D&D 5E Social Combat Rules for 5E

[Reynard]

I have a "court intrigue" episode coming up in my regular 5E game and I kind of want to develop a quick and dirty "social combat" system for it. My thinking is that if I have such a system in place it will be less likely that only one or two players (and my group is 8 or 9 on any given night) will dominate the conversation.

Basic ideas I have in mind that I could use some help expanding and implementing:

There are three stats: Social Defense is Wisdom based, Social Attack is Charisma based and Social Hit points are a total of all 3 mental attributes.

The court will be full of NPCs (obviously) either alone or in small groups, and these take the place of the monster/enemy. Each will have their social stats, as well as specific Vulnerabilities, Resitances and even Immunities to certain kinds of Social attacks (see below). They themselves will possess one or two kinds of attacks. Most importantly, each will have a secret or a capitulation that is acquired by the PCs when the lose all of their Social Hit Points.

PCs are equipped with Social Vulnerabilities, Resistances and Immunities as well based on class, as well access to specific attack types and special maneuvers based on class, race, feats, etc... because I am doing this for my regular players and I know the characters pretty well, I should be able to assign these in a way that makes sense. Note that if a PC is reduced to 0 Social HP then they are effectively out of the courtly game and must either retreat or capitulate something of their own.

The "enemy" are entirely reactive so while there will be an initiative roll to determine order, it only matters for the PCs. On a PC's turn they can choose a member of the court to engage in social combat and commence with witty barbs and veiled threats, or whatever. Not that "opportunity attacks" will remain in play: if you don't take an action to extricate yourself from your current conversation, you open yourself up to a backhanded compliment or whatever.

My first blush set of attack types are based on stats: Intimidation (Str), Distraction (Dex), Tenacity (Con), Reason (Intelligence), Appeal (Wisdom) and Guile (Cha). Roll a d20, add the stat bonus and if you are proficient in an interaction skill you may make the roll with your proficiency bonus if you can convince me it applies. All Social Attacks do the same damage (I am leaning toward 2d6 to keep the "combat" short since Social HP will hover around 30 or 40)plus the stat mod. As stated, characters will have resistances, vulnerabilities and immunities based on personality traits, class abilities and such.

Special abilities and attacks would include things like:
Witty Riposte: When you take damage from a social attack immediately make a counter attack using Guile. If you succeed, the damage from the attack is halved and the attacker takes as much damage. You may use this ability once per and only until you fail any Guile attack.
Righteous Anger: If an NPC attacks you targeting your Bond, you gain advantage on your next attack against that NPC.
Lure: Grant an opponent Advantage on an attack against you. Regardless if their attack succeeds, gain advantage on your next attack against them. If you took damage from their attack, your next attack, if successful, is a critical hit.
Deflect Blame: After taking damage from a social attack, immediately make an attack roll of the same kind against an Ally. If successful that ally takes the damage from the attack instead of you. You may use this ability once per ally only.

What do you think? Any ideas on how to run this smoothly? Ideas foir special abilities. The party consists of a paladin, 2 warlocks, a sorcerer, a couple fighters, a druid, a wizard and a cleric.

Thanks!

 

[DeanP]

I'm not clear on how this works. Let's say I subtlety threaten a noble. So, my attack would be an Intimidation Roll against the noble's "AC" which is determined how? What's the social defense? Are these instead opposed rolls? I like this conceptually, but needed a better understanding of the flow.

 

[Reynard]

I'm not clear on how this works. Let's say I subtlety threaten a noble. So, my attack would be an Intimidation Roll against the noble's "AC" which is determined how? What's the social defense? Are these instead opposed rolls? I like this conceptually, but needed a better understanding of the flow.

Social Defense is AC. 10 + Prof Bonus + Wisdom mod maybe? Or maybe it is based on the attack type? If characters are better at avoiding certain attacks types then the opposition might have to fish for a couple rounds to find the best Avenue for success.

 

[DeanP]

So, DC 10+prof+ Wis mod. I think that works. How do you determine "hit points?" Also, you indicated social attacks are charisma based. Could it also be intelligence based? Or maybe, either charisma or intelligence helps determines your social hit points? Something like the total of your intelligence, wisdom and charisma scores equals your social hitpoints, and you get the highest of your intelligence or charisma modifier multiplied by your character level to add to it?

 

[Vicaring]

I've toyed around with an idea for something like this, but never successfully played it out in a group, so I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

Basically, in my mind, it changes/lengthens/dramatizes a social encounter, because the encounter becomes a series of "attacks"/"evades" &c rather than a simple skill roll.

Instead of:

PLAYER -- I charm the pretty lady. *rolls dice*
DM -- You fail. The pretty lady is not amused.
PLAYER -- Bummer. I charm the pretty lady's friend. *rolls dice*

It looks more like:

PLAYER: I charm the pretty lady. *rolls dice*
DM: Fail. The pretty lady is not amused, and makes a snide remark about the cut of your jib. *rolls dice*
PLAYER: Ouch. That one hurt. My jib can't take much more of her snark.
DM: What do you do?
PLAYER: I charm the pretty lady, of course. *rolls dice*
DM: She's impressed by your tenacity, but notices that you seem out of your element here, and suggests that maybe you'd feel more comfortable with the fat-bottomed girls down on 6th Street. *rolls dice*
PLAYER: Crap. I'm done. I'm done, man.

Get what I'm saying? That's sort of what I always imagined a "Social Combat" or "Social Encounter" might be. But like I said, I never really fleshed it out enough to put it to use in a group setting, so definitely let us know how it goes.

 

[Reynard]

Thinking more on it, here is what i think miight make a good base system. Keep in mind my intent is to make sure everyone has a chance to engage in a social combat just as we expect everyone to be able to engage in physical combat.

Social Combat Basics
Social combat is defined as a scenario in which one or more characters are trying to force others to either give up information or capitulate to some demand. At the start of the social combat, the result that the initiator (aka attacker) wants is made explicit. The defneder then has the opportunity to attempt to Evade (get out of the situation without giving up information or performing the action) or to Counter with his or her own demand (ask for Information or a Capitulation). Simply Evading is easier so the defender gains a +2 to their Social Defense score.

Every character has a Social Defense score equal to 10 + Wis Modifier. If the character is proficient with any interpersonal skill (Deception, Insight, Intimidation or Persuasion) then add the character's proficiency bonus to the Social Defense score.

Each character is also proficient with one or more forms of social attack (explained below) and just like a normal combat attack, the social attack is made with a 1d20 + modifier roll. If successful, a social attack does 1d6 points of social damage, modified by the appropriate ability score.

Characters can take a number of hit points of Social damage equal to their Wisdom score plus their charisma modifier plus their character level. If the defender drops to 0 social hit points, they must capitulate or give up the demanded information. If the attacker is reduced to 0 social hit points first, either they capitulate or the defender evades, extricating themselves from the situation.

Social Attacks

There are 5 kinds of social attacks, each based on a different attribute and representing a different tact or attitude one takes. A character is proficient with an attack type if they a) are profiecient in that ability score saving throw or b) are proficient with a skill of the same name.
Intimidation is based on Strength.
Deception is based on Dexterity.
Investigation is based on Intelligence.
Insight is based on Wisdom.
Persuasion is based on Charisma.

When making a social attack, the character chooses a kind of attack and (not forgetting to narrate or role-play what he or she is saying) and makes a roll versus the opponent's Social Defense. If the attack is successful, the attacker deals 1d6+Attribute Modifier damage to the opponent, which is subtracted from that character's Social Hit Points. Regardless of the success of the attack, the defender may make an immediate counter attack. A counter attack is made at +2 if the attacker did not score any Social Damage.

Social Resistances, Vulnerabilities and Immunities
In addition to their proficiency, characters are often resistant to one kind of social attack and vulnerable to another. In general, a character's bonds, flaws, ideals and personality traits should guide you in determining these, as well as class or race. If nothing else, a character can be resistant to the social attack with which they have the highest bonus and vulnerable to the one with the lowest. A character is only immune to a kind of social attack if a class or other ability makes them immune to a corresponding effect in the game. For example, a character that is immune to fear is also immune to intimidation attacks while a character that can magical detect lies or force the truth is immune to deception attacks.

Characters may have more than one resistance and vulnerability at the DM's discretion but they should have the same number of each.

Social Maneuvers
Characters also have social maneuvers that make social combat more interesting.

 

[pdzoch]

Interesting concept. Do you plan to have any damage to social HP for a failed social attack? Sort of a social failure? (Character attempt a witty retort but instead comes off as pathetic) I wonder what a critical social hit looks like (it is a "burn"?) and what a critical social failure looks like.

 

[Lanliss]

Seems like a fun concept. I only wish my players cared enough about social interaction for me to say I will try it. If you do get it to a working point though, I might force it on them anyway.

 

[Reynard]

I put together a list of Social Maneuvers.

Social Maneuvers
Characters also have social maneuvers that make social combat more interesting. Each character may choose two social maneuvers.


Accept Blame: If an ally takes damage from a social attack, you may take the damage for them. You may only do this once per ally per social combat.


Barbs: If you do not have an opponent in a social combat you may designate an ally who does. If the ally succeeds at a social attack, add your ability score modifier for the appropriate attack type to their total damage.


Cutting Retort: After being subject to a successful social attack, the character may immediately make a counterattack. If successful, the damage dealt to the character is halved and the attacker takes half the damage rolled.


Deflect Blame: Upon taking damage from a social attack, roll a social attack of the same kind against an ally. If you succeed, that ally takes the damage instead of you. You may only do this once per ally per social combat.


Discerning Ear: Make no attack on your turn. Instead, choose an opposing character. If that character makes an attack on their next turn, you gain knowledge about them. You may choose to discover one fact about that character: a type of attack they are proficient with, a type of attack they are resistant or immune to, a type of attack they are vulnerable to, or a social maneuver they know.


Doublespeak: If the character fails at a Decepticon attack roll, he or she may immediately make another attack roll with a different ability with which the character is proficient. If that attack is successful, deal damage as if the original Deception attack succeeded.


Final Say: After a successful attack is made and damage is dealt, if additional damage of the same kind and amount would bring the opponent to zero Social HP, the opponent is immediately defeated.


Good Show!: Upon defeating an opponent in a social combat, if any of your allies are still engaged in social combat they all immediately heal social damage equal to the amount you dealt to defeat your opponent.


Honey Pot: You may choose to grant an opponent advantage to attack you. If their attack succeeds, you gain advantage on your next attack against that opponent and do an addition d6 of social damage if the attack succeeds.


Righteous Indignation: If a character is attacked in a manner that runs counter to that character’s bond, the attack is made at disadvantage and for the remainder of the social combat against that individual, the character has resistance against attacks of that kind.


Silent Support: Make no social attack this turn and choose an ally. That ally gains advantage to attack on their next turn.


Subtle Threats: When making an Intimidation attack, the attacker may substitute Intelligence for Strength both in regards to the attack roll and damage roll.


Unforgivable Slight: Make an attack against an opponent that had chosen to Evade. If the attack succeeds you do no damage but the opponent may no longer Evade and therefore loses the +2 Social Defense bonus for evading. The opponent may choose a capitulation from you should the opponent defeat you.


Zealot: The character is immune to any capitulation that would make the character break his or her bond, or betray a sacred oath.

 

[pdzoch]

I put together a list of Social Maneuvers.

Deflect Blame: Upon taking damage from a social attack, roll a social attack of the same kind against an ally. If you succeed, that ally takes the damage instead of you. You may only do this once per ally per social combat.

Doublespeak: If the character fails at a Decepticon attack roll, he or she may immediately make another attack roll with a different ability with which the character is proficient. If that attack is successful, deal damage as if the original Deception attack succeeded.

Righteous Indignation: If a character is attacked in a manner that runs counter to that character’s bond, the attack is made at disadvantage and for the remainder of the social combat against that individual, the character has resistance against attacks of that kind.

Subtle Threats: When making an Intimidation attack, the attacker may substitute Intelligence for Strength both in regards to the attack roll and damage roll.

Appropriate for any Office role play game, coming soon to a game store near you. Probably need to add "Embarrassing Prank" to the social attacks.