Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)/Affability
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Affability
Affability is a social skill. It allows you to influence how people feel about you, and use their fondness for you to push them a bit farther than they would go for others. Those with exceptional skill in affability can talk others out of blinding rages or into potentially suicidal actions.
Key Attribute: Charisma
Check Modifiers
| Target Attitude | Check Modifier | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Murderous | -20 | Tries to murder you on sight, and is more likely to scream at you than say something. |
| Hostile | -15 | Hates you and would probably frame or stab you if they could get away with it. |
| Unfriendly | -10 | Dislikes you and would passively frustrate your goals. |
| Indifferent | -5 | Doesn’t have any inclination to help or hinder you. |
| Friendly | +0 | Likes you and would assist you if it’s convenient. |
| Helpful | +5 | Likes you and would assist you just because you asked. |
| Rushing | Check Modifier |
|---|---|
| 10 minutes -> 2 1/2 minute1 | -5 |
| 2 1/2 minutes -> 5 rounds1 | -5 |
| 5 rounds -> 1 round1 | -5 |
| |
Rank 1 Uses
Push an Agreement
| Haggling |
| Haggling slows the game down and puts the whole spotlight on a single player while it is happening, but it is common in the period and people want to do it. This ability can be used as a way to hurry the process along to acceptable levels. It is presented here as a sidebar instead of actual rules because some DMs really don't like that sort of thing. You should confirm with your DM that they are willing to allow you to haggle with this ability before attempting it.
If haggling is allowed, you may use this skill ability to talk merchants into buying your gear for more money than they normally would and selling you their own merchandise for less than they normally would. In those cases you may simply offer a price and make a check against it. The seller may use the item level of the piece in question in place of their own level. Each 10% change in price that is not in their favor is considered a +2 unfavorability penalty to the DC of this check. In no case can you haggle an item to below 60% of its actual price, nor can you talk a merchant into buying something used from you for more than 60% of its actual price. By making this check you agree to buy the item at full price if you fail the check, so you can not make a haggle check for items you can not afford at full price. Similarly, you agree to accept the initial offer if you fail in your attempt to drive up the cost. While this isn't how most haggling negotiations go in life, it is the only mechanical way to keep players from just always pushing for the biggest gain and splitting the difference if they fail. |
Sometimes you can present an agreement, and the other party remains hesitant to accept it. Maybe you have to talk people into going along with a crazy plan or otherwise helping you out when they don’t really want to, or maybe they’re just being indecisive. You’re able to push them a bit, getting people to agree when they otherwise might not, just because you’re a nice likeable guy. This action requires one minute, or ten full-round actions, worth of conversation, which can only occur after an agreement has been ironed out that both sides would at least consider agreeing to. Any offer or counter offer that you push on someone or an opposing side has to be something they could consider agreeing to in general or it is disregarded. You can’t push people to do something self-destructive, against their nature, or otherwise completely opposed to their values, duties, obligations, or self-interest. There are no hard limits on the number of targets you can make accept an agreement with this ability, so long as they are all on the same "side" and are willing to be bound by the same terms. If you were sitting opposite a negotiating team or addressing a full session of parliament you could attempt to use the ability on all present (though sub-factions within a parliament would likely be treated as individual sides and have separate DCs, and possibly subject to outright refusal).
After spending one minute talking them into it, make an affability check against a DC of 10 + the EL of the opposing "side" + the highest Wis modifier of the other side, + an additional modifier based on the terms of the agreement. Agreements the targets have reason to believe are very favorable to them can decrease the DC by up to -10, while bargains they might believe are unfavorable may increase it by up to +10, at the DM’s discretion. You know what the check DC is before you attempt it, and your check against this DC is modified by their attitude towards you as indicated on the table above. Their acceptance of and feelings towards the deal are indicated in the check results below.
Note: This skill may be used on a player by an NPC at some point, especially if the players are being indecisive. In those cases, you should accept that everybody gets fast talked once in a while, and that it might happen to your character once in a while too. An NPC successfully using this ability on you is not very different from one using the suggestion spell, except that they can’t force you to do objectionable things. You should just roll with it, treating the NPC appropriately based on how well they convinced you to participate.
Base DC: 10 + CR + Wis mod
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: They agree to the deal, and do not look unkindly on it regardless of the favorability of it.
- DC+5 to DC+9: They agree to the deal, and do not look unkindly on it unless it was particularly unfavorable.
- DC+0 to DC+4: They agree to the deal, but may feel taken advantage of if it was an unfavorable arrangement. The actual terms of the deal dictate how the target feels about the character in the future.
- DC-1 to DC-5: They agree to the deal, but feel poorly towards it regardless of the favorability of it. Target may become less friendly towards the character, feeling pushed into a deal that they didn’t really want to make.
- DC-6 and below: They refuse the deal, regardless of its terms. No one likes a pushy salesman. New terms must be agreed to if a deal is to be reached, and they should generally be better for the other side.
Rank 4 Uses
Let’s Not Be Hasty
Sometimes people try to stab you before you can give them a reason not to. With just a moment, a smile, and a well turned phrase you can delay a hostile creature from attacking you and your allies. Delay is the key word here, as you can not hold an opponent back from attacking you if he has already started doing it, or if he knows that you’ve already started attacking him. You may include up to one additional person per rank in affability, though they must also be not yet engaged in the fight.
Using this ability is a standard action, allowing you to make an affability check against a DC of 10 + the highest of your opponents' level + Cha modifier totals. A target can always choose to replace this base DC with an Intimidation check, though they must stick with the result even if it is lower than the base DC would otherwise be. Each subsequent check this encounter increases the DC by +2.
If you succeed, as indicated in the check results below, you give your opponents pause and they will not approach within 10 feet or attack immediately on their turn. If you wish to delay them after that point, you must succeed on the check again on your next turn or give them some other reason not to attack, such that they change their mind on their own. Any obvious attempt at escape as well as any obviously aggressive action by you or your affected allies automatically ends this effect, leaving your attackers free to do as they like.
Base DC: 10 + Character Level + Wis mod, +2 for each prior check this encounter
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: Your opponents aren't really sure how to proceed with your group. They don't even try to encircle or glare at you. This effect lasts up to 4 rounds, as long as you don't take any offensive actions or attempt to flee.
- DC+5 to DC+9: Your opponents do not attack you this round or the next. They might circle around you, glare menacingly and taunt you, or just go attack something else, but they don’t take any offensive action against you or your non-participating allies this round or the next unless you attack them first or attempt to flee.
- DC+0 to DC+4: Your opponents do not attack you this round. They may circle you or threaten you, but they don’t take any offensive action against you or your party unless you attack them first or attempt to flee.
- DC-1 and below: If their intent was to bring violence to you, that is what your opponents do.
Rank 6 Uses
Seriously Likeable
A smile and kind word from you can melt even the coldest heart. With 10 minutes of interaction and an affability check, you can positively change the attitude of your target towards yourself or another person or group. This shift is a natural shift in attitude, and is not enforced by anything. If you mistreat or disappoint a person while their attitude has been changed, they are likely to respond more negatively than before. Even if you don’t mistreat the person, their attitude will likely revert back to its original level unless you spend time earning it. The base DC for this check is 10 + their CR + their Wis modifier. The DC is is increased by 2 if you attempt to shift the target’s attitude for someone else. Your check result is modified by their attitude towards you, as indicated in the table above. You can use this ability with small groups of people, affecting up to 1 target per 3 ranks in affability, though you only make one check result to compare against each of their individual DCs.
You may not retry this check during the same encounter, but you may use it on someone multiple times over multiple meetings. It is very difficult, however, to repeat the effect and make progress with someone you have previously used this ability on. After the initial time you use this on a person, they are treated as Hostile for purposes of this check (though their actual attitude towards you may be different). Note that this shift in attitude does not stack with the shift gained from the Campaigner ability. You can not improve the attitude of an individual with the Campaigner ability any further if you have already improved it with this ability.
Base DC: 10 + Character Level + Wis mod, +2 if attempting to shift target’s attitude towards another person
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: You shift their attitude 3 steps in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC+5 to DC+9: You shift their attitude 2 steps in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC+0 to DC+4: You shift their attitude 1 steps in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to shift their attitude at all.
- DC-6 and below: You say something that they take absolutely the wrong way and shift their attitude 1 step in the negative direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond hostile, and probably start a fight if they become hostile towards you.
Rank 8 Uses
Campaigner
Crowds love listening to you, and tend to like you better afterwards. While addressing a crowd of any size, you can try to make them friendlier to yourself or another individual. The effect of this is similar to the Seriously Likeable ability, but on a wider and less personal scale. If you have 10 minutes to address a crowd, whether it’s from a podium or the chopping block, you can make an affability check against a DC of 15 + the average CR of the crowd + the average Wis modifier of the crowd. The prevailing attitude of the crowd towards you modifies check as well. If you succeed on the check, you positively change the attitude of a number of people indicated by your check result by one step. In crowds of mixed CR, you always influence the lowest CR individuals first.
You may reuse this ability on the same crowd multiple times as long as you have not failed so badly as to sour them, but no member of the crowd can be affected more than once. Later uses may be easier than earlier uses however, since the prevailing attitude of the crowd will eventually improve as you succeed. For those affected, this shift in attitude is natural and is not enforced by anything. If you mistreat or disappoint a person while their attitude has been changed, they are likely to respond more negatively than before. Even if you don’t mistreat the person, their attitude will likely revert back to its original level unless you spend time earning it.
This shift in attitude does not stack with the shift in attitude obtained from the Seriously Likeable ability. If you later use that ability on an individual still under the effect of this ability, reduce any positive attitude shift by one level to account for the non-stacking.
Base DC: 15 + the average CR of the crowd + the average Wis modifier of the crowd
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: You shift the attitude of up to six times your ranks in affability worth of individuals by 1 step in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC+5 to DC+9: You shift the attitude of up to twice your ranks in affability worth of individuals by 1 step in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC+0 to DC+4: You shift the attitude of up to your ranks in affability worth of individuals by 1 step in the positive direction. You can not shift an attitude beyond helpful.
- DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to shift the attitude of anyone in the crowd.
- DC-6 and below: You fail at working the crowd, and shift the prevailing attitude of the crowd one step negatively. This is not a shift in individual attitudes and will pass quickly, but for now they are less warm to you and your cause than they were before. You may not use the campaigner ability again on this crowd.
Voice of Serenity
When you turn on the charm, marshals find it hard to inspire either courage or ire against you and even berserkers find you difficult to hate. You can counter morale effects and rage and anger effects just by talking to your foes. As a standard action, you can make an affability check against the effect’s save DC + the effect’s level (in the case of spells like Mindless Rage or Bless) or 10 + the effect user’s character level + the effect user’s Chr modifier (in the case of class abilities like Rage or Inspire Courage). You do not suffer a penalty to your roll based on the target's attitude towards you. If you succeed on the check, you suppress the ability as indicated in the check result table below. You can affect up to 1 target per 2 ranks in affability, but you compare your roll to the DCs for each effect to see which are suppressed and which are not.
You may use both this ability and the Let’s Not Be Hasty ability as part of the same standard action. When you are using both abilities at the same time, you only make one roll and compare it against all target DCs.
Base DC: Effect Save DC + Effect level, or 10 + User’s Character Level + Cha mod
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: You suppress the effect for 3 rounds without additional checks or actions, at the end of which it is dispelled effect on your targets. If they wish to regain the lost benefit they must reuse the ability, recast the spell, or otherwise restart its effects. This probably makes them sad. Anyone freed from an effect with this ability is considered to have made a save against it.
- DC+5 to DC+9: You suppress the effect in your targets for this round, and may continue suppressing it for up to two additional rounds without an additional check. You must spend a swift action in the additional rounds to keep the effects suppressed. At the end of that time the effects return if their duration has not expired, though you may make a new check as a standard action to suppress them again.
- DC+0 to DC+4: You suppress the effect in your targets for this round. Next round the effects return if their duration has not expired, though you may make a new check as a standard action to suppress them again.
- DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to affect the ability this round, but may try again next round if you like.
- DC-6 and below: After planting your foot firmly in your mouth, you become unable to affect this instance of the ability at all. Any further retries are futile, and you should really find something else to do with your actions next round.
Rank 12 Uses
Do it for Me, Please
Sometimes people walk off buildings, just because you asked nicely. This is similar to your Push an Agreement ability, except that you can convince people to do things against their natures or that are suicidal. The DC for this check is 10 + their CR + their wis mod. Your check result is modified by their attitude towards you and towards your request. If you are asking someone to do something that is just against their nature, their attitude towards you temporarily moves one step negative. If you are asking someone to do something obviously suicidal, their attitude towards you temporarily moves two steps more negative. These temporary shifts likely become permanent shifts, as determined by your check result. So while it isn’t especially difficult to get them to fulfill your request, it is hard to make them continue liking you afterwards.
Base DC: 10 + Character Level + Wis mod
Check Result:
- DC+10 and above: They perform your request. The shift in attitude as a result of your request, while permanent, is reduced by two steps. Yes, this really means that you could ask someone to steal for you and they would like you more for it afterwards. People are weird like that.
- DC+5 to DC+9: They perform your request. The shift in attitude as a result of your request, while permanent, is reduced by one step.
- DC+0 to DC+4: They perform your request, but the shift in attitude based on it is permanent.
- DC-1 to DC-5: They refuse to fulfill your request. Their attitude towards you shifts negatively one step.
- DC-6 and below: They refuse to perform the task you ask of them, and their attitude towards you immediately shifts to unfriendly. If it was already unfriendly, it shifts to hostile. If it was already hostile it stays there, but they like you even less. Avoiding dark alleys with them is recommended.
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