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Message: <blockquote data-quote="P1NBACK" data-source="post: 5343195" data-attributes="member: 83768">Let's clear some things up: First off, can this spell be used to overcome skill challenges? Yes. It can - in two cases: 1) When the goal of the skill challenge is to make someone a trusted friend for less than 1d4 hours....the target treats you as a trusted friend for 1d4 hours. 2) When the goal of the skill challenge is to get information from someone. ...It truthfully answers all questions you ask...That's it. That's the only skill challenge this spell negates. And, even then, it might only be a portion of a skill challenge (as others suggested, you might still need to roll certain skill checks to capture the target or get in position to use the spell or figure out how to get him to like your allies, etc...). Outside of that, this spell does not negate skill challenges. It only makes certain ones easier. Why? See below. What does a 'trusted friend' mean? It's a disposition for an NPC. It means, the DM may alter the DC of a Diplomacy check based on the disposition as seen in the "rules" for Diplomacy: A Diplomacy check is made against a DC set by the DM. The target’s general attitude toward you (friendly or unfriendly, peaceful or hostile) and other conditional modifiers (such as what you might be seeking to accomplish or what you’re asking for) might apply to the DC.In other words, being a "trusted friend" still means you need to roll Diplomacy checks against them for them to do things for you. At best, the DM changes the DC to the "Easy" DC for the level of the challenge. A spell changing a DC to Easy is not overpowered or a win button. Especially, if you ask the NPC to "risk its life or property" - then you'll need to use the Hard DC... Right? As for those people who are against this spell because it requires the DM to use judgment, well, I ask you - Do you use social skills in your game? Because every social skill requires DM judgment. Read them. Bluff and Diplomacy - neither of them have mechanical aspects to them outside of combat. Now, if Instant Friends is clearly and specifically an outside of combat spell, why would this make heads turn? It's on the same level and more specific than the social skills mentioned. It requires less DM judgment than a simple Diplomacy check. Again, this spell is being blown way out of proportion by knee-jerk reactions from people who aren't used to seeing powers worded in this way. We already have skills, rituals and powers that do similar things and require just as much, if not more, DM judgment.</blockquote>

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