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Message: <blockquote data-quote="wolfen" data-source="post: 996313" data-attributes="member: 12717">Non-Combat InteractionI am not into the product-comparison angle of the thread-starter, but I do completely agree with the observation that D&D's strength is not its combat system.  That is its marketing strength, its sales driver, its hook.  But not its GAMING strength.When I played D&D version 1, there were certain things that were "a given."  The rules didn't spell out specific rules and formulas, but you generally knew that your obnoxious rogue (wis 10, Cha 9) was going to affect your interaction with the noble's guards.  If the character said anything at all, the guards would be affected negatively.  The DM was bright, the player knew his character -- no rules required.In the new world, people are being trained to think like a computer program.  They want predictable rules and processes, etc -- not an endless series of DM judgment calls.The balance?  WOTC should come out with a book for NON-COMBAT.  For example, IMHO, non-combat ability checks for Wis/Int/Cha should be rolled in secret by the DM.  Why should the player know that the character is being perceived as a fool?  He should play according to what the character believes -- so only tell him what the character would know.  After all, you know if you can lift the gate or bend the bar, but you should never be completely sure that you've convinced the dragon to help you.  Maybe he sees through your diplomatic attempts to persuade him and is just playing along.  You shouldn't see the die roll that says the dragon is persuaded.  That's just a very simple example.  If these three mods were highlighted for NON-COMBAT/NON-MAGIC actions, D&D's gaming  strengths would be fully realized, and obvious to all.  The computer games would look like the restrictive simulations they are.  Hell, maybe people would actually play the characters as represented by the ability scores!wolfen</blockquote>

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