Question for GMs who include sex in their games


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

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I understand where you're coming from, wanting to have 'realistic' elements like STDs and stuff occur in game, but would caution against it. People play RPGs to have fun, and nothing kills the fantasy like being punished for it. If people feel they're role playing their character by having them have sex, afflicting them with an STD could seem judgemental. As someone earlier said, it can be used to nudge 'that player' away from disrupting the game with stuff like that. The problem can be especially bad if the party weren't even interested in sex in the first place but you went out of your way to incentivise them. To punish them for something you encouraged them to do will feel like entrapment, and could easily make them resent you.

Every party is different though, and I can see plenty of people not minding their character having an STD, seeing it as funny.,but your posts do seem to indicate that you do expect your players to be uncomfortable with it, hence the embarrassment, trying to hide it ect.
Even if everyone else at the table is having a good time, it's at the expense of that one player, who isn't going to appreciate being tricked into the situation in the first place.


I don't see where RPing a sexual encounter enriches the gaming experience. As posted above this could be awkward for the GM or the player, depending on the POV. My group, with the exception of the 12 year old daughter of one my players, are all in their 40s and 50s. Early on in our Pathfinder campaigns (and thankfully before the daughter joined in)he wanted to find a prostitute in a city where they were visiting. I allowed it and he scratched off the amount of gold it cost from his character sheet. Then he wanted me to describe in detail how the session went, including the sexual aspects. I flatly refused and he got a little pissed off about it.
I told him in a voice that was accidentally too loud for the FLGS where we were to find a real woman if he needed to know what it was like so badly. A few people snickered and he never brought it up again.

I used that story just to illustrate my point. IMO, trying to RP sexual encounters or acts is not easy or comfortable for many people. It's something of the most intimate nature and unless everyone is on board it shouldn't be done. It often just becomes a puerile, childish snickering, giggling mess of crass remarks and crude jokes. If you're group act their ages (assuming they're adults)then this shouldn't be something brought to the table at all.


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The same rules apply as for other sub genres (like Horror Adventures or Ponyfinder).

Talk to your players about it and find out what's acceptable, and if it makes someone uncomfortable then don't do it.


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DungeonmasterCal wrote:
I don't see where RPing a sexual encounter enriches the gaming experience... It's something of the most intimate nature and unless everyone is on board it shouldn't be done. It often just becomes a puerile, childish snickering, giggling mess of crass remarks and crude jokes. If you're group act their ages (assuming they're adults)then this shouldn't be something brought to the table at all.

I defiantly agree that it shouldn't be done unless everyone is on board (basic rule for anything sexual in any context), but in this thread people recounted times it enriched the game for them. I think if everyone is up for it, it can add a lot to a game the same way sexual subject matter can be used in every other form of story telling. I mean, a bunch of the most important fantasy series of all time feature it to some extent. Hell, even if it is puerile and crude, there's a place for that in gaming too.

On the other hand, I think the idea of a grownass man getting mad at their friend for not wanting to write and perform erotica for them is ridiculous. That guy's lucky you invited him back.


I hate to be rude, but really??

Jez man, you are way out of your head by opening up this topic. We are here to have a break from the real world, have some fun with friends over chips and cola. But Sex and STDs? You are not setting the mood for orgy aren't you???


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This was a 6-year-old thread that got necro'd this morning...

I prefer to "fade to Black" when things get steamy in-game, and then cut to the next morning.

Two books come to mind on this topic...

The 3.5 OGL Book of Erotic Fantasy by Valar Press. That book got bad press at the time, mainly for the art (digitally manipulated photographs). The text treated the topic seriously and with maturity... although it mostly avoided same-sex relations and gender identity issues. (Not surprising, as it was published about 15 years ago.)

The "3.75" OGL Book of Passion. I haven't read this one, but I respect the authors.


As I run highly interactive and adaptable environments for my players to explore and influence, I find that I need sources like these to influence how I handle certain scenarios that pop up. While I do "fade to black" for the steamy bits, actions in my games have consequences and that barmaid you wooed might just come knocking 9 months later when you are much more successful and she has another mouth to feed. It is very possible that you might contract some sort of transmitted disease depending on your choices. No real effects until the disease gets quite advanced, aside from superficial symptoms.

You might not like it but you aren't playing my games, nor should you if you don't.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Haladir wrote:
The "3.75" OGL Book of Passion. I haven't read this one, but I respect the authors.

As a kickstarter backer of this product, I consider it very well done, with great care taken not to let it fall into puerile tittilation. Some of the art isn’t to my taste, but that is art which doesn’t match my sexuality and personal kinks, and I am fully aware that art isn’t meant for me.

I recommend it to anyone who is interested in mechanics (spells, feats, rules, archetypes) about sex, sexual behaviour, and reproduction.

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