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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Set" data-source="post: 4498494" data-attributes="member: 41584">And yet, doesn't this also fit the social aspect of the game?  Instead of having some social-conflict-resolution mechanic or skills like bluff, diplomacy or intimidate, why not just have it part of player backstory (Ariadne grew up a noble's daughter, and has a good command of etiquette and intrigue), and just dispense with skills or mechanics? Wouldn't this also apply to combat?  'Ariadne also trained in fencing, at her uncle's salon, and got to be better than most of the spoiled young men who fancied themselves 'better than any girl.''  When combat shows up, the player just describes what she does, and, if the DM feels it is utterly necessary, he can make some dexterity check or something to see if she manages the graceful disarm she mentioned, or a strength check to see if she really snapped that dude's sword in half. It all comes down to what is important in your games.  If combat is not the end-all-be-all of the roleplaying experience, then there is no real need for many pages of combat resolution systems, just as there can be argued to be no need for a half-page devoted to the Craft and Profession skill in a game not based around making stuff or working between missions. Craft and Profession skills *aren't* necessary.  Certainly not for all games.  But neither are social skills, nor are combat abilities, nor are lists of spells and powers, when a player could just state 'My father's bloodline gives me the power to throw bolts of fire, and I can shape and control fire, making it dance, or swerve around me and not harm me' with the DM adjudicating on the fly any corner cases like 'can he shape and control the balor's infernal hellfire, or will some sort of opposed check be required?' This isn't meant as a reductio ad absurdium argument btw.  I'm not mocking here.  If the systems aren't really important, then they aren't really important, and can be phased out for combat as readily as for craft / profession, since combat only makes up a small percentage of a particular game session (barring games like Star Fleet Battles, where combat resolution can take hours! but no edition of D&D has been that crazy complex!).</blockquote>

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