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Message: <blockquote data-quote="P1NBACK" data-source="post: 5345488" data-attributes="member: 83768">I wasn't sighing to you in particular, just the redundancy and overlooked points in this thread. But, point well taken. I'll keep my sighs to myself in the future. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> Wait... What? Why would Disguise Self make you be counted as an ally? That's a total addition to the power you just added. Just like Instant Friends, the effect of Disguise Self rely entirely on the circumstances at the table and the other actions the PCs take. And, what social power is "well defined"? I would argue that Instant Friends limits use to a well-defined scope. But, I'm interested in you giving me a better example of a published social power that is more "defined". Well, to clarify, I'm not really talking about "blocking" a power. I'm talking about it "auto failing" - like the example in the DMG about making an Intimidate skill check auto-fail.Can you show me the example in the DMG where it suggests making a power auto-fail after allowing it to be used? Two things: 1) The DMG guidelines for skill checks are just that. Guidelines. As noted in the Diplomacy rules, "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."2) You'll notice the "general attitude" (friendly) may apply to the DC. Therefore, "trusted friend" has a mechanical base in the vague use of Diplomacy as a "modifier" to a DC. In other words, Instant Friends should improve the DC of all Diplomacy checks made against the target.However, it's still up to the DM - as is ALL social skills and powers. Deciding whether the character knows the answer or not is based entirely upon the fiction. Would that NPC know that information? It's yes or no. If they don't know it, they say just that (answer truthfully). "I do not know." If they know that answering would put their life or property at risk, in which Instant Friends says specifically they won't do, they should just answer truthfully to the PC who cast the spell: "I cannot tell you because my life and property would be at risk." It's pretty straight forward. There's no judgment here outside of "Does this NPC know this thing?" and you can discern that based on the circumstances at the table in the fiction at this moment right now. Make a decision and stick to it. Because if you're a player, your next question should be: "Who does know?" I wouldn't bar them from attacking. I know people who love each other, and friends who fight with each other and those are some of the most passionate fights out there. However, a trusted friend doesn't just attack on sight. No. This is basics man. If you're DMing a game, this is the kind of stuff you decide every game session. Has nothing to do with powers and skills. This is your job as the DM. To make these decisions. If you want, run a published module and that might help. But, you're still going to have to roleplay your NPCs and make judgment calls and decisions about what each NPC knows or doesn't know. This has nothing to do with Instant Friends. If you try a Diplomacy check to convince the wench to tell you who that dark stranger is she just came out of the alley, the DM is going to have to decide RIGHT THEN, based on his knowledge of the world, game events, and circumstances whether she does or doesn't know and whether she would reveal that information. That's called DM'ing my friend. That's called roleplaying NPCs. You're right. Skill DCs have nothing to do with determining what an NPC does or doesn't know. It's called DM'ing. You must do this whether the PC has Instant Friends or not. What Instant Friends does do, however, is make it concrete that IF that NPC knows something, he will certainly answer to the PC truthfully. And, he WILL aid you in what way she can outside of risking life or property. Those are concrete mechanics.</blockquote>

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