Social Conflicts (D20)
From AdamWiki
The game already handles physical combat really well -- half the book is dedicated to it -- but how does it handle a social conflict? Pretty poorly. The whole thing gets wound up in a single Diplomacy or Intimidate roll, and it ends up coming down to how good a game you talk as a player. If you're a fast-talker and your character isn't, or vice versa, it's not exactly fair. You don't have to actually body check the DM against the wall to use your bull rush ability, right -- as fun as that might be? Also, the DM will probably just set some arbitrary DC for your roll. What do you do?
This is a system of social combat. You can use it to handle any kind of social contest where reputation or willpower is at stake. Want to seduce the maiden? Interrogate a prisoner? Intimidate a bouncer? Bribe a cop? Embarrass a nobleman? Use the social conflict system.
Using these rules, you will resolve social conflicts the same way you resolve combats: hit rolls, armor, damage, and so on. You'll use social versions of base attack bonus, armor class, damage reduction, and hit points. Really, you already know the rules. I just have to tell you how it works for social conflicts.
Rule Flow
Here's the basic flow of a social combat:
- You're role-playing, doing stuff. Along comes some obstacle, but it's a social obstacle. You could kill the person or... nah, you'll talk your way out of this one.
- Every gets clarity on what you want out of this. If you win, what will happen? If you lose?
- Roll for initiative: d20 + Intelligence modifier + social initiative modifiers.
- In initiative order (highest to lowest), each player describes what his character is doing and saying. Each action is a social attack.
- For each attack, roll "to hit": d20 + base social attack bonus + Charisma modifier + social attack modifiers.
- The defender's social defense is 10 + base social defense bonus + Wisdom modifier + social defense modifiers.
- If the attack roll is equal to or higher than the social defense roll, that's a hit.
- A hit causes social damage based on the type of attack you used. Roll the damage.
- The defender subtracts the damage from his current social points (like hit points).
- When your social points reach 0, you are socially incapacitated (you can't engage in social conflicts). When your social pojnts reach -10, you are irredeemably, socially dead.
- Continue until all social combatants have had their turn, then start over at the top of the initiative list.
Initiative
Initiative determines the order in which everyone acts. Your initiative score is d20 + your Intelligence modifier + any additional modifiers given to you by the DM. If you are surprised, then you do not get your Intelligence modifier.
Play moves through the initiative scores (highest to lowest). If you willingly let someone else go before you, this delay changes your initiative score accordingly.
| Level | Barbarians | Fighters, Rangers, Sorcerers | Wizards, Monks, Rogues | Clerics, Paladins | Bards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -2/-2 | -1/-1 | +0/+0 | +0/+0 | +0/+1 |
| 2 | -1/-2 | -1/-1 | +0/+1 | +1/+1 | +1/+2 |
| 3 | -1/-2 | +0/-1 | +1/+1 | +2/+2 | +2/+3 |
| 4 | +0/-1 | +0/+0 | +1/+2 | +3/+3 | +3/+4 |
| 5 | +0/-1 | +1/+0 | +2/+3 | +3/+3 | +4/+5 |
| 6 | +1/-1 | +1/+1 | +2/+3 | +4/+4 | +5/+6 |
| 7 | +1/+0 | +2/+1 | +3/+4 | +5/+5 | +6/+7 |
| 8 | +2/+0 | +2/+2 | +4/+5 | +6/+6 | +7/+8 |
| 9 | +2/+0 | +3/+2 | +4/+5 | +7/+7 | +8/+9 |
| 10 | +3/+1 | +3/+3 | +5/+6 | +7/+7 | +9/+10 |
| 11 | +3/+1 | +4/+3 | +5/+7 | +8/+8 | +10/+11 |
| 12 | +4/+1 | +4/+4 | +6/+7 | +9/+9 | +11/+12 |
| 13 | +4/+2 | +5/+4 | +6/+8 | +10/+10 | +12/+13 |
| 14 | +5/+2 | +5/+5 | +7/+9 | +11/+11 | +13/+14 |
| 15 | +5/+2 | +6/+5 | +7/+9 | +11/+11 | +14/+15 |
| 16 | +6/+3 | +6/+6 | +8/+10 | +12/+12 | +15/+16 |
| 17 | +6/+3 | +7/+6 | +8/+11 | +13/+13 | +16/+17 |
| 18 | +7/+3 | +7/+7 | +9/+11 | +14/+14 | +17/+18 |
| 19 | +7/+4 | +8/+7 | +9/+12 | +15/+15 | +18/+19 |
| 20 | +8/+4 | +8/+8 | +10/+13 | +15/+15 | +19/+20 |
Attacks
Your social attacks might use logic and reason, threats, guilt, or other techniques. You're expected to describe how your character uses these types of attacks and, if you can, role-play what you say. You don't have to be as silver-tongued as your character, though.
Once it's clear how you're attacking, roll to see if your attack harms your opponent. Roll d20 + base social attack bonus + your Charisma modifier + any additional modifiers given to you by the DM or feats and so on. If the number equals or exceeds your target's social defense score, then you have harmed them socially. Roll damage.
Defense
Social defense is your ability to avoid linguistic traps, to stop putting your foot in your mouth, and to turn things back on your opponent. You don't roll your social defense; rather, it's a fixed number: d20 + base defense bonus + your Wisdom modifier + any additional modifiers given to you by the DM or feats and so on.
Damage
Social damage can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the situation. If you're fighting a gossip war with a faceless opponent that you rarely see, the damage might be the opinions of the general populace. If you're struggling to avoid being seduced by the succubus, then the damage might be your social willpower.
| Attack | Attack Bonus | Damage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bribe | +1 | d8 | The DM may decide to give a larger bonus for a larger bribe. |
| Confusion | -2 | d8 | Your next attack is at -2, as well. |
| Exposure | +2 | 2d6 | Can only be used once per fact exposed. |
| Guilt | +0 | d6 | Does an additional d4 damage the next round. |
| Humiliate | -1 | d8 | |
| Insult | +4 | d4 | |
| Logic | +2 | d6 | Must be used with an argument that makes sense. |
| Sarcasm | +2 | d4 | |
| Seduction | +0 | d6 | |
| Threat | +1 | d8 | The threat must be credible. |
Each of the types of attacks in the table above require a certain amount of role-playing. You can't just say, "I'm exposing him!" You must explain how you're exposing him -- more to the point, what embarrassing fact you are bringing to light.
Social Points
Social points (SP) are a combination of your stockpiled political capital, your ability to weather gossip and insults, and your grace under social pressure. Your social points are determined by your class and level.
| Barbarians | Fighters, Rangers, Sorcerers | Wizards, Monks, Rogues | Clerics, Paladins | Bards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP per level | d4 | d6 | d8 | d10 | d12 |
Healing
At the beginning of each day, you heal 1d6 social damage. Magical healing spells cannot restore social damage.
