Musings on a mechanical system to handle checks in social situations
There are many different ways to approach social situations. Some approaches work better than others, depending on the individuals involved and the situation. Flattery, eloquence, and etiquette may prove effective in convincing the seneschal to grant your request for an audience with the king, while a stern backbone and well-placed implied threat may be more effective to convince the local gang you’re not worth messing with.
Stats
- Opinion (how much do they like you)
- Resistance (how opposed to the idea are they)
- Annoyance (how fed up with you are they)
- Composure / Standing (hit points)
- Demeanor (NPC’s reaction to you)
Your argument has a “Convincingness” score (how reasonable and convincing the argument is). The target has a “Resistance” score (how much they like/trust/respect you). If the “Convincingness” of your argument exceeds the target’s “Resistance”, they will agree with your request (in a way that makes sense for the character).
Multiple types of social combat:
- 1v1 (you trying to convince your target to agree to something)
- Competing arguments (multiple parties trying to convince a third party)
- Competition for standing (two or more parties trying to convince a more general audience)
Low Society: You know the unspoken etiquette of life on the streets. You can move through street environments without drawing attention to yourself (conversely, you also know how to effectively get others’ attention in this environment, if that is your goal). You don’t need to roll checks for routine uses of this skill.
Social Combat “Attacks”
- Appeal to Logic (increase the strength of your argument)
- Appeal to Emotion (decrease the target’s resistance)
- Make Concession (decrease the target’s resistance while modifying your request)
- Ultimatum / Final Offer (attempt to end the encounter, do or die)
Social Combat “Saves”
- Etiquette (gain standing or avoid losing standing)
- Deflect
Moves
- Read a Person
- Read the Room
- Interrogate
- Convince
- Bargain
- Mislead/Distract/Trick
- Built Rapport/Soften/Soothe (change somebody’s attitude)
- Find Common Ground