From: v124pz9t@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: reversing skill multiplication
Date: 14 Dec 92 18:37:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: acsu.Bz9IDw.Gpx
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Dec12.202409.1@wharton.upenn.edu>, millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes...
>In article <Bz49uF.7Jy@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v124pz9t@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David Cheng) writes:
>> I'm trying to think Devil's Advocate, as I type here...
>> If I am trying to "Fast Talk" my way out of a situation, do I
>> use Oratory or Sociable?
> 
>That's the player's choice. Are you trying to browbeat or confuse the
>target, or are you buttering him up, complimenting him so much that he
>gets careless? Or are you using Empathy to bribe or otherwise convince
>him? Note that I'm willing to allow for other skills if desired by
>individual GMs, but I don't think the default set should be as
>fragmented as the currently proposed one.

I like this flexibility.  I think it should be modified by circumstances,
however.  Only one of the 3 (Oratory / Sociable / Empathy) should be
the BEST way to handle it, as decided by the GM.  If you are not using
what the GM says is the best skill, you take a penalty.

Ex:  A beggar is being confronted by the town guard.  The GM thinks
that kissing-up to the guardsman is the beggar's best option, so
he calls for a Sociable skill roll.  That's the beggar's worst comm skill,
so he says "I'll try Empathy instead."  The GM thinks: "OK, but this
town guardsman is callous to the suffering of the poor.  He knows that
beggars often can be paid to act as lookouts for thieves, and so he
has little sympathy for them..." = -25% on the beggar's Empathy roll.

    A nobleman confronting the guardsman would probably be best served
by using Oratory (dropping names and using flowery language).  He might
be "lowering" himself by trying Sociable or Empathy, so those options
would cause him a penalty.

> 
>> How would certain cultures value each of these "stereotypically:"
>> Orlanti vs Eirithan vs Yelmic vs Eastern vs Western vs Pamaltelan, etc?
> 
>That's a good question. IMHO, the split between oratory and sociable
>falls along gender lines. Oratory is a typically male way of dealing
>with others, and Sociable means are often seen as female, or weaker,
>methods. Orlanthi, being patriarchal and enamored of rhetoric and fancy
>words, would prefer Oratory. Eirithians, being matriarchal, would prefer
>the Sociable skill. If other cultures have a preference for one mode of
>communication or another, they might prefer oratory, sociable, empathy,
>or even bargain or courtesan. I don't know enough about eastern
>genertelan and pamaltelan cultures to predict which communication skill
>they would prefer, but I'd guess that malkioni cultures, being
>patriarchal and caste-driven, would prefer oratory.

How about this:  Within your caste = Sociable
                 Outside your caste = Oratory (generally)

>One possibility is to do the same thing to skills as has been done to
>spells. Instead of multiplying the number of skills, just keep their
>descriptions limited and give them lots of names.

Sure, this makes good sense to me.

-David Cheng
 drcheng@sales.stern.nyu.edu  (even though it's down all the time...)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc