Rules for Encounters

[Radius]

I've looked and looked, but for the life of me can't find any rules for determine initial reactions for encounters between the players and another group. Are DMs just winging it, or are they using skills such as Diplomacy/Intimidate/Sense Motive/Bluff for determining what happens when two groups first see each other?

For example, what happens when a mixed-race group comes upon a band of 7 orcs around their fire in the wilderness? Do the orcs automatically attack, try to retreat, welcome the party into their campsite, or shy away from the group?

Where are these rules located?

Thanks

 

[Dr_Rictus]

There are no such rules. Nor could there be any such rules that made any more sense than DM's applying their judgement to the situation at hand to determine initial NPC attitudes. Once that's done, of course, the usual rules for influencing NPC attitudes via Diplomacy checks apply.

Now, that said, if you really have no particular reason to ascribe some other attitude to an NPC, I would suggest you consider their attitude to be "indifferent" by default, since by definition that is the attitude that results in "socially expected interaction."

In fact, here's the relevant passage of the DMG (p. 149, emphasis mine):

"Choose the attitude of an NPC or NPCs based on circumstances. Most people met in a neutral city are indifferent. Most guards are indifferent but suspicious, because that's what's expected of them."

(Note that the case mentioned above shows how "socially expected interaction" can in fact be a behavior that would normally spring from a different attitude, depending on social roles).

 

[the Jester]

There have been times when pcs have used diplomacy on orcs they encountered during my campaign. I could see it happening now- in fact, I try to include some amount of opportunity for it in adventures I design.

"Weird diplomacy" scenes are great for the more social-oriented members of a party; it gives bards a chance to shine, makes people feel like those ranks in Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive and Intimidate are worth it.

 

[dkilgo]

Yeah, I would definitly have to say that it would depend on the attitude of the party, and the NPCs. Is the party bloodthirsty, and is it within the spectrum of thier character? Are the orcs just traveling, and not looking for trouble? Or, are the role reversed? I would think that those would have ot be the questions that I would have to answer myself, if I were the DM. If the characters act out of character and just attack the orcs before ascertaining any information as to the business of the orcs, then I would have to dock them experience points for such a thing. And, quite possibly start them on an alignment shift.