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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Heathen72" data-source="post: 1202314" data-attributes="member: 7029">Because it isn't always about the effortIt's funny that this should be posted as I have been having discussions with my G.M about how he moderates my character's abilities. I chose the third option, and here are a few reasons why it's important to me that a roll is made in my encounters... I am playing a telepathist character - a sort of Psionic enchanter - and although he is only third level, he is kinda sick.  I have managed, through careful choice of skills and feats (you know, min-maxing <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> ) to boost his social skills to relatively ridiculous levels. His effective bluff and diplomacy scores are 12 and 16 respectively.) However, in doing so I have paid the price - I am very combat weak, so it is very important to me that my investment in social skills is recognized, because I am not nearly as magnetically charismatic as my character is.   Now, of course I am going to roleplay my guts out - that's the fun of playing such a character - and sure, it would be nice if my roleplaying earnt me a little bonus to my roll - but I don't expect it any more than I would if I was roleplaying well in a combat situation. If the GM grants me a bonus, great. If not, fair enough. (That said, if you are giving characters mods to their rolls in social situations - based on roleplaying - you better make sure you are doing so the same thing in battle. Otherwise it is unfair for combat based characters. Yes?)   For me a skill roll reflects the vagaries of social interaction in the same way an attack roll reflects the uncertainties of combat. Interaction isn't always about "effort." Sometimes it isn't even about what you say. Sometimes it just comes down to whether someone likes you or not, or even simply how lucky you are - sometimes you are telling a joke to a person whose cat has just died. Unseen elements like these are represented in the roll.    Socially, my character leads a charmed life - As a player, I can really put my foot in it, yet my character can still manage to come up smelling like roses. People are just drawn to him - they just like him. (that's what's having an 18 charisma and a 16 diplomacy is all about! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ) But it doesn't always go to plan. Let's say I am having a tense discussion with the Chief of Police (maybe I'm am trying to get my friends out of gaol.) I'm role playing my guts out (loads of effort - no doubt about it) but I inadvertantly insult him (how was I to know the ugly woman in in the waiting room was his wife?). The G.M smiles, and asks for a skill roll. Here's how a die-roll could add to the drama of the game...MY SKILL ROLLNatural 1 - The Chief turns beetroot red and throws me in gaol with my friends.  Low to mid-range roll - I've clearly stepped in it - The Chief has me thrown me out of his office onto the (probably very muddy) street. The street is very muddy.  High roll - The Chief stops for a moment, then shakes his head, - "You cheeky devil." He pauses a moment, then sighs. "Alright, I'll release them into your custody, but if anything happens, I'll hold you responsible"Natural 20! -  goes something like this..."Who is that fat noisy old bag!""That's my wife!""Oh, I'm sorry...""You're sorry! How do you think I feel?" etc... If you want to do it a different way, why not make the skill roll for the character before the conversation (or argument or seduction etc) This can determine whether or not the P.C is likely to succeed. Then just roleplay the encounter accordingly. If you roll high, be won over by the P.C.'s Earnest Warmth. If you roll low, play hard ball (or play it nice until the point where you decide he's 'put his foot in it'!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> ) If you roll close to the DC you have chosen, see if the P.C's roleplaying gets him over the edge...</blockquote>

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