Interrogation and Torture Procedure?

[Nap]

Anyone know any good rules to go by when the party interrogates and/or tortures a prisoner? The party I DM for just recently captured an evil priest that was heading up a secret cult, and I know that next session they will want to interrogate (and possibly torture) this guy for information. Was hoping to find some systematic rules addressing such. Thanks!

FWIW none of the heroes are LG, they are mostly neutral (with good tendencies)

 

[dekrass]

The Book of Vile Darkness has some pretty good rules for torture/interrogation.

It basically just modifies intimidate rolls, but it works.

 

[Perun]

Fiendish Codex II has a sidebar with some guidelines for torture. Haven't really read it, but it's something along the lines of the torturer choosing the intensity of torture, and then the victim get's a Will (Fortitude?) save... Sorry, but I really don't remember the details.

Regards.

 

[phindar]

Gather Information is about the closest skill mechanic to interrogation in the game. GI is talking to people, and weeding out the good gossip from the faulty. The thing about torture/interrogation is not getting people to talk (since most people will do anything to avoid pain), but figuring out how much of what they say is true.

Opposed Sense Motive/Bluff is probably more along the lines of what you're looking for. If roleplaying through the interrogation was going to be a big part of the session, that might be a little more involved and have some give-and-take to it. The party could even Bluff the priest opposed by his Sense Motive while he's Bluffing them opposed by their Sense Motive. The party could use Diplomacy, saying that if the priest gives them good infor, they can have the local magistrate (or whoever) grant him clemency.

There's also the magical grab bag. Charm Person, Detect Thoughts, Detect Lie, Zone of Truth, Dominate or if all else fails... Speak with Dead.

 

[William drake]

Anyone know any good rules to go by when the party interrogates and/or tortures a prisoner? The party I DM for just recently captured an evil priest that was heading up a secret cult, and I know that next session they will want to interrogate (and possibly torture) this guy for information. Was hoping to find some systematic rules addressing such. Thanks!

FWIW none of the heroes are LG, they are mostly neutral (with good tendencies)

First...are they a Good party, if so, torture is out. And, if they force it, then some C.G, L.G should be changing.

 

[storm_wolf]

Intimidate/diplomacy would work, and use situational modifiers dependant on the amount of damage/type of damage inflicted...

For Intimidate

Add half the damage to the check for Intimidate if the damage is non-lethal, and the NPC is below 50% of non-lethal HP.

Add 3/4 of the damage to the intimidate check once the non-lethal HP's are below 25%.

Add 3/4 of the damage to the intimidate check if the damage is lethal, but the NPC is still above half-HP's.

Add full damage to the intimidate check if the damage is lethal, and the NPC is below 50% life..

Add 1.5x the damage to the intimidate check of the NPC is healed and tortured more, based on the above information.

For Diplomacy

These are very situational, if the NPC is fairly sure that the Party intends to kill them, the Diplomacy DC's should be only modified if the Sense Motive check fails.

Add half the check for any non-magical healing the party provides.

Add 3/4 the amount for any magical healing the party provides.

That's how I would do it, but I tend to house rule this kind of stuff...

 

[delericho]

Use an Intimidate or Diplomacy check for interrogation, depending on the methods used. Allow Intimidate to be used as an "Aid Another" action with Diplomacy and vice versa to handle the "Good Cop/Bad Cop" thing. The target begins as at least Unfriendly, if not outright Hostile. If the target remains Hostile or Unfriendly, he will attempt to harm the PCs, either by providing dangerously inaccurate information or by trying to turn the PCs against one another. If made Indifferent, he says nothing. If made Friendly, he provides partial (accurate) information, while if made Helpful, he provides complete and accurate information.

The use of torture grants a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks, applies a -10 penalty to Diplomacy checks, and is an Evil action.

That's my quick and dirty version. As has been mentioned, the Book of Vile Darkness and one of the Fiendish Codices provide more detailed rules.

 

[00Machado]

I like the above basic framework. I'd probably also add that if the target wants to bluff, and they are being tortured, then they need to succeed at a will save to try and lie.

If they succeed, they can bluff, and if not, they spill their guts.

You could have them make one save to cover everything, or one per torture, day, or whatever. You could modify the save based on damage taken, starvation, or other conditions, and so on.

 

[Slife]

Helmet of opposite alignment

 

[Nifft]

"No, you don't."

Torture doesn't work in real life. It's not fun to roleplay. So, IMC it doesn't happen.

However, magic does happen:

- Charm Person
- Dominate Person
- Suggestion + Detect Thoughts

... and as a last resort:
- "When I want your opinion, I'll read your entrails!"

Cheers, -- N