@arkandel said in Social Stats in the World of Darkness:
The more a social system tries to do the less successful is poised to become.
I whole-heartedly disagree with the statement because what I think you mean to say is:
The more a social system tries to do the less likely players will want to use it.
We should probably add to this the following truism:
The more complex a system is the less likely players will want to use it.
And that's fine. I never said that players had to use a physical, social, or mental system if they do not want to. I've been in plenty if IC sparring matches that did not become a full-out physical contest. The fundamental focus of both the initial and subsequent questions is whether there should be a system, and, if so, what would the aims be.
In the morass of comments, I have made a couple of conclusions that are guiding my thought processes regarding the system I want to create, using the Chronicles of Darkness' Storyteller system:
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Players want some parity between physical and social combat insofar as its effectiveness in role-playing.
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Players do not want a social system that is empty or powerless.
Some of the ideas arising out of these conclusions are as follows:
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Make social combat on par with physical combat, going so far as to adding advantages to the system like "Social Initiative" and "Social Health" that can be affected by social attacks.
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Have concrete results for victory in social combat, which as physical combatants must declare their intent prior to engaging in physical combat.
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Make clear rules for the victory results, such as using Conditions.
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Award players for electing and abiding by the victory results.
As an example:
Arkandel is sick of Ganymede's shit in public, and decides to engage her in social combat by delivering a cold, icy stare to make her shut her damn trap. Arkandel declares his intent, and he and Ganymede roll initiative. Arkandel rolls a 8, and adds his Dominance (Social Initiative), and ends up first, so he takes the first attack by delivering the stare and telling Ganymede to sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up.
Rolling his eyes, Arkandel finally turns to look at Ganymede with an expression and gaze of steel. "Why don't you have a seat now? No one cares what you have to say, you glorified pencil-pusher?"
Arkandel rolls his Presence + Intimidation pool. Unfortunately, Arkandel is seriously milquetoast, and can only roll 3 dice: 1, 4, 8. Ganymede takes 1 damage to her Nerve (Social Health). With some Nerve left, Ganymede isn't fully convinced, and returns Arkandel's stare with a cool one of her own, along with sending along a witty remark about his mother's expansive waistline.
The lawyer blinks at Arkandel, and puts a hand over her mouth for a moment. "I would, buddy, but -- " She sighs. " -- I think the last person to use this chair was your mom, and her ass done up and broke it, son."
Ganymede rolls her Manipulation + Intimidation, which is exceedingly high given that she is a world-class lawyer, and rolls: 6, 8, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10. This thumps Arkandel's Nerve hard, reducing it to zero. Ganymede chooses to give Arkandel the Cowed Condition as a result, which reduces Arkandel's Intimidation pool for the rest of the scene, and requires him to spend a Willpower point to engage in any other kind of combat.
Something like that.
