I have been working on some advanced rules for Reaction Rolls to address these problems.
RULES
- Make an initial Reaction Roll using either the DIPLOMACY INTIMIDATION or SEDUCTION modifiers, depending on the context and the player’s stated stances and actions. The player character’s roleplay should determine which applies.
- Additional reaction rolls modify the attitude attained by the first reaction roll.
- An additional reaction roll (of any type) may be made after 1 round of interaction. A second reaction roll (of any type) may be made after 1 minute (6 rounds) of interaction. A third reaction roll may be made after 1 turn of interaction. A fourth reaction roll may be made after 1 hour of interaction. Additional reaction rolls require 1 hour of interaction, but cannot be made more than once per day.
DIPLOMACY Modifiers
Alignment
Character believed to be Lawful; target is Lawful or Neutral +1
Character believed to be Lawful; target is Chaotic -1
Character believed to be Chaotic; target is Lawful or Neutral -2
Character’s race is a historical enemy of target -2
Location
Character is trespassing in target’s lair -1
Character is in own lair +1
Authority
Character has legal authority over target (lord, guard, etc) +2 or more
Character owes target favors -1/unrequited favor
Target has authority over character -1 or more
Target owes character favors +1/unrequited favor
Proficiencies
Character has Charisma Modifier +Modifier
Character has Diplomacy and is attempting to parley +2
Character has Mystic Aura +2
Threat
Character is brandishing weapon -1
Target believes character has harmed friends -2
Target has witnessed or has evidence that character harm friends -5
Target has been subject to previous intimidation attempt by character -1/prior intimidation
Relationship
Target is already Hostile -2
Target is already Unfriendly -1
Target is already Indifferent +1
Reaction to Diplomacy
Adjusted Roll Result
2- Hostile, attacks // shifts 2 attitudes negative
3-5 Unfriendly, may attack // shifts 1 attitude negative
6-8 Neutral, uncertain // shifts 1 attitude towards neutral
9-11 Indifferent, uninterested // shifts 1 attitude positive
12+ Friendly, helpful // shifts 2 attitudes toward positive
EXAMPLE: A party of 1st level adventurers has just slain five orcs. Their bodies litter the floor and the adventurers’ weapons are covered with orc-gore. When ten more orcs enter the room, the adventurers opt to parley. The paladin (CHA 18, Mystic Aura, Diplomacy, +7 total) steps forward. “We come in peace!” he says in orcish.
The characters are believed to be of Lawful alignment and the target is Chaotic (-1); the character’s are trespassing in the target’s lair (-1); the characters are brandishing weapons (-1); the targets have evidence that the character harmed his friends (-5), for a total of -8. The total modifier is therefore +7-8=-1.
The Judge rolls 2d6-1, and gets a 9. The total of 8 results in a “Neutral” response. “If you come in peace, why’d you kill our friends?” says the orc. The paladin and the orc now begin to interact (1 combat round/10 seconds). The paladin continues diplomacy, saying “They attacked us! It must have been a mistake. Let’s talk to your chief to sort this out.”
The Judge nods and rolls 2d6+8-7; the dice yield an unpleasant result of 3. This modifies to a 2, resulting in a shift in attitude by two categories, from “Neutral” to “Hostile”. The orcs draw their weapons, shouting “He wants to kill the chief!”
Let’s assume instead that the Judge rolled an 11, modified to 10. This shifts the orc’s attitude by one category, to “Indifferent”. The orc gang leader says, “Eh, Aghrimun always was stupid, knew he’d get himself killed some day. Not sure I wanna bother the chief right now, but you can go find him yourself if you want.”
The paladin decides to continue parleying. This will take 1 minute (6 rounds of interaction). His modifier is now 2d6+8-6, because he gains a +1 from the target being Indifferent. The paladin decides to make fun of Aghrimum’s weakness and then says they should all go have a laugh about it with the chief. The dice yield a result of 5, modified to a 7, resulting in a shift in attitude by one category towards “Neutral”. This reverts the orcs towards Neutral. “I ain’t got no interest in cracking jokes with the likes of you,” says the orc gangleader. “Get out of here before I decide I want to crack your skull.”
INTIMIDATION Modifiers
Character and party members outnumber target(s) +1
Character and party members outnumber target(s) by 3:2 or more +2
Character and party members outnumber target(s) by 3:1 or more +5
Character is in own lair +1
Character is brandishing weapon +1
Character is brandishing magic items +1
Character has target at disadvantage (blackmail, tied up) +2 or more
Character has legal authority over target +2 or more
Character is significantly higher level than target (3+ HD) +2
Target
Target’s Morale Score -score
Target has witnessed character kill or torture target’s associates +1
Target is in own lair -1
Target is armed -1
Target has spells or magic items available -1
Target and friends outnumber character and party members -1
Target and friends outnumber character and party members by 3:2 or more -2*
Target and friends outnumber character and party members by 3:1 or more -5*
Target has character at disadvantage (trump card, helpless) -5
Target has legal authority over character -2 or more
Target is significantly higher level than character (3+ HD) -2
Target believes he will suffer loss of face if submits -2 or more
Target believes he will be horrendously punished or killed if he submits -5 or more**
*If target is in lair, include number in lair as part of friends
**“The Dark Lord will do far worse things to me than you ever would” factor
Proficiencies
Character has Charisma Modifier +Modifier
Character has Intimidation and either legal authority, outnumber, or outlevels target +2
Character has Mystic Aura +2
Relationship
Target is already Hostile -2
Target is already Unfriendly -1
Target is already Fearful +1
Reaction to Intimidation
Adjusted Roll Result
2- Hostile, attacks
3-5 Unfriendly, may attack
6-8 Neutral, uncertain
9-11 Fearful, attempts to withdraw/escape if possible
12+ Cowed, helpful
EXAMPLE: A party of 1st level adventurers has just slain five orcs. Their bodies litter the floor and the adventurers’ weapons are covered with orc-gore. When ten more orcs enter the room, the adventurers opt to parley. The thief (CHA 18, Mystic Aura, Intimidation, +7 total) steps forward. “Drop your weapons if you don’t want the same to happen to you, bitches” he says in orcish.
The characters are brandishing weapons (+1) and have some visible magic items (+1) but are not of substantially higher level and have no legal authority (0). The orcs are in their own lair (-1), are brandishing weapons (-1), and including friends in their lair outnumber the characters by more than 3:1 (-5). However they can see that the PCs have killed some friends (+1). Their chieftain is alive, giving them ML +2 (-2). The total modifiers are +7+1+1-1-1-5+1=+1.
The Judge rolls 2d6+1, and gets an 11. The adjusted total of 12 results in a “Cowed” response. The orcs drop their weapons. “We surrender!” they shout, dropping their weapons. “Take us to your chief,” the thief orders.
The characters reach the orc chief and seek to intimidate him as well. “Time to leave these caves, chief. This place is ours now,” says the thief. The characters are brandishing weapons (+1) and have some visible magic items (+1) but have no legal authority (0). The orc chief is in his own lair (-1), brandishing a weapon (-1), and has troops that outnumber the characters by more than 3:1 (-5). He knows that the PCs have killed some friends (+1). But he is 4HD, substantially higher level than the party (-1), has access to a witch doctor (-1), and will suffer loss of face if he submits to the adventurers (-2). With the chief alive, the orc morale is +2 (-2). The total modifiers are +7+1+1-1-1-5+1-1-1-2-2=-3.
The Judge rolls 2d6-1 and gets a 6. The adjusted total of 3 results in an “Unfriendly” response from the chief and other new orcs in the room. “I’ll give you 10 seconds to get the hell out of my caverns, and then I start eating human-flesh,” says the Chief.
Meanwhile, the same result means that the currently cowed orcs have their attitudes adjusted downward by one category, from “Cowed” to “Fearful”. They begin to slink towards the sides of the room, hoping no one pays attention to them.
SEDUCTION Modifiers
Age
Character is of younger age category than target attracted to youthful mates +1/category
Character is of younger age category than target attracted to mature mates -1/category
Character is of older age category than target attracted to mature mates +1/category
Character is of older age category than target attracted to mature mates +1/category
*Age categories only apply within Youth to Old range.
Status
Character has higher social status than target +1/noble rank or equivalent
Character is substantially higher level than target +1
Character is substantially lower level than target -1
Kink
Character is of a race which particularly appeals to target +1 or more
Character is of a race which is unappealing to target -1 or more
Character’s clothing is particularly appealing to target +1 or more
Character’s clothing is particularly unappealing to target -1 or more
Character’s physical traits are particularly appealing to target +1 or more
Character’s physical traits are particularly unappealing to target -1 or more
Character’s behavioral traits are particularly appealing to target -1 or more
Character’s behavioral traits are particularly unappealing to target -1 or more
Privacy
Character and target are alone +1
Characters and target are in front of target’s friends -1
Proficiencies
Character demonstrates Performance or Art proficiency +1
Character has Mystic Aura +2
Character has Seduction and otherwise at least +1 in modifiers +2
Relationship History
Character already Infuriated -2
Character already Insulted -1
Character already Attracted +1
Character already Smitten +2
Character has taken advantage of target’s friends in the past -1
Character has taken advantage of target in the past -2
Target would be at personal risk from liaison with character -2 or more
Reaction to Seduction
Adjusted Roll Result
2- Hostile, attacks/insults/has friend beat you up
3-5 Unfriendly, may attack/insult/have friend beat you up
6-8 Neutral, indifferent
9-11 Attracted, hints at interest
12+ Smitten, helpful