@thenomain
Here's the current draft write-up:
IV. Social Combat
There are three “levels” of social combat: (1) immediate; (2) scene-length; and (3) protracted. The appropriate level depends on how difficult or quickly the challenge can be resolved; a little white lie or appearing to be honest would be immediate, whereas convincing another to support you for an election may require a number of rolls over time. (Note: The following rules are optional, but should be used where parties cannot agree on an outcome.)
A. Immediate
Telling a lie and getting away with it. Convincing a police officer you are telling the truth – and you are. These are challenges that must be performed in an instant.
The first step is for the aggressor to determine intent: what are you trying to do? The second step is to determine what pool should be used by the aggressor and the defender. The final step is to roll, and determine the result.
For example: Arkandel needs Ganymede to believe him on an important issue, for which he is telling the truth, but Ganymede is suspicious and stubborn. The Storyteller determines that Arkandel rolls Presence + Sincerity, and Ganymede rolls Composure + Etiquette. Arkandel gets 3 successes, and Ganymede gets 4. Despite Arkandel’s best effort, Ganymede does not believe him, and, because the result was in her favor.
Unlike other forms of social combat, a defender cannot opt-out of the result. This is because the scope of the roll is not calculated to include actions that would lead to behavior that might trigger a player. If this form of social combat does end up with a result that causes the defender to suffer some sort of discomfort, the next step is to call in a staff member to mediate the situation. A single roll may be used to get someone’s attention, or even their favor, but should not be used to determine an attempt to seduce.
B. Scene-Length
Attempting to win the favor of the Prince over a rival in court. Trying to shame someone in front of others in Elysium. These sorts of challenges take some time to complete, generally occur where others can witness the fight, and work very much like physical combat. Each participant calculates the following three scores:
• Dominance: Presence + Manipulation. This is your PC’s social initiative.
• Guile: Wits or Manipulation, whichever is lower. This is your PC’s social defense.
• Nerve: Composure + Etiquette. This is your PC’s social health.
The participants then determine their intent, and then engage one another. This system is generally similar to the Social Combat system found in the Danse Macabre, starting on page 127.
Like physical combat, each participant determines initiative by rolling a die and adding their Dominance. Next, each participant decides how they intend to act that round. There are three different kinds of actions:
• Antagonize: (Presence + Sincerity or Manipulation + Chicanery) – Opponent’s Guile, if the opponent is not deflecting (see below). The roll depends on how the PC intends to go about wearing down his opponent; attempting to prognosticate or compel the crowd to the PC’s side would use Sincerity, whereas belittling, browbeating, or making fun of the opponent would use Chicanery. The PC may add his or her Majesty score to these rolls. For each success, the opponent loses 1 Nerve. On a successful attempt to antagonize, the PC may also add a veiled threat to further wear down his opponent’s Nerve; by spending 1 Willpower, the PC may automatically cause the opponent to lose Nerve equal to the PC’s Intimidation score.
• Deflect: Guile x 2. A PC may defend himself by deflecting the attempt to antagonize him. Like Dodging in physical combat, roll twice the PC’s Guile. The PC may add his or her Animalism score to the pool to roll (which is not doubled). Each success reduces the opponent’s result to antagonize by 1.
• Regain Composure: Composure. A PC may roll her Composure in order to regain Nerve; for each success, the PC regains 1 Nerve. The PC may add his or her Animalism score to this pool.
At any time before his final Nerve point is lost, a PC may surrender to his opponent’s intent. Doing so means that the PC gains Beats equal to the amount of Nerve he has remaining, up to 5 (or 1 XP). If the PC loses the challenge, he may still decide not to abide by the result; if so, his opponent gains a number of Beats equal to the amount of Nerve remaining, up to 5.
C. Protracted
Winning patronage from a noble. Trying to convince the Prince to call a vote. These sorts of challenges take a lot of time to complete, and implies more than a few meetings between the PCs involved. This system should be used by a PC against an NPC, but can be used on another PC too. Generally speaking, this system is similar to the Doors system proposed in the Chronicles of Darkness, starting on page 81.
First, the parties involved determine their goals, if any; sometimes, one party has a goal but the other does not. This system should be used for attempts to seduce other PCs and NPCs, if one wants to resort to rolls to determine the outcome.
Second, each party determines how many Doors they have for the challenge. A PC has a number of doors equal to the lower of the PC’s Resolve or Composure, but may add her Animalism score to that amount. If the goal would result in a breaking point, add another two doors. Other complications may add doors; see the Chronicles of Darkness, page 81.
Third, each party determines how they intend to accomplish their goal, if any. A party may try to use their personality and honor to open up her opponent’s Doors (Presence + Sincerity) through pleas and accomplishing tasks, or she may try to spread rumors and falsehoods in order to trick her opponent, and thereby open Doors (Manipulation + Chicanery). Their opponent contests this by rolling his or her Composure. If a party has no set goal, she may elect to resist only, and contest instead with Composure + Etiquette.
Finally, resolving the challenge. A PC may spend an Action Point to roll to open a Door, using either of the pools above, depending on how they are accomplishing their goals. She may add Majesty to her rolls. Their opponent then contests that roll, as above, and may add Animalism to her rolls. If the PC spending the Action Point prevails, her opponent loses a Door.
At any time before his final Door is lost, a PC may surrender, which means her opponent accomplishes her goal. Doing so means that the PC gains Beats equal to the amount of Doors she has remaining, up to 5 (or 1 XP). If the PC loses the challenge, she may still decide not to abide by the result; if so, her opponent gains a number of Beats equal to the amount of Doors she has opened, up to 5.
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