Abstract Social Combat RPG

[AzaLiN]

I imagine 3-4 PCs in a village beset by a goblin army 2 months away with no help from the king; and the PCs aren't heroes, they're just above average.

The RPG, as I see it, would involve abstract social combat where the players influence people in various ways to rally the villages and equip them, whip them into an army, or go to the heartless king and get his help, all using social combat rules- and handle the fights themselves using something simple like Swords and Wizardry or anything similar.

In another version, they could be in a land beset by social or religious turmoil, and they have to use social combat to make something of it, maybe becoming leaders themselves. It's widely applicable.

The abstract part of the social combat is important: the player won't say what they say, or how, but they will say that they use an overpowering attack against the guy's status, etc, or a charm attack against their life experience; and groups can socially fight against groups, lending support to each other, in a mob way.

Elements I have in Mind:

hit points: 0 hp means that that person gets owned by the person who did it, and mostly does what they say.

AC/Defenses: like in 4e, but I envision up to 6 defenses, unless I can group them better: status, self esteem, life experience, honor, knowledge, and courage, with a different attack linked to each.

Attributes: forcefullness dmg
wits AC
bull-headedness hp
insight defend vs lies
etc

Skills
Seduction (bonus +5 charm vs women <25yrs)
nature bonus knowledge/logic +5 vs knowledge

Stances - sacrifice hp to change stance mid fight, can level the stances up
Bill O Reilly- aggressive and loud, overpowering
Socrates- logical and... socratic
Ghandi- illogical, passive, charismatic, sympathetic, etc
others?

positioning- phalanx, flanking, in-yo-face, cornered, etc

Attacks: cuss vs self esteem, criticize vs honor, overwhelm vs status, logic vs knowledge, charm vs experience, threaten vs courage, others

tone
might be excessive to include this, but possibly sarcastic, flirty, etc.

rage meter
a funny idea

status effects
enraged
charmed
immune to logic for d6 rounds
terrified

Special attack cards:
a gate pass
dirt dug up on opponent
a mole in the crowd shouting support
backup for a great lie

etc


The idea is EXTREMELY preliminary, but I've wanted to do it for years. Thoughts/questions? I'll clarify everything as best as i can.

[Callan S.]

Hi,

hit points: 0 hp means that that person gets owned by the person who did it, and mostly does what they say.

Assuming this can happen to player characters, it doesn't seem compatable with most types of fun? It's not even that the other player or GM takes over playing the character utterly (and thus takes over the workload for the character as well), it's that they take over the control but the workload and handling the small stuff is left to the player?

In terms of players I'd set what they have to do on 0 in advance of it happening, and without any vague wording that allows for 'Oh, and of course that would mean you also have to...' because again that's just heading into someone else taking control but not taking any workload. Amongst people, vague wording alwasy leads to little control games...heck, you might want to put that into the game somehow (without letting it seep into the real life play of the game)

[Marc Truant]

I like the idea of solving conflicts using purely social tactics and that different types of characters handle social situations quite, well, differently.

If I can point something out, though, it seems like hit points in this kind of system don't fit. I mean, they certainly can, but right now, they just seem a bit awkward and misplaced.

[AzaLiN]

I was actually thinking along those lines: you could use d6s for resolution, according to the attack and defense numbers, and a 'hit' counts as a 'wound' (actual name would be customized) against that defense, the result's being predefined. For example, a wound against self esteem would make you really easy to drive away or ignore, or take auto-hits from other self esteem based attacks. I would also reduce the number of defenses from 6-3 or 4 if I could, but maybe not.

As for using these attacks against PCs, that's an issue; however, in real life, it wouldn't happen too often, and they should be able to pace themselves without getting caught up in some religious nut's coven halfway in, but that can just be interpreted as character death haha. Most people won't enslave them too much, like in real life, they'll just have an upper hand until the PC gets out from under it.

[Quizoid]

What's the feel you are attempting to achieve with this mechanic?  What's the in-game-logic that answers the question, "Why does going overboard cause bad things to happen?"  It's clearly not a physics logic.  Are you trying to recreate a logic found in a comic-book narrative?  What's the purpose you are trying to achieve? 

In other news, the percentage roll business is cool, but the math, although simple, may be difficult for some to do quickly, and nothing kills a game like pulling out a calculator.  In what increments does energy increase?

[AzaLiN]

What's the feel you are attempting to achieve with this mechanic?  What's the in-game-logic that answers the question, "Why does going overboard cause bad things to happen?"  It's clearly not a physics logic.  Are you trying to recreate a logic found in a comic-book narrative?  What's the purpose you are trying to achieve?

In other news, the percentage roll business is cool, but the math, although simple, may be difficult for some to do quickly, and nothing kills a game like pulling out a calculator.  In what increments does energy increase?

I think you misposted. I'll pretend you didn't though- the in-game-logic I want to work with is a dynamic, funny-serious system for pulling social gambits off to achieve goals. The logic will be similar to some anime or comic books, sure. Pseudo real.

as for the dice checks: roll d6 and add your modifier. Doesn't get much simpler, it may be too simple.

[Callan S.]

As for using these attacks against PCs, that's an issue; however, in real life, it wouldn't happen too often, and they should be able to pace themselves without getting caught up in some religious nut's coven halfway in, but that can just be interpreted as character death haha. Most people won't enslave them too much, like in real life, they'll just have an upper hand until the PC gets out from under it.

As is, I don't see any mechanism for a PC to 'get out from under it'.

Now as GM you might work that in yourself in play - but is this game going to be played by other people? If so they wont know to add, or know how to add some way for a PC to get out from under it. Your going to need to put some rules in for other people if they are going to enjoy the same game your enjoying.

[Quizoid]

What's the feel you are attempting to achieve with this mechanic?  What's the in-game-logic that answers the question, "Why does going overboard cause bad things to happen?"  It's clearly not a physics logic.  Are you trying to recreate a logic found in a comic-book narrative?  What's the purpose you are trying to achieve?

In other news, the percentage roll business is cool, but the math, although simple, may be difficult for some to do quickly, and nothing kills a game like pulling out a calculator.  In what increments does energy increase?

I think you misposted. I'll pretend you didn't though- the in-game-logic I want to work with is a dynamic, funny-serious system for pulling social gambits off to achieve goals. The logic will be similar to some anime or comic books, sure. Pseudo real.

as for the dice checks: roll d6 and add your modifier. Doesn't get much simpler, it may be too simple.

Wow... I totally posted this in response to an entirely different thread... I've actually never read this thread /O:

Maybe I should find the thread I meant to post to and repost there (O: