Traveller Social Skills discussion

[payn]

Greetings,

I am currently running a few groups in Mongoose 2E. I am curious how other refs run situations that attempt to detect dishonesty? I know there is a deception skill, a persuade, diplomacy, etc.. What do you call for to determine if an NPC is lying or untrustworthy? Deception vs deception? Deception vs streetwise? Straight up Int roll? Something else?

I have had a few convos with a player. They seem to think its ruled by the Soc skill, but that doesn't sit right with me. It means that folks who are well off and up on the social standings are just better liars. That a person who is down the ladder is just less naturally inclined to being dishonest? I have been using a combo of Int and streetwise if dealing with somebody nefarious, or perhaps Int and carouse if dealing with somebody from high society. I don't have an issue with being variable and within context of the situation. Its just one spot I haven't quite figured out how to run consistently so far in my Traveller games.

Curious how these things work out in y'alls Traveller games?

 

[billd91]

I'm more familiar with Classic and MegaTraveller versions than Mongoose. Opposed checks weren't really a thing in those editions. You mainly set a difficulty and had the PC roll against it in a one-sided check. Some skills may be applied as a penalty to the check, for example, a skill may be useful to add for the character, but another one useful for the target to defend against the check, so you'd add the PC's skill as a positive mod, subtract the NPC's skill as a negative mod. Plus, MegaTraveller had the uncertain check - in which the PC makes the check and the GM makes it as well. How successful it was depended on the two results together and the player was never certain if he had fully succeeded or failed because part of the info was the GM's.
A good many of the interpersonal skill checks used Intelligence or Education as the appropriate stat modifiers if they included any at all.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Anything that fits the situation. Deception vs Admin to tell if a clerk is giving you the runaround...

 

[Thomas Shey]

Since they don't have a sense motive or similar skill, I'd probably just use Deception and Int againast a static value modified by the opponents'. I have no idea how much support for that as an approach there is, though.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

There may be times when SOC is very applicable, but remember that skill checks do not require a characteristic modifier (players often assume they should!). So, straight opposed checks can work. If dealing with underworld characters, you might 'flip' SOC modifiers so -2 becomes +2 and suddenly the party noble is at a disadvantage. Or you can make it a straight check, no opposing.

As with some of the other examples people have given here, I would not necessarily say one check fits all situations.

 

[Bill Zebub]

In general I avoid lie detection skill checks in RPGs, unless it’s through magic/psionics/technology.

 

[payn]

In general I avoid lie detection skill checks in RPGs, unless it’s through magic/psionics/technology.

So, the player just has to assume intentions and trust or distrust info they get in any possible situation?

 

[dragoner]

Rolling the dice in front of the players, and so they see it is a deception check ...

 

[Thomas Shey]

In general I avoid lie detection skill checks in RPGs, unless it’s through magic/psionics/technology.

I know this sort of thing is a feeling in some circles, but I really find it pretty annoying when it instead turns on my assuming the GM is giving me enough hints with his roleplaying that I can (and will manage) to do so.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

And it doesn't have to be social skills. If you're trying to tell if you're being sold a bad set of Zuchai crystals, that's Engineering (Jump drives).