Increasing Physical Beauty

[Sir Blayse]

Heck, why not... I think you could make it ok for them to find a body fixer who could specialize in plastic surgery. I would say that they have to do it in increments with plenty of recovery time, and the increase would only be one point at a time. Otherwise they could get the cybernetic route from a cyber-doc, with what ever gains and penalties would go with that.

[Crucible]

As the GM you can have them look for an alchemist (just my opinion), staying in RAW, no clue I just wing it.

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. My personal gripe with the skills in 19 (while I like the concept) is that they're nothing but stat bonuses (no actual skill beyond that, if % had been included with things like Strategy Games where you might have to compete with someone else I might have liked it better). But, that aside, there is the Wardrobe (& Grooming?) skill in R:UE. It's a Domestic skill, so should be easy access. It won't permanently increase her P.B., but it will let her temporarily appear more beautiful (the right clothes, color complimentation, proper application of make-up, doing her hair in a way that will look pretty and help accentuate her best features, etc.). I just figured I'd mention that option as well (in case it was overlooked). Farewell and safe journeys.

[Crucible]

Greetings and Salutations. My personal gripe with the skills in 19 (while I like the concept) is that they're nothing but stat bonuses (no actual skill beyond that, if % had been included with things like Strategy Games where you might have to compete with someone else I might have liked it better). But, that aside, there is the Wardrobe (& Grooming?) skill in R:UE. It's a Domestic skill, so should be easy access. It won't permanently increase her P.B., but it will let her temporarily appear more beautiful (the right clothes, color complimentation, proper application of make-up, doing her hair in a way that will look pretty and help accentuate her best features, etc.). I just figured I'd mention that option as well (in case it was overlooked). Farewell and safe journeys.

Hnnnnmmmmnnrrrmmmm.....I usually make it permenant saying that anything the person wears looks good, even when its nothing but a smile and pose.

[Balabanto]

I allow plastic surgery to raise PB to the same limits as Bio-Wizardry for the same cost. It's advanced Plastic Surgery of 2298. There's no reason not to allow it. It's just Physical Beauty. If PC's want to drain their money to get laid and look hotter, far be it for me to tell them no. You just drained millions of credits from a PC for nothing! Everyone wins!

[Silveressa]

Depending on her current beauty rating plastic surgery might not really achieve much. (a sexy gal with a p.b of 16 isn't going to really benefit from a little nip & tuck compared to the gains the p.b 8 hippo with a gland problem will get from lip suction and and a nose job.

That option aside she might also want to look into "tailored pheremones" (ala shadowrun bioware) to give off a more attractive cocktail of scents to make her appear more desirable. (to which sex/sexual preference she is trying to attract)

Don't forget she can also possibly get her armor (depending on the type) customized to be more "form fitting" and highlight/accentuate her natural curves or make certain physical attributes more noticeable.

Beyond that I generally give any player who makes use of a shower/bath + personal hygiene kit and makeup/aftershave grooming a temporary plus +d4 or d6 to their p.b (depending on the trouble they go to and time they spend on it and if they have a nice set of clothing to go with it.)

It's a quick and easy way to give chars an edge in a social scene if they take the time and effort to bother.

I almost forgot, depending on her chars alignment she may also find it perfect acceptable (or preferable) to take some kind of action to lower her rivals p.b through physcial violence, a spray bottle of skunk spray & butyric acid mist.(even a few drops of the acid smells like a backed up sewage line on a hot day)

[The Galactus Kid]

Wardrobe and Grooming skill

[Balabanto]

Depending on her current beauty rating plastic surgery might not really achieve much. (a sexy gal with a p.b of 16 isn't going to really benefit from a little nip & tuck compared to the gains the p.b 8 hippo with a gland problem will get from lip suction and and a nose job.

That option aside she might also want to look into "tailored pheremones" (ala shadowrun bioware) to give off a more attractive cocktail of scents to make her appear more desirable. (to which sex/sexual preference she is trying to attract)

Don't forget she can also possibly get her armor (depending on the type) customized to be more "form fitting" and highlight/accentuate her natural curves or make certain physical attributes more noticeable.

Beyond that I generally give any player who makes use of a shower/bath + personal hygiene kit and makeup/aftershave grooming a temporary plus +d4 or d6 to their p.b (depending on the trouble they go to and time they spend on it and if they have a nice set of clothing to go with it.)

It's a quick and easy way to give chars an edge in a social scene if they take the time and effort to bother.

I almost forgot, depending on her chars alignment she may also find it perfect acceptable (or preferable) to take some kind of action to lower her rivals p.b through physcial violence, a spray bottle of skunk spray & butyric acid mist.(even a few drops of the acid smells like a backed up sewage line on a hot day)

You might be surprised. Remember that this the plastic surgery of 200 years from now.

[The Galactus Kid]

Wardrobe and Grooming skill

Ffrom Rifter 19,if you didn't know already.

We also had something (and sadly I don't remembe the name of it right now) in our political campaign artilce in Rifter #28.

[Tiree]

Remember that Charm and Impress is part of the PB Stat. Physical Beauty alone, does not impose the finess of charming or the ability to impress.

So making the character a physical incarnation of a Goddess/God still won't impart them with natural charm and stature to impress folks. That comes from the inside, not the outside.

So - with that regard, I would rule it on a two part portion: Character can get plastic surgery to increase their physical outside looks to a supermodel, but it just doesn't have any true game effect. Except for possible first impression like environments (picking people up at a bar, someone going to them for advice etc...). If they want statistical boost, go with what's written in RAW, certain skills powers, cybernetics, bioware, etc...

And I can see someone being the best plastic surgery being a psychic!

[Lenwen]

So one of my players has expressed interest in upgrading her physical beauty(to spite a psycho ***** NPC of mine who has like an 18)

Short of atlantis bio wizardry what are her options? I thought of faeries, & old fashioned plastic surgery.

Flesh Sculptors ..

Good Flesh Sculptors to be exact ..

[Lenwen]

Send them to a Fleshsculptor

I shoulda read the thread hehe ..

Well said Munchkin

[Silveressa]

You might be surprised. Remember that this the plastic surgery of 200 years from now.

True, although I would assume most street docs/surgeons are busier saving lives/installing cyberware then devoting their time to becoming first rate cosmetic surgeons.

Tracking down one who was capable of improving said PC's p.b could lead to an interesting series of adventures; especially if they want something besides credits for their payment. (Like anything significant a pc wants, the more they work/sweat/bleed getting it, the more they appreciate having it.)

Such a surgeon might themselves be in very high demand on the black market by those wishing to infiltrate coalition ranks, or impersonate a famous figure, (Erin Tarn look alikes?) or change looks to escape a huge debt or crime. ("Rachel, the girl who owed you all that cred for the blazing gun battle in your store that killed all those CS troops? Ya I saw her get the beat down from some juicers the other night, not much left of her by the end. I'm Renee by the way.") Depending on the doc they may not even be willing to see the pc group until they've done something to prove their worth/earn the surgeons trust.

Depending on the amount of alteration the char goes in for, the "new look" might even cause old time friends/allies not to recognize them, making it a genuine hassle to get their "usual seat" at the bar or even get the "preferred customer" discount/speedy service from the repair shop, let alone be recognized as the heroine who saved the town months ago from those rogue bandits.

For a gm looking for adventure concepts (or just ways to make the pc's life more complicated) a trip to the surgeons can provide all sorts of material.

[Prysus]

Remember that Charm and Impress is part of the PB Stat. Physical Beauty alone, does not impose the finess of charming or the ability to impress.

So making the character a physical incarnation of a Goddess/God still won't impart them with natural charm and stature to impress folks. That comes from the inside, not the outside.

Greetings and Salutations. Actually, while I agree with you ideally (in real life), I believe the inner beauty you're describing above be MA (Mental Affinity) by game mechanics. Within the write-up of M.A. it even mentions it represents the character's "personal charm and charisma" (unless it was rewritten in R:UE). So, sadly, P.B. (Physical Beauty) is just that, physical (at least as near as I can tell).
Though I can see it the same way guys (and women) go chasing after that really jaw dropping woman (or man) even when they lack personality and/or intelligence (it may not last, but it's an initial attracton/interest). That's unless I totally misunderstood what you were trying to say by it coming from the inside. Mind you, that's my interpreting things by the rules (not my personal belief of the world), and if that is your house rule then by all means go with it and glad it works for you. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[Captain Shiva]

I believe that the Bionics sourcebook has some items to increase PB.If cybernetics can do all the things it does in Rifts,then increasing PB via plastic surgery should be easier than getting a tooth pulled today.Heck,they should even be able to make breast implants that don't look like implants.

[Crazy Lou]

Remember that Charm and Impress is part of the PB Stat. Physical Beauty alone, does not impose the finess of charming or the ability to impress.

So making the character a physical incarnation of a Goddess/God still won't impart them with natural charm and stature to impress folks. That comes from the inside, not the outside.

Greetings and Salutations. Actually, while I agree with you ideally (in real life), I believe the inner beauty you're describing above be MA (Mental Affinity) by game mechanics. Within the write-up of M.A. it even mentions it represents the character's "personal charm and charisma" (unless it was rewritten in R:UE). So, sadly, P.B. (Physical Beauty) is just that, physical (at least as near as I can tell).
Though I can see it the same way guys (and women) go chasing after that really jaw dropping woman (or man) even when they lack personality and/or intelligence (it may not last, but it's an initial attracton/interest). That's unless I totally misunderstood what you were trying to say by it coming from the inside. Mind you, that's my interpreting things by the rules (not my personal belief of the world), and if that is your house rule then by all means go with it and glad it works for you. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

As I was reading through the thread I was thinking I was going to have to say the same thing, but you beat me to it. So I'll just heap my agreement with this interpretation and add this little bit of clarification: The "charm/impress" of the PB stat I always understood to mean the chance (whether you're trying to or not) of charming someone with your looks. The key is that you don't have to be trying to be charming or impress someone (which would be like the seduction skill or the use of your MA to be charming/impressive). It just happens b/c you're hot and people around you notice and act differently because of it.

[Crazy Lou]

Bionic conversion can also REDUCE PB if you aren't careful though. SB5 also includes rules on the negative effects of bionics. Full Conversion 'Borgs basically get their PB trashed.

But the idea wasn't to use obvious bionic stuff to enhance the character's looks, it was to use cybernetics that happened to be in the bionics sourcebook. As long as the doctor doesn't screw up the procedure and drop the laser scalpel on your face, adding normal "cosmetic cybernetics" (normal stuff anyway -- obviously not weird stuff like fish eyes listed under "cosmetic") won't hurt your PB.