nswanson29
First Post
I think you're deliberately dodging my point. At some point its just not worth it. Just pack it up. Let the offending party figure it out, without the the rest of the party.
D&D 5E Social Combat Rules for 5E
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
I think you're deliberately dodging my point. At some point its just not worth it. Just pack it up. Let the offending party figure it out, without the the rest of the party.
No, I'm deliberately satirizing your point. The DM isn't the group's social boss, unless they're a parent DMing for their kids. It's not a position of social power. If you have a difference of opinion with another member of the group, you don't get to "send them home to think about it". You talk to them as the equal that you are.
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I am confused. Did the OP at some point say the players were doing something wrong? Why do they need to be punished?
nswanson29
First Post
No, at some point this is just just a game, just like any other game. If it's really this bad, anyone can call it. The dm isn't anything special here. Just deal with it, or shut it down, because otherwise it's not worth it.
We very much disagree on conflict resolution in a social environment.
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Harzel
Adventurer
Huh? What does this have to do with the OP??
Sure, but the more likely statement would be, "…or I'll have knuckles over there tear your arms off."
nswanson29
First Post
I'm sorry. I read the title and the last few posts and am way out where this is going. Sorry again.
Speaking for myself, I would be much more afraid of a crime boss who is willing to do his own dirty work and, more importantly, is capable of doing so. Might be essentially the same end result (you are missing your arms) but it feels much more threatening when you know the guy saying it is capable of it.
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
I really don't think it matters who's saying it if knuckles is physically present and looks willing to do it. Of course if I'm a noble at a court ball surrounded by royal guards, that threat is going to be significantly less worrisome - again, regardless of whom it's coming from.
Compare with "I think you want to do me a favor, otherwise that shipment of rare wines you just had come into the docks might have some... in transit breakages in about 5 minutes". Or "Otherwise your daughter might be involved in a nasty riding incident". Or "your wife's childbirth might be... messy".
And all of those are far too blunt to be delivered in polite company... which is why it might help to have some decent mental stats.
All of that said: while I think that SOME comparison with physical combat is perhaps appropriate, that's more for the goals and outcomes of said combat and how they contrast with most social schemes.
1. Physical combat is resolved as multiple rounds of actions by all participants.
2. Typically doing nothing is the worst thing you can do: there are exceptions where you might deliberately take a consequence to improve your position, and misjudge (ie accepting an opportunity attack to improve your position, hitting friendlies with an area effect so you can hit more enemies), but you're best off doing something and not simply saying "My character doesn't fight much, I just go skulk in the corner and let the combat guys do this".
3. While the best fights might have an end result where a single roll becomes crucial, typically more than 10 actions and their assorted rolls would have lead up to that, and it would be hard to say in the wind up which roll by whom would be the crucial one.
4. Unless the competition is horrendously one-sided, there are consequences for the victor as well as the vanquished.
5. Multiple traits matter, so different characters and monsters will have a different approach.
6. Teamwork is more effective than being a lone wolf.
7. Player decisions matter.
8. You can usually bring it back from the brink of defeat.
I think that if you want to come up with any kind of a social combat system, those are the positive aspects of the combat system you want it to bring across. 4e's skill challenges failed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, and in my view was an awful exercise in pointless rolling as a result. Most skill resolution systems fail in the same way: the best thing for an unskilled character to do is to recuse themselves, and a very limited number of pre-determined rolls dictate success or failure.
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