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Social Skill Interactions

Not every conflict must be resolved by force of arms. In fact, it can often be in a character's best interest to resolve a situation amicably. Whenever one character attempts to convince another character to act in a specific way, this is an Influence check. These checks are commonly used to determine how the target reacts to the attempt. They are often opposed checks, although not when dealing with groups. If the acting character is successful, the target is turned to their point of view - at least for the duration of the scene. On failure, the arguments presented fail to sway the opposing character. If the characters have a previous relationship, this may add or to the check. If the target has prior evidence that the acting character is trustworthy, then they are much more likely to cooperate. However, if there are prior acts of betrayal, the situation may become far more challenging. Ultimately, the different skills are indicative of the way that a character is attempting to manipulate their target.

Charm governs trying to persuade a target by being nice to them.
Coercion represents efforts to scare an opponent into submission.
Deception entails lying to the target so that they might cooperate.
Leadership reflects the use of authority - real or imagined.
Negotiation reflects persuading someone to cooperate by offering them something that they wants.

The below Interactions Table illustrates the skill oppositions. Refer to the individual skill descriptions for additional details on the various social skills involved.