D&D General On Social Mechanics of Various Sorts

[Maxperson]

I make an active effort not to judge DCs or modifiers based on how eloquent the player is, or how well they do their accent, or whatever. It isn't fair to the quieter, less confident, or simply less acting-talented players. I don't punish role-playing in the third person, either. That being the case, I kind of come down a little more on the side of social mechanics.

All of my players talk in first person, so that's not really a thing that I have to worry about. To me the idea the player is trying to get across is more important than how smoothly the player delivers it. A player who stumbles and stammers, but gives a compelling reason is going to have a good chance of success. I also run what the players say through a charisma filter. If that stumbling player has a PC with an 18 charisma, the NPC is going to hear a more eloquent version of what was said. Similarly, an eloquent player running a 5 charisma PC is going to have the speech downgraded in quality due to the charisma filter.

 

[Maxperson]

I have also had players who are keen to play say a Bard or Sorcerer but find speaking up intimidating.

I've had players like that. I've also had success in going to them specifically and asking them, "What would you like to do?" and "What would you like to say?" They're much more likely to speak up at that point and after a while they become more comfortable with it and speak up on their own.

 

[Oofta]

Throwing spaghetti at the wall sounds like heresy, and I'm not even Italian.

If you've ever eaten my spaghetti you might be singing a different tune.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

If you've ever eaten my spaghetti you might be singing a different tune.

Now I want spaghetti, but my wife is out of town all weekend, so no real point in making a pot of food…

 

[Maxperson]

Now I want spaghetti, but my wife is out of town all weekend, so no real point in making a pot of food…

That's what Italian Restaurants are for.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That's what Italian Restaurants are for.

True. My wife’s garlic allergy normally means I can’t really go to one!

 

[Maxperson]

True. My wife’s garlic allergy normally means I can’t really go to one!

Then this is your prime opportunity. Don't let it pass you by!

 

[mrpopstar]

How do you use social mechanics in your D&D games? If the scale of "how much do you rely on social mechanics" is from 0 (never roll; just role-play) to 10 (role-play doesn't impact the DC; just roll), where do your preferences sit on that scale? Does it change from campaign to campaign, adventure to adventure, or even between players?

I'm a 9 or 10 on the scale, and it should come as no surprise that I use the rules for resolving interactions found in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Player skill is super fun and enjoyable, accounting for most interactions where the adventurers aren't trying to shift a creature's attitude, or aren't asking a creature to take some sort of risk by way of request, demand, or suggestion.

Character skill ultimately moves the dial when resolving interactions where shifting attitude and risk are involved. The conversation plays out quite naturally, but the outcome is determined by dice.

What I like most about the core rules is that goal-driven conversation isn't a social combat filled with transactional ability contests, which always made conversations with non-player characters feel very choppy to me in previous editions.

D&D 5e Social Encounter Statblocks: How to Run NPCs Like a Pro – Flutes Loot

Learn to create social encounter statblocks to consolidate your notes and simplify your NPC roleplaying in D&D 5e.

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How do you guys feel about this? Makes more prep, but man it sounds like a fun way to run a social encounter.

Great share! I don't get into this much detail, but I certainly pencil in a few notes about a creature's personality characteristics, attitude (including what might change it for better or worse), and what constitutes risk for the them.

It's difficult to keep those things firmly defined when you have savvy players who missed their calling as career diplomats. LOL

 

[loverdrive]

You had me up until static DC. This is otherwise very similar to how I handle it.

I have very hard time with setting DCs in any system that has it (D&D, Fate, whatever). I don't think about fiction in terms of numbers or even Easy-Hard scale, and no matter how much I tried, it never became easy. So I sidestep my problem.

If you don't have it, go ahead and set DCs for every roll.

 

[ART!]

I have very hard time with setting DCs in any system that has it (D&D, Fate, whatever). I don't think about fiction in terms of numbers or even Easy-Hard scale, and no matter how much I tried, it never became easy. So I sidestep my problem.

If you don't have it, go ahead and set DCs for every roll.

I'm the same way - there's too much going on in my head to decide where in a 20-30-point scale how hard every last thing is that requires a roll.