Social Combat

Moonsilver

Moonsilver

Member
Well we had our first session tonight, went quite well for a first session.


Social Combat. Is this right:


I am an exalted at a social event and get hit by two social attacks that make be spend 1 willpower to negate them. For the rest of the scene (which I am reading as the rest of the social event) I cannot be attacked again and persuaded etc to do something I do not want to. As I have spent two willpower this scene?


But if the attack is "unatural" they can just keep pummeling me down to zero.


I suppose it depends on how long scenes are going to last, one conversation or one event?


Also it raises questions as to players avoiding social interplay with anagonists. What do they do in your game, run a mile? :)
 
um, I think, but could be wrong that once you've spent two willpower v One specific power you're  immune to THAT power until the end of the scene


not just you spend 2 willpower against social attacks, you're immune to all social attackd for the scene
 
Once you've spent 2 temporary Willpower, you're immune to all attempts at natural mental influence along the same line of conversation/questioning. Basically you're ignoring them. Stunting, i.e. changing the topic, gets around this immunity and may make you spend more Willpower.


Unnatural Mental Influence can make you blow all your temporary Willpower in the same scene though, thats actually Unnatural Mental Influence's purpose. Each charm should list how a target resists the effects either for a short time or all together. Some are definately more than 2 points of Willpower.


And as far as how my group has typically handled Social Combat with Antagonists...They either shove me out to talk to him (ever tried to negotiate with a Nephwrack?) or typically our "Thog Smash!" Dawn Caste kills them before we have a chance to negotiate (makes playing a Social character a bit trying in our games)
 
You're basically immune to that arguement as you become jaded against attacks etc.   Stunting to try a new direction can still occur though, so if you survive the horny bimbo with a room key attack by spending 2wp, you still may have to spend 2wp on the "come on, smoke this, everyone is doing it" attacks.


The hardest part of social combat is knowing when to do it as opposed to RPing it out.  


I wouldn't recommend forcing PC's to spend a WP to avoid running off with a bimbo as it hardly falls under social combat.  Although you could, it'd be a useful way to stunt something.   Before speaking with the Warlord at the party, send in the parties hottie sorceress to soften him up and weaken him for the attack.
 
Y'know, I always find the best way to find something out about theis game is to state what I though the rules were on a forum, I'm invariably wrong and someone'll be along momentarily to correct me


oh well
 
As it stands I am going to mull over a few house rules as it seems social combat can both stop roleplay and make the PC’s behave in ways they never would normally.


But here is another for you:


Higher appearance acts as a MDV penalty for defenders and a bonus when you are attacked. I take it this applies to Charisma/Manipulation with Performance/Presence and Perception + Investigation. Not to the reading motivation and stealthy social rolls which use opposed dice pools (eg. Per+Soc Versus Man+Soc)? With the opposed dice pool rolls I am assuming Appearance does not factor as MDV is not being used?
 
Well, the key to social combat is to only use it when it could possibly go both ways.   If the PC's want to use it to convince your big "end boss" in the story to become their minion it can get silly.  And if the DM uses it to screw the players it can also suck.   Just have to pick your moments to use it, it works fairly decent.
 
Here is my adjusted section on Social Combat, part of my players guide. I have tried to stick as close to cannon as possible while handling the tricky issue of Social Combat inferring with normal roleplay. The only changes I have made are in e) and f). Do you thing this is OK, overreaction, under reaction?


Social Combat


The world of Exalted is a world of Epics. Epics are full of string speeches and impassioned arguments in closed council which decide the fate of nations. The souls of the men of Creation are stirred by passionate argument. There are individuals whose words and truths are so divinely conceived they are difficult to resist. Creation in general is prone to heroic gesture and impassioned oratory. Social combat mirrors this idea. These rules can create instant converts from gate guards who are more accommodating to rousing the populace. Apart from where mentioned, everything here covers written “combatâ€
 
um...what exatly did you change in E? and I assume F is what everyone does. Its not time constructive to use Social Combat for every conversation.
 
Bits of cannon I changed:


You only have to do a stunt and you can keep on at the target for another go. Maybe more than one go?


You only have to change the topic and you can keep on battering down your target.


Nothing is stated to ensure someone else cant walk up and start on the same topic, this may be implied though.


Take your point on f), but just making it clear for players.
 
Smeggedoff said:
Y'know, I always find the best way to find something out about theis game is to state what I though the rules were on a forum, I'm invariably wrong and someone'll be along momentarily to correct me
oh well
Click to expand...
These are possibly the wisest words I've ever read.


Smeggedoff, I salute your powers of observation and your awesome Hellboy avatar.
 
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