Social Feats for D&D: Please comment!

You could only buy one level of Assets at 1st level, so that is the best you could do for extra starting money. However, if your PC starts the game at a higher level and buys more levels in the Assets feat, he could then get the increased starting money for the level of Assets he bought. Also, as you progress in level, you can buy more levels in the Assets feat to get the increased yearly income (this does not give you the increased starting money, however).
 

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Kaptain, i think that all this social feats (15!) are too much. Even if the ones you have converted and all the others we can find in the orgininal sources are quite a good number, every character would have -more or less- the same social feats in the end. Or at least the archetypal NPCs such as aristocrats... Perhaps they could be enough 7 of them (1,1,3,5,7,9,10), they should add some color not crating a background "in progress". Of course if there are players interested enough in social feats they can choose to give up one normal feat for one "social" (but not vice versa of course). Why i advice to give social feats in the firsts 10 levels? Becuase a 20 level character will definitely have his own social background well designed, with or without social feats. He will have his heroic tales, his trasures accumulated, probably a keep or a nation to rule, and there will be no meaning to add an assets, or being charming to opposite sex in that social position.

I hope that this brainstormin could help you, keep on DMing!!!

Steven McRownt
 

Um, I actually have compiled a list of 83 different social feats, including the 15 mentioned here. These are taken from Song & Silence, Forgotten Realms, Fading Suns, Spycraft and ones I made up myself. They are not all OGL, so I didn't post them all here, just a sampling. So there is little chance any two characters (no matter what levels they attain) would ever have the exact same social feats. That may not have been apparent in my original posts, and for that misconception, I apologize.

The nature of some of the membership feats require you to buy additional levels in them if you wish to advance in rank, something that is important at any level. Of course, you still must have DM approval and RP out the situation. At higher levels, one would want additional Leadership type feats for adding retainers, cohorts, organizations, etc. And increasing your assets is always a good idea, regardless of level. Especially if you then use that extra $ to help defray the cost of your hirelings, secret base upkeep, etc.

Thanks for the input!
 


Kaptain_Kantrip said:
Um, I actually have compiled a list of 83 different social feats, including the 15 mentioned here. These are taken from Song & Silence, Forgotten Realms, Fading Suns, Spycraft and ones I made up myself. They are not all OGL, so I didn't post them all here, just a sampling.

That's a complete different point of view, now i understand better your ideas. With those infos i must admit that is perfectly normal to give 15 social feats, considering that someone could be taken multiple times. But i still think that they should be concentrated to low-medium levels instead of being distributed equally on the 20 levels, for all the considerations i've done before.

Steven McRownt
 

How do you suggest this be done?

Like this?
1st level: 3 social feats
5th, 7th, 10th level: 1 social feat
2nd, 4th, 8th level: 2 social feats
11th, 15th and 19th level: 1 social feat

That equals the same # of social feats (15) originally granted.
 
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Kaptain_Kantrip said:
How do you suggest this be done?

Like this?
1st level: 3 social feats
5th, 7th, 10th level: 1 social feat
2nd, 4th, 8th level: 2 social feats
11th, 15th and 19th level: 1 social feat

That equals the same # of social feats (15) originally granted.

Yep, something like that. Let me see

1st level: 2 social feats
2nd,4th,5th,7th,8th,10th,11th,15th,19th level another social feat.
That is 11 social feats; of course you can swap one normal feat to a social one (but not vice versa).... is like trading in some arabian country!!!;)

Steven McRownt
 

Here's the full list of social feats (broken down over several posts). I've left out some details on the non-OGL (WoTC) feats so you will still need to own the necessary WoTC book (or DUNGEON magazine issue #90-91) and I (hopefully) don't step on anyone's Intellectual Property toes. :)

Arcane Training [Social]
[Created by Kaptain Kantrip]
You have been tutored in the minor ways of magic.
Prerequisite: Intelligence 10+
Benefit: You know and can cast per day a number
of arcane cantrips equal to 2 + your Intelligence
modifier. You are considered to be a 1st-level wizard
for purposes of determining your caster level.

Assets [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You rule a fief or business, providing you with annual
income.
Prerequisites: Noble Title, Church Ordination or
Guild Commission.
Benefit: You have real wealth, as opposed to
mere savings or wages: land rulership or control of a
business. This asset provides you with regular income
and is usually tied to your rank and affiliation. You
don’t actually own the land or business--your church,
guild or house does--but through birthright, luck, or
hard work, you have gained control over it and thus
reap its benefits (and suffer its responsibilities). You
cannot sell the business or land, but may abdicate
your position or temporarily place someone else in
charge; during this time, you do not gain the income
associated with the asset.
This feat provides you with an income and
responsibilities. Each time you take this feat
(maximum of five times), it increases the amount of
your income. The money is listed in gold pieces: this
is how much the asset brings you in yearly income
after paying expenses, barring no disasters or
dramatic changes in circumstance for good or ill. It
also provides a small amount of extra starting money.
1st feat = Good Assets (3,000 gp yearly income,
plus 300 gp extra starting money)
2nd feat = Well-Off (5,000 gp yearly income, plus
500 gp extra starting money)
3rd feat = Wealthy (10,000 gp yearly income, plus
1,000 gp extra starting income)
4th feat = Rich (15,000 gp yearly income, plus
1,500 gp extra starting income)
5th feat = Filthy Rich (20,000 gp yearly income,
plus 2,000 gp extra starting money)
Business: Guild-owned assets include all
guild-related businesses in a given area. Wealth is
generated from the creation and sale of guild products
and from the import/export of same and perhaps other
products. You do not necessarily oversee the daily
demands of all these businesses; usually you will
appoint managers to handle all but the most
important deals.
Fief: You rule a substantial portion of land and
serfs who work that land, creating wealth from its
commodities (food, minerals, crafts, etc.) and by
taxation. Misuse of the land requires you to answer to
those above your station and may result in a loss of
rank. You do not necessarily oversee the daily
demands of the fief; usually you will appoint
seneschals or chamberlains to undertake this task.
Temple: Church-owned assets are always
overseen by clerics and may include convents,
monasteries, shrines and temples in a given area.
Wealth is generated from the commodities produced
by the monks and through tithing the faithful. You do
not necessarily oversee the daily demands of all these
places of worship; usually, you will appoint other
clergy to oversee all but the most important of
services.

Barter [Social]
[Adapted from Star Wars d20]
You have a flair for how to buy and sell goods.

Bootlicker [Social]
[Adapted from AEG’s EVIL]
You have mastered the fine art of flattery. You can
grovel, beg, plead and put up a p[athetic facade with
the best of them.
Benefit: When making a Bluff or Diplomacy
check, you receive a +3 competence bonus if you
choose to grovel, beg or plead in front of whomever
you are interacting with.
Special: If you hold a clear advantage over the
person you are speaking with, this bonus does not
apply.

Bribery [Social]
[Adapted from AEG’s EVIL]
You have developed the ability to talk people into
taking or participating in actions that normally run
counter to their sense of personal or professional
morality. You know the ins and outs of the local
government, and have a keen sense of who’s open to
bribes and who’s not.
Benefit: When using the Diplomacy skill to
convince someone to participate in an illegal or
immoral action, you gain a +3 competence bonus. If
you offer your target a bribe or payment of somekind
that is valuable enough to have worth to him, increase
this bonus by +5.
The bribe should be enough to equal roughly a
week’s wage for the target. For each multiple of a
week’s wage the bribe is worth, add a +1 bonus to the
bribe check.
The GM may require an opposed roll of your
Diplomacy check and the target’s Will save when
making a bribe.

Card Shark [Social]
[Adapted from Spycraft d20]
You have dabbled in competitive gambling for many
years.
Benefit: You receive a +3 bonus to your roll for any
competitive game of chance. You are considered to be
fully versed in the intracacies of all major competitive
games. You roll two dice when spending an action
die to win such games.

Charlatan [Social]
[Adapted from Song & Silence]
You’re adept at fooling people. You know how to tell
them just what they want to hear.

Charmer [Social]
[Adapted from Spycraft d20]
You have a way of bringing people around.
Benefit: Your threat range when establishing the
disposition of NPCs who start at neutral, friendly or
helpful is increased to 18-20. Further, you get a +1
bonus to all Charisma-based skills targeting such
NPCs.

Church Archive Access [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You have access to church records normally forbidden
to others, even other priests without such privelege.
Benefit: You may gain access to protected church
libraries. You do so by presenting yourself to the
head librarian and requesting to view the archives.
This allows you to take 20 on all Knowledge
(Religion) checks whenever you research your subject
at the church archives. Church assets, clergy
members, births/baptisms and worshipper rolls are all
at your fingertips, as is material of a spiritual and
theological nature, even that of rival faiths.
Depending on the type of deity you worship,
additional types of information may be available,
such as Knowledge (Undead), Knowledge (the
Planes), Knowledge (Torture), etc.

Church Ordination [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You are a recognized member of your church clergy.
Prerequisite: Blackguard, Cleric, Paladin, level 1+
Benefit: You bear a church rank. Its title depends on
how many levels of this stackable feat you possess.
Each successive level raises you in rank one title (see
the chart below).
In addition, you receive a +1 bonus to Diplomacy
checks against the faithful of your church. This bonus
is stackable with each successive rank (i.e., a canon
gets a +2 Diplomacy bonus).

1st feat = Novitiate/Apprentice
2nd feat = Canon/Provost
3rd feat = Deacon/Acolyte/Illuminatus
4th feat = Priest/Adept
5th feat = Bishop/Master/Magister
6th feat = Archbishop/Grand Master

Comeliness [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You are well-groomed, know how to dress, comport
yourself in public and/or have an attractive
appearance.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Charisma-based
checks against those of similar race where appearance
matters (such as in seducing or impressing others).

Diplomatic Immunity [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You have a certain immunity from legal prosecution
for acts committed while on business for your
affiliated faction.
Prerequisite: Noble Title, Church Ordination, or
Guild Commission
Benefit: If you commit a crime while on official
business, you cannot be prosecuted for it. You can
still be expelled from a fief or even a nation
(depending on whom you have wronged), but you
cannot be jailed, fined or sold into slavery for your
action. This includes even such acts as spying or
murder.
However, this does not make you immune to
repercussions and condemnation from your superiors.
If your little slip up cost them a great dael of trouble
or lost political clout, you may find yourself out of
favor or stripped of rank. Sure, you’ve avoided jail
time, but Diplomatic Immunity is not an excuse to
open up a can of worms on your enemies and get
away scot-free.

Enthrall [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
Your singing, orating or performing fascinates others,
distracting them from other concerns.
Prerequisite: Perform skill 6+.
Benefit: Those NPCs listening to and watching
you within 90 ft. may become completely enthralled
by your performance, ignoring all else except
life-threatening combat going on around them.
Make a Perform check. Each person in the
audience makes a Will save; if successful, there is no
special effect other than the usual Perform check and
you may not attempt to enthrall them for 24 hours.
All who fail will sit and listen/watch rapturously for a
number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (if
positive) plus one round per your total character
level. Their Spot and Listen checks during this time
suffer a -4 penalty. Any possible threat allows the
enthralled person another save attempt against a new
Perform check result. An obvious threat automatically
ends the effect.
While performing, you must concentrate as a
standard action for the entire performance.

Etiquette [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You can use your knowledge of proper manners to
smooth over social blunders.
Prerequisite: Int 13+.
Benefit: You may attempt to smooth over bad
feelings from a social faux pas and/or vulgar breach
of etiquette, committed either by you, your
compatriots, or someone you feel sorry for. You
cannot undo the mistake, but you can erase the social
stigma from whoever committed the error.
Etiquette may also be used to counter the
Withering Insulkt feat directed at you by others. You
make a Will save and if it is higher than the target’s
save, he uses yours instead. If the insult is directed at
you, add +2 to the Will save result.
If someone is intentionally trying to cause a social
incident, make opposed Diplomacy checks with all
relevant modifiers. Those with Etiquette gain a +2
bonus for this check.
You can use your Etiquette a number of times per
day equal to your Charisma modifier.

Fame [Social]
[Adapted from Star Wars d20/Shadowchasers d20]
You are well-known for charitable acts or heroic
deeds (regardless of whether you actually performed
them).
Special: You can’t select both Fame and Infamy.

Family Ties [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You have strong ties to your blood kin, such that they
would delay important tasks to come to your aid.
Benefit: You can draw upon some loyal allies of
similar status to yourself. Of course, this cuts both
ways--if someone kills your father, you will be
obligated to hunt down the killer no matter the time,
cost or risk involved.
To gain your family’s aid, you must address a
member personally or get a message to them. The
GM then makes a Family Ties check. To the roll
result, he adds 10 + your Charisma modifier + any
modifiers based on the situation. If you have recently
done a favor for your family, you may add a +2 bonus
to the check. If you recently risked your life for them,
you may add a +5 bonus on the check (GM’s
discretion).
The DC depends on the type of aid requested.
Asking to vacation at a relative’s house might be DC
10-15, depending on how much he owes your side of
the family. Requesting your brothers and sisters to
meet you in Cady’s Hollow with guns for a kidnight
raid on your rivals might be 15 if it’s an ongoing feud
involving them too, or DC 20 if not. Asking them to
help kidnap a local lord and hold him for ransom
might be DC 30-35, and could get you disowned if it
failed.
Your family may not have the high status or power
that the Ally feat provides, but they are more loyal
and persistent.
A request may be attempted from your family only
once per game month. Two successive months of such
requests cause the DC to rise for each successive
attempt. Should the DC ever rise as high as 40, the
family will no longer heed your requests--you are an
ungrateful, whining black sheep for the next game
year. However, you can perform favors to try and
return the DC to normal.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times.
The effects stack to raise the status of the family (or
involve high-level family members who could not be
bothered with you at lower levels).
 
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Filthy Rich [Social]
[Adapted from Spycraft d20]
You don’t just live the high life--you were born to it.
You’ve usually got enough money to buy or bribe
your way through problems.
Benefit: You have a considerable fortune in
various lucrative investments, all of it generating
interest. Once per game month, you can withdraw up
to 1,000 gp in funds to spend as you wish.
Additionally, you receive 1,000 gp in extra starting
money. You cannot gain more than 1,000 gp in any
one month period from this feat, without liquidating
your holdings at a loss (GM’s discretion).
Special: This feat must be taken at 1st-level.

Fortunate [Social]
[Adapted from Spycraft d20]
You are unusually lucky.
Benefit: You begin each game session with an
extra d4 action die. This bonus die is a d4 regardless
of the type you normally roll.
Special: You may take this feat up to three times,
gaining an extra d4 action die for each additional feat.

Friends in High Places [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You have a close relationship with someone in a
position of power, and that person will go out of his
way to help you.
Prerequisite: Cha 13+
Benefit: Your ally holds a noble title, church
ordination, guild commission, or some other rank or
position that affords him a degree of power over
others of his kind. The ally’s actual rank is equal to to
the second degree of rank for someone of his faction
(noble baronet, church canon, guild chief, etc.).
To gain the ally’s aid, you must address him
personally or get a message to him. The GM then
makes an Ally check. To the roll result, he adds 10 +
your Charisma modifier + any modifiers based on the
situation. If you have recently done the ally a favor,
you get a +2 circumstance bonus on this check. If you
have recently risked your life for him, you get a +5
circumstance bonus on the check (GM’s discretion).
The DC depends on the type of aid requested. If
it’s a simple request for information easily accessed
by him, transportation, minor supplies or financial aid
(100 gp or less), or a social event invitation he is
attending, then the DC is 10. Asking for introductions
to his friends, allies or rivals, moderate supplies or
financial aid (250 gp or less), arranging minor
charges against you to be dropped by the authorities,
the DC is 15. Asking for dismissal of major charges
against you, running a competitor out of business,
major supplies or financial aid (over 250 gp), military
aid, safe house access, or any other request that could
get the ally in trouble or be sorely inconvenienced,
the DC is 25 or more. Note that not all ally types can
provide all of these options. Requests for aid that the
ally cannot possibly fulfill will be denied.
You may make a request of the same ally once per
game month. Two successive months of requests
causes the DC to rise for each successive attempt (+5
DC minimum). Should the DC ever get as high as 40,
that ally will no longer heed your requests until at
least one game year has passed during which he
receives no further requests from you. However,
during this time, he might ask you to perform favors
for him to bring your relationship (and the DC) back
to normal.
Special: This feat is stackable and may be taken
multiple times to increase the ally’s rank, or to add a
new ally. For instance, three levels of this feat can
allow for a noble earl ally.

Golden Tongue [Social]
[Adapted from AEG’s DUNGEONS]
You possess excellent speaking skills and have an
in-born talent for bringing people around to your
point of view.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff (not feint)
and Diplomacy checks.

Gossip Network [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You have a series of informants who keep you up to
date on certain areas of information.
Prerequisite: Gather Information 4+
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Gather
Information checks for subjects within your network’s
reach. Your informants may be cackling old nobles
who let you know which lords have committed
breaches of etiquette, merchants who let you know
who is buying what, or farmers who gladly let you
know who has gone through their area lately.
This feat may be bought multiple times to enlarge
your network’s area (successive levels do not increase
the Gather Information bonus, but do enlarge the area
your check can draw information from).
1st feat = Small City or Fief (this check takes one
day)
2nd feat = Large City or Province (this check
takes one week)
3rd feat = Country-wide, including royal holdings
(this check takes one month)
4th feat = The known world (this check takes
three months)

Great Leadership [Social]
[Adapted from The Quintessential Rogue]
You have a talent for organizing and leading others.
Prerequisite: Leadership
Benefit: You gain more followers. You gain twice
the number granted by the Leadership feat. In
addition, you gain a second cohort of a level equal to
your current cohort’s level minus two. You also gain
control of an organization that you create with this
feat. Use the guidelines outlined on page 92 of The
Quintessential Rogue to generate your group.

Guild Commission [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You belong to one of the guilds that regulate trade.
Benefit: You bear a Guild rank, its title
dependent on how many levels of this stackable feat
you possess. Each successive level raises you in rank
in one title (see the chart below).
In addition, each rank grants you a +1 bonus to
Diplomacy checks against fellow Guild members,
regardless of Guild. This bonus is stackable with each
successive rank.

1st = Apprentice/Associate
2nd = Journeyman/Chief
3rd = Manager/Boss
4th = Crafter/Director
5th = Engineer/Consul
6th = Master/Dean

Hardcore [Social]
[Adapted from Spycraft d20]
There is a core of fierce professionalism in you that
makes even your worst enemies treat you with
respect.
Benefit: Your threat range when establishing the
disposition of NPCs who start at unfriendly, hostile,
or adversary is increased to 18-20. Further, you get a
+1 bonus to all Charisma-based skills targeting those
NPCs.

Holier Than Thou [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You can stave off attacks by exploiting another’s fear
of your deity.
Prerequisite: Church Ordination
Benefit: By exclaiming your holiness to others,
you can protect yourself from their ire. You must, as a
free action, first declare your holiness before them;
anyone in earshot is affected as long as they can hear
you and understand the language you speak.
Anyone who hears this declaration must then
make a Will save before initiating an attack against
you. The DC is 10 + your level. If he succeeds, he
does not need to make a save to attack you anytime
during that encounter or the next 24 hours. If he fails,
he cannot attack you that round but can make another
saving throw the next round and every round
thereafter until he succeeds, after which he may
attack you normally.

Holy Training [Social]
[Created by Kaptain Kantrip]
You have received special training in a church whose
deity you devoutly follow.
Prerequisite: Wisdom 10+
Benefit: You can cast per day a number of divine
orisons equal to 2 + your Wisdom modifier. You can
pray for and receive any of the orisons on the 0-level
cleric spell list. You are considered to be a 1st-level
cleric for purposes of determining your caster level.

Householder [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You work for a noble house but are not an actual
member of the family: a servant, seneschal,
bodyguard, etc. This allows some priveleges with
regards to that house.
Benefit: You are considered to be a freeman in
voluntary employ to the house, and gain a limited
degree of protection from that house. You gain a +1
bonus to Bluff (not feint) and Diplomacy checks
against members of that house. This represents their
increased trust in you. Should you be caught
betraying that trust, punishment can be
harsh--possible expulsion from house employ and
even enforced serfdom, slavery or death in extreme
cases.

Illicit Barter [Social]
[Adapted from Star Wars d20]
You have a flair for how to buy and sell goods on the
black market.

Imperial Charter [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You are a knight in service to the Emperor.
Benefit: See Fading Suns d20, p. 99.

Imperial Cohort Badge [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You serve a knight in service to the Emperor.
Benefit: See Fading Suns d20, p.99.

Impulse Buy [Social]
[Adapted from Fading Suns d20]
You can fast-talk others into making purchases they
might not make were they to think rationally about
them.
Benefit: You can more easily convince others to
buy your wares, gaining a +2 bonus to all
Charisma-based skills involved in securing the sale.
In addition, you can try to jack up the price 10%. No
matter the skill used, an impulse buy is always
opposed by a Sense Motive check.
 

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