depends on what kind of face you are playing. Glamour is fine if you are playing the femme fatale, ex-joyboy/hustler, or L.A. stripper/wannabe actress type of "face", focused on things like seduction (remember, the pornomancer was not originally a face build, but more of a "how many dice can you get for this?" exercise like the ultimate troll climber). It was originally statted by me here, but Frackula is the one who actually named it (and immortalized it in prose). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotfl.gif)

An actual face, who is an actual shadowrunner, typically doesn't want to stand out, but to blend in. A social chameleon, if you will. The former type are more suited for the lure or distraction types of roles. I did a more traditional face (full range of social skills, lots of languages and contacts, and some data search/disguise capability) here.

[Mäx]

And this here is the pornomancer as he stand with the current selection of rulebooks(unless i have totally missed something in one of the newest books)
Pornomancer:
Surged dryad adept with
Charisma 15 (Metegenic Improvement (Charisma) + Genetic Optimization (Charisma) + increase charisma spell with 5 successes)
Or Charisma 13(Metegenic Improvement (Charisma) + Genetic Optimization (Charisma) + a speedball of Ex,Red Mescaline and Novacoke)
Social skill of choice (spec) 6
Global Fame
Tailored Pheromones 3
Enhanced Phermone Receptors 3
Vocal Range Enhancer
Improved Social Ability of choice 3
Kinesics 3
Rating 6 emotitoy
Symbiosis
Mentor spirit(seductress for con or moon maiden for negotiation)

3+15+8+6+3+2+1+3+3+6+1+2= 53
or
3+13+9+6+3+2+1+3+3+6+1+2= 51

And that should be a chargen legal character even (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Draco18s]

Didn't they also want the Home Ground and First Impression qualities? It's another 2 dice (each).

Admittedly it makes it hilarious: they have to find someone who lives in the same small-town whom they've never meet, despite being globally famous.

[Mäx]

Didn't they also want the Home Ground and First Impression qualities? It's another 2 dice (each).

Not enought quality points to go around for those, their the easiest to ditch as their so situational.

[Draco18s]

Fair point.
I just remember the discussion that arose from it.

[Medicineman]

And this here is the pornomancer as he stand with the current selection of rulebooks(unless i have totally missed something in one of the newest books)
Pornomancer:
Surged dryad adept with
Charisma 15 (Metegenic Improvement (Charisma) + Genetic Optimization (Charisma) + increase charisma spell with 5 successes)
Or Charisma 13(Metegenic Improvement (Charisma) + Genetic Optimization (Charisma) + a speedball of Ex,Red Mescaline and Novacoke)
Social skill of choice (spec) 6
Global Fame
Tailored Pheromones 3
Enhanced Phermone Receptors 3
Vocal Range Enhancer
Improved Social Ability of choice 3
Kinesics 3
Rating 6 emotitoy
Symbiosis
Mentor spirit(seductress for con or moon maiden for negotiation)

3+15+8+6+3+2+1+3+3+6+1+2= 53
or
3+13+9+6+3+2+1+3+3+6+1+2= 51

And that should be a chargen legal character even (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

You forgot Biosculpting (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

with beautiful Dance
Medicineman

[Mäx]

You forgot Biosculpting (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Nope, i just didn't want to include any Social modifiers, as those are way too situation dependant.
But yes you can get a nice +5 dice if your talking to a friendly NPC who's romantically attracted to you and the end result is advantageous to him

[ChewyGranola]

At first I thought this thread was a joke. After reading...man Shadowrun has changed since last time I was into it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Eimi]

At first I thought this thread was a joke. After reading...man Shadowrun has changed since last time I was into it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Nah, you've just been Dumpshocked.

And I think people take Glamour a bit too casually. It's one of those qualities that should really shape how virtually your character's entire life turned out, not just a source of 3 more dice to roll. I mean, it literally affects how other people treat you, and even if it might let them take advantage of you and put you in overall negative situations, it's also going to preclude a lot of things that could happen to a "normal" person without it. Heck, it kind of precludes your having HAD a chance at being a "normal" person at all, for better or for worse. (nasty vibe fits in here too, but people take it a lot less than glamour).

Of course, this could just be me overthinking things, but it seems more interesting than not...