Relationship Based Social System
Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 11:47 am
I have this concept I'm playing around with to stand in for the usually problematic "social skills" in a classic d20 fantasy game. Hopefully, it will work especially well for intrigue or politics heavy games where social connections play significant roles. I'm looking for general critique on whether or not it's interesting or useful to begin with, and how I might adjust some elements of the system to make it run more smoothly and on some key points I've highlighted.
Important summary points:
1. I'm stripping out level based increases to social roles. There is no "diplomacy" skill you can get better at, everything is handled via this system.
2. I'm not entirely sure what to do with the charisma attribute, but I'm pretty certain it won't add to checks themselves. Either I'll avoid adding any attribute bonus to checks, or I'll have the GM decide on the fly which attribute is most appropriate.
3. Each roll will incorporate many parts of discussion, but the ultimate goal is getting whoever you're talking to do something. Bluffing is particularly affected by this change, as it's now a means to an end, instead of something you check to see if you pulled off.
4. This system is centralized around PCs. A different system of resolution will be necessary for NPC-to-NPC interaction, likely much more streamlined and further abstracted.
5. Despite a lot of numbers, this system has big elements of GM fiat. I think with strong example tables (not yet included, but I'm working on those) and some GMing advice, abuses of the system from that end can be kept to a minimum.
Social checks are made against a set of specific DCs. The exact numbers are tentative and will vary based on precisely how I end up structuring bonuses. These are generic definitions for now, I'll flesh them out with examples once I've got the system nailed down.
Easy checks (DC 10) represent trivial tasks that pose no real risk or loss on behalf of the target.
Medium checks (DC 15) represent tasks that pose some risk or loss on behalf of the target, but aren't ultimately life or livelihood threatening.
Hard checks (DC 20) represent tasks that post considerable risk or loss on behalf of the target, up to including permanent injury, death or loss of livelihood.
Two types of modifiers affect each social check, Relationships and Arguments.
Relationships
Relationships represent the ethical and pathetic connections between the PC and the target of his persuasion. Only one relationship may be used on each social check, usually the PC's highest applicable bonus. However, if a player has a relevant negative relationship, he must use it or a more specific relationship.*
Players receive a number of points based on level (and maybe class or charisma modifier) to spend on relationships, either through the course of play or at character creation (more on this later). There are three categories of relationship representing varying levels of specificity, and three types of relationship to abstract their nature. Each category has its own range of bonuses and cost. Players will record each relationship separately on their character sheets, noting which category and type they are, like so:
Regional Friendship: Lightsbridge +3
Personal Enmity: Sir Andrew -2
Organizational Devotion: Guardians of the King +1
All categories and types conveniently start with different letters, allowing abbreviations for good measure.
RF: Lightsbridge +3
PE: Sir Andrew -2
OD: Guards of the King +1
Categories:
Regional Relationships represent a PC's general understanding and manipulation of various cultures. Precise regional boundaries are up to the DM, but generally nations or culture groups are good starting points. Regional relationships may be of any type, but devotion may never be purchased at character creation. Bonuses are rated from +1 to +5 and cost 4 points each.**
Organizational Relationships represent a PC's ties to a specific organization, like a church, order of knights, mystical library or adventurer's guild. Organizational relationships may be of any type, but devotion may never be purchased at character creation. Bonuses are rated from 1-6 and cost 2 points each.**
Personal Relationships represent a PC's ties to a specific individual. The exact nature of this relationship is up to the PC and the GM. Note that you might have "friendship" type relationships that are not conventional friendships, but might be business deals or even love. Personal relationships may be of any type and devotion may be purchased at character creation with GM approval. Bonuses are rated from 1-9 and cost 1 point each.**
Types:
Friendship relationships are mutual. PCs gain the bonus on checks to influence NPCs, and those NPCs gain the same bonus to influence PCs. PCs may always ignore a successful check from an NPC if they don't want to, but must decrease the relationship value by 1 each time they do. They are not compensated for this loss of points.
Devotion relationships represent servitude, extreme debts of honor, or worship. PCs gain the bonus on checks to influence NPCs and NPCs gain nothing. Devotion relationships require GM approval to purchase and can only be built on top of friendship (see the acquiring relationships section).
Enmity relationships represent negative relationships toward the PCs, standing in for NPCs that hate them, or envy them or otherwise are ill-disposed to help them. They are expressed as negatives, up to the same value as positive modifiers in each category.
Acquiring Relationships
Players get a number of relationship points to spend equal to (level+class/attribute bonus)x2 at character creation, and then an additional 2+class/attribute bonus per level. Obviously, you'll need to discuss precisely what regions, organizations and NPCs are going to be relevant to the campaign to spend these on. This can be run a few ways, and probably will generally be a combination of all of them:
1. GMs may prepare specific lists of each relationship subject for the players.
2. Players may create NPCs or organizations or possibly even regions at character creation.
3. Players may spend points when they encounter NPCs/organizations/regions (possibly barred by GM permission), effectively nominating anything they choose to play a significant role in the campaign.
I need some sort of limit on expenditure rate, probably with lots of caveats that players may spend more if the GM allows, and GM advice, suggesting when it might be appropriate. As a baseline, I'm thinking you can buy 1 degree of increased bonus in each category per session, and that you must have interacted with each relationship target you want to improve.
Players may also decrease enmity with relationship points, subject to the same spending limits, with GM permission.
Players can also acquire relationship points by taking on enmity. Each point of enmity a player takes on gives them relationship points equal to its cost. Enmity may be acquired by player initiative according to the guidelines above, or may be assigned to players by the GM (say, dropping a hostile guard on the players, or enmeshing them in church politics, or starting them all in nation at war with another). Again, this means that if the GM introduces a character who hates you, you get relationship points to spend, though the GM will probably exert some control over exactly how they can be spent.
Players can spend relationship points to buy friendship with any category of relationship. Devotion can only be bought when the players have either:
1. achieved the maximum friendship bonus in a relationship category and gotten GM approval, or
2. complete some sort of story event/epic quest, at which point a GM might allow you to buy devotion directly.
If players acquire devotion via the first method, they will have both a friendship and devotion type relationship for the target. Decrease the friendship target's (this language needs so much work >.<) against the PC by the devotion bonus.
(Whew! Halfway done with the system!)
Arguments
This is the weaker, less developed part of the system and is a lot more freeform. I could really use some help here. This part of the system is by necessity going to require more GM judgement than other crunchy social systems, but I think it's a worthwhile trade for the relationship component and more natural roleplaying it incentives. I'm sure I could mitigate some of the problem with good examples and with how this part of the system is structured, just not how best to go about it. Right now it feels inelegant and clunky. I'm also not sure how strong I want arguments to be compared to relationships and the die roll. As written here, they're probably too strong.
When making a social check, players will need to need to make some kind of persuasive argument. This system is designed to convert whatever roleplaying they do into a number that can be incorporated into the final check. Each "argument" a player makes will fall into one of the categories below, and is then rated from 1-3 (a process that could be handled by GM fiat, possibly with a table of interperable results to inform the decision, or possibly by group consensus). Arguments are divided into two categories, positive and negative. Positive arguments run no risk, while negative arguments may be turned into penalties, but are twice as effective as positive arguments. If a negative argument backfires, the PC loses 1 point of friendship relationship with the target or if he has no friendship with the target, gains 1 enmity relationship. Devotion relationships are unaffected (though GMs may rule they can be decreased by several such arguments over time).
Generally, no more than two arguments can be made per check, but this limit might be changed for a specific check by the GM for story reasons (insert GM advice here). Some arguments have additional effects or limitations listed in their descriptions.
Positive Arguments:
Logical Appeal: This is the standard, straight up argument for the best course of action. Can only provide a +2 bonus at most.
Flattery: Appealing to a target's sense of superiority or self-worth, perhaps by buttering them up with compliments. Can only provide a +2 bonus at most.
Information: Presenting the target with information he doesn't yet know or secrets he'd like to know. If the information is not new to the target or holds no worth to him, this argument provides no bonus.
Negative Arguments:
Gifts/Bribes: Offering material gain to the social check's target. If the target is amenable to the bribe, this applies a bonus, if not, it applies as a penalty.
Threats: Promising harm to the target if he doesn't comply. Counts as a penalty if the target doesn't buy the threat.
Lying: This is the same as presenting information, except the information is fictitious. If the PC is found out or the target already knows better, it counts as a penalty instead of a bonus.
Notes
*This section is clunky. I think there should be an easier way to set this up.
**Bonuses are fairly easy to adjust once I settle on final target numbers and the potential effectiveness of arguments, but costs are harder. I'm particularly keen to hear input about how best to tune them.
Important summary points:
1. I'm stripping out level based increases to social roles. There is no "diplomacy" skill you can get better at, everything is handled via this system.
2. I'm not entirely sure what to do with the charisma attribute, but I'm pretty certain it won't add to checks themselves. Either I'll avoid adding any attribute bonus to checks, or I'll have the GM decide on the fly which attribute is most appropriate.
3. Each roll will incorporate many parts of discussion, but the ultimate goal is getting whoever you're talking to do something. Bluffing is particularly affected by this change, as it's now a means to an end, instead of something you check to see if you pulled off.
4. This system is centralized around PCs. A different system of resolution will be necessary for NPC-to-NPC interaction, likely much more streamlined and further abstracted.
5. Despite a lot of numbers, this system has big elements of GM fiat. I think with strong example tables (not yet included, but I'm working on those) and some GMing advice, abuses of the system from that end can be kept to a minimum.
Social checks are made against a set of specific DCs. The exact numbers are tentative and will vary based on precisely how I end up structuring bonuses. These are generic definitions for now, I'll flesh them out with examples once I've got the system nailed down.
Easy checks (DC 10) represent trivial tasks that pose no real risk or loss on behalf of the target.
Medium checks (DC 15) represent tasks that pose some risk or loss on behalf of the target, but aren't ultimately life or livelihood threatening.
Hard checks (DC 20) represent tasks that post considerable risk or loss on behalf of the target, up to including permanent injury, death or loss of livelihood.
Two types of modifiers affect each social check, Relationships and Arguments.
Relationships
Relationships represent the ethical and pathetic connections between the PC and the target of his persuasion. Only one relationship may be used on each social check, usually the PC's highest applicable bonus. However, if a player has a relevant negative relationship, he must use it or a more specific relationship.*
Players receive a number of points based on level (and maybe class or charisma modifier) to spend on relationships, either through the course of play or at character creation (more on this later). There are three categories of relationship representing varying levels of specificity, and three types of relationship to abstract their nature. Each category has its own range of bonuses and cost. Players will record each relationship separately on their character sheets, noting which category and type they are, like so:
Regional Friendship: Lightsbridge +3
Personal Enmity: Sir Andrew -2
Organizational Devotion: Guardians of the King +1
All categories and types conveniently start with different letters, allowing abbreviations for good measure.
RF: Lightsbridge +3
PE: Sir Andrew -2
OD: Guards of the King +1
Categories:
Regional Relationships represent a PC's general understanding and manipulation of various cultures. Precise regional boundaries are up to the DM, but generally nations or culture groups are good starting points. Regional relationships may be of any type, but devotion may never be purchased at character creation. Bonuses are rated from +1 to +5 and cost 4 points each.**
Organizational Relationships represent a PC's ties to a specific organization, like a church, order of knights, mystical library or adventurer's guild. Organizational relationships may be of any type, but devotion may never be purchased at character creation. Bonuses are rated from 1-6 and cost 2 points each.**
Personal Relationships represent a PC's ties to a specific individual. The exact nature of this relationship is up to the PC and the GM. Note that you might have "friendship" type relationships that are not conventional friendships, but might be business deals or even love. Personal relationships may be of any type and devotion may be purchased at character creation with GM approval. Bonuses are rated from 1-9 and cost 1 point each.**
Types:
Friendship relationships are mutual. PCs gain the bonus on checks to influence NPCs, and those NPCs gain the same bonus to influence PCs. PCs may always ignore a successful check from an NPC if they don't want to, but must decrease the relationship value by 1 each time they do. They are not compensated for this loss of points.
Devotion relationships represent servitude, extreme debts of honor, or worship. PCs gain the bonus on checks to influence NPCs and NPCs gain nothing. Devotion relationships require GM approval to purchase and can only be built on top of friendship (see the acquiring relationships section).
Enmity relationships represent negative relationships toward the PCs, standing in for NPCs that hate them, or envy them or otherwise are ill-disposed to help them. They are expressed as negatives, up to the same value as positive modifiers in each category.
Acquiring Relationships
Players get a number of relationship points to spend equal to (level+class/attribute bonus)x2 at character creation, and then an additional 2+class/attribute bonus per level. Obviously, you'll need to discuss precisely what regions, organizations and NPCs are going to be relevant to the campaign to spend these on. This can be run a few ways, and probably will generally be a combination of all of them:
1. GMs may prepare specific lists of each relationship subject for the players.
2. Players may create NPCs or organizations or possibly even regions at character creation.
3. Players may spend points when they encounter NPCs/organizations/regions (possibly barred by GM permission), effectively nominating anything they choose to play a significant role in the campaign.
I need some sort of limit on expenditure rate, probably with lots of caveats that players may spend more if the GM allows, and GM advice, suggesting when it might be appropriate. As a baseline, I'm thinking you can buy 1 degree of increased bonus in each category per session, and that you must have interacted with each relationship target you want to improve.
Players may also decrease enmity with relationship points, subject to the same spending limits, with GM permission.
Players can also acquire relationship points by taking on enmity. Each point of enmity a player takes on gives them relationship points equal to its cost. Enmity may be acquired by player initiative according to the guidelines above, or may be assigned to players by the GM (say, dropping a hostile guard on the players, or enmeshing them in church politics, or starting them all in nation at war with another). Again, this means that if the GM introduces a character who hates you, you get relationship points to spend, though the GM will probably exert some control over exactly how they can be spent.
Players can spend relationship points to buy friendship with any category of relationship. Devotion can only be bought when the players have either:
1. achieved the maximum friendship bonus in a relationship category and gotten GM approval, or
2. complete some sort of story event/epic quest, at which point a GM might allow you to buy devotion directly.
If players acquire devotion via the first method, they will have both a friendship and devotion type relationship for the target. Decrease the friendship target's (this language needs so much work >.<) against the PC by the devotion bonus.
(Whew! Halfway done with the system!)
Arguments
This is the weaker, less developed part of the system and is a lot more freeform. I could really use some help here. This part of the system is by necessity going to require more GM judgement than other crunchy social systems, but I think it's a worthwhile trade for the relationship component and more natural roleplaying it incentives. I'm sure I could mitigate some of the problem with good examples and with how this part of the system is structured, just not how best to go about it. Right now it feels inelegant and clunky. I'm also not sure how strong I want arguments to be compared to relationships and the die roll. As written here, they're probably too strong.
When making a social check, players will need to need to make some kind of persuasive argument. This system is designed to convert whatever roleplaying they do into a number that can be incorporated into the final check. Each "argument" a player makes will fall into one of the categories below, and is then rated from 1-3 (a process that could be handled by GM fiat, possibly with a table of interperable results to inform the decision, or possibly by group consensus). Arguments are divided into two categories, positive and negative. Positive arguments run no risk, while negative arguments may be turned into penalties, but are twice as effective as positive arguments. If a negative argument backfires, the PC loses 1 point of friendship relationship with the target or if he has no friendship with the target, gains 1 enmity relationship. Devotion relationships are unaffected (though GMs may rule they can be decreased by several such arguments over time).
Generally, no more than two arguments can be made per check, but this limit might be changed for a specific check by the GM for story reasons (insert GM advice here). Some arguments have additional effects or limitations listed in their descriptions.
Positive Arguments:
Logical Appeal: This is the standard, straight up argument for the best course of action. Can only provide a +2 bonus at most.
Flattery: Appealing to a target's sense of superiority or self-worth, perhaps by buttering them up with compliments. Can only provide a +2 bonus at most.
Information: Presenting the target with information he doesn't yet know or secrets he'd like to know. If the information is not new to the target or holds no worth to him, this argument provides no bonus.
Negative Arguments:
Gifts/Bribes: Offering material gain to the social check's target. If the target is amenable to the bribe, this applies a bonus, if not, it applies as a penalty.
Threats: Promising harm to the target if he doesn't comply. Counts as a penalty if the target doesn't buy the threat.
Lying: This is the same as presenting information, except the information is fictitious. If the PC is found out or the target already knows better, it counts as a penalty instead of a bonus.
Notes
*This section is clunky. I think there should be an easier way to set this up.
**Bonuses are fairly easy to adjust once I settle on final target numbers and the potential effectiveness of arguments, but costs are harder. I'm particularly keen to hear input about how best to tune them.