I’ll be the third to answer the question posted by OP. (With no offense intended to those who shared their thoughts on the tradeoff without opining on the numbers.) The three of us actually have a consensus! 8/7 (or possibly 7/8)
The OP actually asked for the rating for “either a play partner or someone you'd actually want to be in a relationship with.” For me, it’s the same answer for both, and the same as one other who answered -- 8 looks, 7 ticklishness. I don’t need or even want crazy ticklish, because I’m a nonsadistic “Ler” who tries to never hear a safe word. Though I could be persuaded to make it 7 looks and 8 ticklishness 🙂
Milagros, if I read your algebra correctly (it has been awhile), you’re in the same place I am, for if a “total score” is the product of the two numbers, then a 7/8 combo (56) is the highest possible outcome. My tweak is, the indication that a and b both have to be at least 3 is unnecessary, for if neither number can be more than 10 and the total is 15, each number necessarily is at least a 5. But I agree on the concept!
I’ll try not to dive into the tired old TMF battle, where people generally acknowledge that looks matter but there is a point where one can be over-the-top about that arguable regrettable but clearly unavoidable fact. But I will say that I think the OP is just fine. This is a fantasy thread. Personality and all the other desirable qualities of a person can be assumed as constants. I think we all would acknowledge that the 2 characteristics OP identifies are ones that most of us would like in a partner (but of course, not the only ones). I see nothing wrong with asking people their view on a trade-off between the two.
