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Message: <blockquote data-quote="N'raac" data-source="post: 6189601" data-attributes="member: 6681948">The assumption that the intent was not an overpowered spell (ie not an easter egg for clever players twisting every word to find) is one not shared by rules lawyer adversarial wargamers. Here, the styles converge.  The adversarial wargamer GM will wish to twist the terms.  The storyteller will do so if needed to move the story forward.  The Indie must, to keep pressure on the PC. To my mind, if the player goes through the effort of writing out that contract, then reading it aloud to his captive Devil (remembering that the wizard can’t hand it across the magic circle for the Devil’s review), then the GM is entitled to apply the same level of word-twisting implemented in the various rules discussions on this and other threads to the Devil’s interpretation of the contract.  And it can only agree to what it hears – it presumably “hears” in Infernal, since it communicates with Telepathy, not with language skills.  The player’s skill with contract drafting will determine success or failure - this is that “role playing, not roll playing” assessed above. Alternatively, we can rely on the action resolution mechanics – the character’s abilities, not the player’s, will determine success or failure.  In this case, let us look at the Wizard’s capabilities and consider an opposed roll.  What skills does the Wizard have to assist in drafting this contract?  Did he invest ranks in Profession: Lawyer, or something similar?  Knowing Infernal is not a huge stretch, especially if the wizard plans on binding a lot of Devils.  That Evil Heirarchy may be quite helpful, as he can pass the contract up the chain to a real expert if need be (the terms of the contract aren’t relevant only while he is Magic Circled and debuffed). Of course, an Indie or Storyteller player might well have built a character who is turning his skills with the law to mystical purposes, and would have those many Profession ranks.  His means of imposing his will on the shared narrative may well be contracts with such creatures.  It would be wrong NOT to: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Provide that character with opportunities to shine by preparing ironclad deals and/or finding the holes in deals that don’t suit his interests;</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Set the occasional situation where the character is up against an opponent of equal or greater talent, such that his skills are put to a true test</li> </ul>  [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION], you’ve commented a few times on games with open ended skill/ability selection.  Those are the games where that high skill in Contract Drafting and Interpretation can be placed on the character sheet in a manner which sends the message “this is central to my character – please ensure it comes up often”</blockquote>

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