Social Combat (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Contents
Social Combat
Introduction[edit]
I am probably not alone in feeling that D&D is a terrible social game. While social rules are not entirely eschewed as they are in 4e, the 3.5 rules are still more of a background toy for support characters. Apparently all that is needed to bring kings to their knees in their own court is a single die roll, which is dumb. Very dumb.
Afer taking inspiration from the *ahem* "private party" rules from the Guide of Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (no, I will not provide a link, you pervs), below is presented a social skill system that works more like combat.
Rule Mechanics[edit]
Social combat has the goal of bringing down the social status, public trust, or self-esteem of a chosen target, usually to the end of forcing their hand to take actions in compliance with your requests.
New Stat — Face[edit]
Face is your personal image score that works like hit points in social combat. Your base Face rating is equal to the sum of your ability modifiers plus your level. If this would result in a zero, you have no standing normally and cannot participate meaningfully in social combat. If the score is negative, any support you lend has the opposite effect; ie attempts to reduce enemy Face restores Face and attempts to boost ally Face depletes Face.
There are also circumstantial bonuses to Face that grant temporary Face points at the begining of social combat:
- Alignment within one step of the majority of allied and neutral participants: +1 (As per a cleric’s alignment requirements, but the majority must exceed 70% or more to be considered the party alignment, by default neutral)
- Alignment matches majority of allied and neutral paticipants: +5
- Title of Authority, minor: +5 (This title must be recognized as legitimate by the opposing party and openly used)
- Title of Authority, moderate: +10 (As per minor, but also must be vouched for)
- Title of Authority, major: +20 (As per moderate)
- Position of Authority or Control: +10 plus circumstance modifier provided (Any advantageous position in the debate or deal, including abstracts like superior magical or military ability)
On the flip side, there are also circumstances that reduce starting Face:
- Alignment within one step of opposed alignment of the majority: –1 (As per above)
- Alignment is the opposed alignment of the majority: –5 (as per above)
- Limited Authority: –5 (This title must be demonstrated to be inferior and merely known to participants)
- No Authority: –15 (As per above, but also can be used as Shock Value as per below)
- At severe disadvantage: –10 plus circumstance penalty (The inverse of “Position of Authority or Control” above)
Any given audience and participants of social combat is referred to as a social circle. Returning to the same social circle grants the same bonuses as last time, provided it is made of the same or similar individuals.
Only intelligent creatures with a language have Face, and creatures without Face cannot be subject to social combat.
Preparation[edit]
Before social combat, you can gain information at any time before social combat on your intended targets with either Gather Information or the appropriate Knowledge skill. The DC is 10 plus the target's hit dice. Every five points by which a researcher beats the DC gains one bit of information that can be used for Shock Value. See actions below.
The Challenge[edit]
Social combat invariably begins with a challenge. The challenge is an action taken that demonstrates the wish to begin social combat, ie "fighting words" are spouted or a deal is proposed. The parties challenged can choose not to engage, but if the challenger's Face is higher, the challenged party loses Face equal to the difference between the two scores. If accepted, combat begins.
Social Combat Order[edit]
As is natural, at the beginning of combat, it is decided on by all parties who should have the first argument, normally the challenger by default. Each participant gets one action on his turn, selecting a target each time. This target then acts next, in turn selecting his target. It is possible to select multiple targets, though any Face points eliminated or granted are spread among the targets equally, and the targets decide among themselves who has the next argument.
Offensive Actions[edit]
Almost all the social skills have uses in social combat.
Diplomacy - The Argument[edit]
Diplomacy is used to put forth a well-reasoned argument that questions the legitimacy of the target's current stance. The argument is put forth with a Diplomacy check, which sets the DC for a choice of any Knowledge or Perform, Gather Information, Appraise, or Decipher Script check. The topic is up to heavy GM veto on grounds of validity and logic, and any such nonsequitur arguments automatically lose the arguer 10 Face.
- The Defense - Knowledge Reveal Instead of taking a normal social action, the target of an argument can instead make the appropriate check to settle the argument. Beating the DC gains the defender Face equal to the amount he beats the DC by, while failure loses him Face equal to the amount he missed the DC by.
Bluff - Lying and Trickery[edit]
Bluff has uses as an attack and a defense. Bluff can be used to replace any social attack or defense roll, though the bluffer takes a −10 to the check. In addition, Bluff can be used to bait a target. The arguer rolls a Bluff check to create a leading statement or question. If the target falls for the ruse, he must roll a skill check and take an action of the arguer's choosing. Noticing a leading question is a Sense Motive check taken as an action, which can then be reversed as another action, negating the argument entirely.
Intimidate - Fear as a Weapon[edit]
Intimidate is risky, as it depends entirely on standing. This is rolled as an intimidate check to demoralize, with all the same DCs and modifiers. Success indicates the target takes the total of the arguer's Authority and circumstance bonuses as Face damage. Failure indicates the target deals Face damage to the arguer equal to the amount he missed the DC by, and the arguer will take double damage from a Shock Value attack.
Perform - Audience Participation[edit]
If there is a large group of people present and watching the combat, an arguer can use his action to get the crowd on his side, rolling a perform check with a DC equal to 15 plus the highest Face of the crowd. Success indicates he will gain a bonus to his arguments and defenses equal to the amount he beat the DC by. Failure indicates he loses Face equal to the amount he missed the DC by.
This bonus can be eliminated or reduced with a similar Perform check. The DC is the same, and any success not only gains the same kind of bonus, but also subtracts from the bonus of a target of his choice who is benefiting from the crowd bonus.
Shock Value[edit]
If you have a bit of information that can used as Shock Value, you can use it aqainst an applicable target to not only add +10 to any social combat roll, but also to double any resulting damage as you bring shame and revelation as factors into to combat. Once used, that bit of information becomes regular knowledge that can never be used as Shock Value again.
Defensive Actions[edit]
These actions are intended to save Face, not eliminate it.
Call Bluff[edit]
This action takes no roll, as you accuse a statement of being false. It the statment was a Bluff check, the target loses Face equal to his Bluff roll. If the statement was fact, the accuser loses Face equal to half the accused statement roll. This increases to full if the accused can present indisputable evidence that the statement is true.
Trade - The Buy-Off[edit]
At the cost of 1 Face, you may attempt to make an offer to another party. This offer takes the form of a promise of goods or services or promises of aid or action. Once the offer is made, it grants an effective roll equal to 10 plus any modifiers based on usefulness (-10 to +10), value (gp value − average monthly income of target), or personal ties (equivilent to appilcable familiarity as if items offered were Disguised). If the offer is accepted, the trade is made and the target has the option to switch sides. If refused, the arguer still deals Face damage, treating the offer as the defense roll.
Vouche - Universal Save[edit]
The social combat "aid another" action, any character can take a defensive action on the part of a given target, letting the target use his voucher's roll in the place of his own. However, failure means both the original target and the voucher lose Face.
Diplomacy - Waive Argument[edit]
A Dilpomacy check taken as an action against an argument negates the argument with no ill effects if the check beats the arguer's original roll. This action returns the turn to the original arguer, and costs one Face regardless of outcome.
Diplomacy - Show Support[edit]
A Diplomacy check can also be made to make a declaration of support for a given target. Such a declaration lends Face to the target, by beating a DC 20. Face granted is taken from the declarer's own Face and cannot exceed his check result -20.
Sense Motive - Read Target[edit]
By spending one point of Face in effectively not taking an action and returning the turn back to the arguer, a character can roll a Sense Motive check against a free Bluff check made by the arguer. If the reader beats the arguer, he learns what kind of statement the arguement was and the current Face of the arguer. Failure gains nothing, and failure by 10 or more gains false information of the arguer's choice.
Perform - Voice of the Crowd[edit]
If a participant is already benefiting from a crowd bonus, he may use Perform in the place of Diplomacy to vouche or show support.
Effects of Losing Face[edit]
If you have 0 Face, you are a nobody and cannot participate in social combat.
If you have negative Face, you suffer from the aforementioned effects of negative Face in social combat. In addition, you take a penalty to all social rolls equal to your Face if negative.
Regaining Lost Face[edit]
Once lost in a social circle, Face can be difficult to regain. While it is possible via more social combat, it is risky and more difficult for those of low Face. An alternate route is to try to rise in authority and power. Gaining levels and ability score increases elevates your base Face. Finally, performing great deeds that causes others to praise you results in gaining face as per being Shown Support in actions, with the GM rolling the average diplomacy for each group that gives praise. This can often be accomplished simply by going on adventures; deeds that are relatively mundane for PCs may be seen as awe-inspiringly heroic by the population at large.
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