Social encounters begin with intent.
Conversation is not a button to press or a roll to demand. It is a scene in the world.
The players decide what they want, how they approach, and what their characters actually say or do.
The Referee answers through the NPC.
Before dice are considered, ask:
Question | Meaning |
|---|---|
What do you want? | The goal |
How do you seek it? | The approach |
What do you say or do? | The action |
Resolve the action, not the wish.
A character cannot simply say, “I persuade the guard.”
They must offer a reason, a threat, a lie, a bribe, a plea, a command, or something else that could matter in the fiction.
The goal is what the character wants from the exchange.
Examples:
“We want the guard to let us pass.”
“We want the merchant to lower the price.”
“We want the prisoner to reveal who hired them.”
“We want the priest to shelter us for the night.”
The goal tells the table what is at stake.
It does not decide the outcome.
The approach is how the character pursues the goal.
Examples:
Approach | Use |
|---|---|
Connect | Build rapport, share trust, find common ground |
Assert | Command, pressure, demand, or intimidate |
Understand | Read motives, fears, lies, or hesitation |
Convince | Change someone’s mind with reason or emotion |
Negotiate | Offer terms, trade, favors, coin, or leverage |
Deceive | Mislead, conceal truth, impersonate, or distract |
These are not separate mechanics.
They guide play.
The action is what the character actually says or does.
Examples:
Flattery
Bribery
Threats
Silence
A formal oath
A shared prayer
A hand on a sword
An appeal to kinship
A display of authority
A carefully chosen lie
A gift offered at the right moment
The Referee resolves the action in context.
Speak in the world.
Ask:
What do you say?
How do you say it?
What are you offering?
What are you risking?
Why might they listen?
Tone, timing, leverage, reputation, and circumstance matter.
A good argument may avoid a roll.
A foolish demand may make a roll impossible.
Context often matters more than dice.
Roll only when both are true:
The outcome is uncertain
Failure would matter
If success is obvious, do not roll.
If failure is certain, no roll will save the attempt.
A king will not surrender his throne because of a high roll.
A starving guard may ignore the law for bread, coin, or mercy.
When a roll is needed, make an Ability Check.
Use the ability that best fits the approach.
Ability | Use For |
|---|---|
INT | Careful reasoning, recalling customs, legal arguments, bargaining terms, coded meanings |
WIS | Reading motives, sensing lies, judging mood, noticing fear, restraint, or hesitation |
CHA | Presence, command, persuasion, intimidation, deception, sincerity, emotional force |
The Referee sets the DC based on the situation.
Then apply Boons or Banes if the fiction calls for them.
The DC reflects the situation, not the character.
Consider:
The NPC’s disposition
What is being asked
The risk to the NPC
The reward offered
The leverage held
The danger of agreement
The cost of refusal
The character’s reputation
Prior kindness, insult, debt, or harm
A small favor from a friendly NPC may need no roll.
A dangerous favor from a suspicious NPC may be Hard or Dire.
Shared ground carries weight.
Examples:
Same village
Shared trade
Common faith
Military service
Family ties
Mutual enemy
Known reputation
Prior kindness or insult
Proper language or custom
Context may:
Make the request possible
Remove the need for a roll
Grant a Boon
Impose a Bane
Change the consequences of failure
The right words matter.
The right person saying them matters more.
NPCs are not locks to be picked.
They are people, creatures, powers, or factions with their own place in the world.
They have:
Wants
Fears
Duties
Loyalties
Pride
Secrets
Limits
Understanding what an NPC wants is often stronger than any roll.
Give them reasons to agree, hesitate, bargain, lie, flee, or refuse.
A successful social check shifts the situation in the character’s favor.
It may mean:
The NPC agrees
The NPC offers a compromise
The NPC reveals something useful
The NPC hesitates or delays
The NPC becomes less hostile
The NPC opens a path forward
Failure shifts the situation against the character.
It may mean:
The NPC refuses
The price increases
Suspicion grows
Time is lost
A secret is withheld
A threat is made
A rival is warned
The offer is accepted, but with strings
Failure does not always mean violence.
It means the situation changes.
Run the scene, not the outcome.
Let players probe, test, bargain, flatter, threaten, withdraw, or change tactics.
Answer honestly through the NPC.
Do not let one roll erase strong motives, deep loyalties, obvious danger, or impossible demands.
Do not require rolls for ordinary talk, clear leverage, or reasonable requests.
Use dice when the moment is uncertain and the result matters.
Players decide.
Characters act.
The world answers.