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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8939892" data-attributes="member: 29398">While I see your point (and to some extent agree), my own issue with social mechanics is that they too often become an excuse to not roleplay things out at the table in character; and that excuse use can come from either or both the GM and the player(s).&nbsp; As in:Player: &quot;I try to bluff the guard that I have an invitation, so she'll let me in.&quot;GM: &quot;OK, make your Bluff* roll.&quot;Dice are rolled, Bluff* succeeds, PC gains entry to the ball.* - or Intimidate, Deception, Persuade, whatever mechanic best applies in that situation/system.Not a word of in-character conversation between the PC and the guard.&nbsp; Both the player and the GM have (maybe even unintentionally) used the existence of that social mechanic as an excuse for not roleplaying the conversation out.&nbsp; Take away the mechanic and now there's no excuse not to roleplay it through.In broader terms, social mechanics are an abstraction of something that IMO doesn't often - if ever - need abstraction.&nbsp; We can't swing swords at each other at the table, nor can we search for secret doors or climb castle walls or cast spells, so obviously those things need to be abstracted somehow.&nbsp; But we can sure the hell talk to each other using the words of our characters (including NPCs), so why does this need to be abstracted?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8939892, member: 29398"] While I see your point (and to some extent agree), my own issue with social mechanics is that they too often become an excuse to not roleplay things out at the table in character; and that excuse use can come from either or both the GM and the player(s). As in: Player: "I try to bluff the guard that I have an invitation, so she'll let me in." GM: "OK, make your Bluff* roll." Dice are rolled, Bluff* succeeds, PC gains entry to the ball. * - or Intimidate, Deception, Persuade, whatever mechanic best applies in that situation/system. Not a word of in-character conversation between the PC and the guard. Both the player and the GM have (maybe even unintentionally) used the existence of that social mechanic as an excuse for not roleplaying the conversation out. Take away the mechanic and now there's no excuse not to roleplay it through. In broader terms, social mechanics are an abstraction of something that IMO doesn't often - if ever - need abstraction. We can't swing swords at each other at the table, nor can we search for secret doors or climb castle walls or cast spells, so obviously those things need to be abstracted somehow. But we can sure the hell talk to each other using the words of our characters (including NPCs), so why does this need to be abstracted? [/QUOTE]

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