Simlasa
Legendary Pubber
- Joined
- May 4, 2017
- Messages
- 2,995
- Reaction score
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Something I see being talked up and added to a lot of games these days are rules for 'social combat'.
Games that don't have such rules are decried and plenty of older games I like seem to be getting makeovers to add them in.
My knee-jerk reaction is that they're somehow replacing in-character conversation/discussion/argument with dice rolling... that they're wanting rules for something that I never felt I needed rules for. That it's another 'anti-GM' move by people that don't trust GM fiat.
BUT... I suspect I'm missing something, or being stodgy, or mistaking the messenger for the message (because folks who push these sorts of rules also seem to push other sorts of rules I don't like).
I don't have any issue with 'reaction rolls'... using Charisma stats to give bonus/penalties to PCs trying to talk people into things. I don't have an issue with skills like Bargain or Intimidate or Seduce... but I do strongly prefer that the dice take a back-seat to actually roleplaying out those situations.
Unlike melee combat, where I can't actually poke other Players with swords, I CAN talk to them and NPCs and gods and monsters and whatever... so do I really need many rules to assist?
Anyway, I'm looking for opinions, rationales... is this just a trend? Is it something that's been sorely missing? Is it something we've had all along, just without a formal name? Should I stop being annoyed?
Games that don't have such rules are decried and plenty of older games I like seem to be getting makeovers to add them in.
My knee-jerk reaction is that they're somehow replacing in-character conversation/discussion/argument with dice rolling... that they're wanting rules for something that I never felt I needed rules for. That it's another 'anti-GM' move by people that don't trust GM fiat.
BUT... I suspect I'm missing something, or being stodgy, or mistaking the messenger for the message (because folks who push these sorts of rules also seem to push other sorts of rules I don't like).
I don't have any issue with 'reaction rolls'... using Charisma stats to give bonus/penalties to PCs trying to talk people into things. I don't have an issue with skills like Bargain or Intimidate or Seduce... but I do strongly prefer that the dice take a back-seat to actually roleplaying out those situations.
Unlike melee combat, where I can't actually poke other Players with swords, I CAN talk to them and NPCs and gods and monsters and whatever... so do I really need many rules to assist?
Anyway, I'm looking for opinions, rationales... is this just a trend? Is it something that's been sorely missing? Is it something we've had all along, just without a formal name? Should I stop being annoyed?