Skill | Persuasion (Mind)

Persuasion measures your ability to influence others through logic, empathy, charm, or reasoned argument. It governs honest appeals, tactical flattery, patient negotiation, and impassioned rhetoric. Unlike Deception, Persuasion works best when your argument aligns with the target’s values and interests.

When You Use It:
Persuasion applies when you:

• Convince guards, officials, or strangers to grant favors

• Rally allies, crowds, or communities to support your plans

• Negotiate truces or compromises during tense situations

• Calm hostile or frightened individuals before violence breaks out

• Appeal to reason or emotion to sway uncertain NPCs

Stat Used:
Always Mind.

Untrained Use:
Persuasion may be attempted untrained using your full Mind %. Most people know how to make basic requests, though success with difficult or subtle arguments typically requires skill and experience.

Declaring Intent:
Before rolling, the player should clearly state the desired outcome of their persuasion attempt. This helps the GM determine difficulty and define what success or failure means in context.

Mechanical Effects:

• Success: The target is influenced and generally agrees to your request.

• Critical Success (01): The target is strongly swayed, offering extra cooperation, enthusiasm, or lasting goodwill.

• Failure: The target is unmoved and declines or ignores your argument.

• Critical Failure (00): The target is offended or hardened against you, potentially becoming hostile.

Special Considerations:

• Roleplay matters. Strong arguments and leverage may reduce difficulty or avoid the need for a roll. Weak or outrageous requests may increase difficulty or fail automatically.

• Opposed rolls may be called for when targets are cautious, stubborn, or actively resisting persuasion. Use Mind × 5 or Insight as the opposing skill.

• Insight can help determine if a target is receptive, neutral, or resistant before an attempt is made.

Situational Modifiers:
Apply the Difficulty Ladder based on the target’s attitude and the context:

+50% — Target is friendly and agreeable
+40% — Target is grateful or eager to believe
+30% — Strong arguments or clear benefits are presented
+20% — Familiar setting and positive rapport
+10% — Neutral target and modest request
0% — Standard appeal to a reasonable person
–10% — Target is distracted or mildly annoyed
–20% — Tense situation or prior friction
–30% — Skeptical or deeply concerned target
–40% — Hostile or ideologically opposed target
–50% — Request violates target’s core beliefs or values

Narrative Examples:

• A knight persuades guards to overlook minor infractions.

• A bard rallies townsfolk to defend their village from invaders.

• A rogue talks their way past a suspicious noble’s aide.

• A priest pleads for unity among feuding factions.

• A diplomat negotiates safe passage through hostile lands.

Player Note:
Always state your intended goal when persuading. Success means achieving that outcome, but persuasion cannot override deeply held beliefs or force targets into completely illogical actions. Use Insight to gauge receptiveness before committing to risky arguments.

---

Optional Rule — Disposition Scale (Social Influence Tracker):

For GMs who want a structured approach to NPC reactions, the Disposition Scale offers a framework to track and shift attitudes during interactions.

Disposition Ranks:

1 — Hostile (Violent and ready to kill)
2 — Hateful (Deep resentment, eager to sabotage or confront)
3 — Unfriendly (Suspicious and obstructive)
4 — Neutral (Indifferent and uninvested)
5 — Friendly (Polite and cooperative)
6 — Supportive (Personally loyal and eager to assist)
7 — Devoted (Deeply loyal or affectionate, may risk themselves or join the cause)

Shifting Disposition:

• Success: Raise disposition by 1 rank.

• Critical Success: Raise disposition by 2 ranks.

• Failure: No change.

• Critical Failure: Lower disposition by 1 rank.

Determining Initial Disposition:
If an NPC has no narrative or story-driven stance toward the PCs, roll a d10:

• On a result of 1, 8, 9, or 0, the NPC starts at Neutral (4).

• Any other result sets the starting disposition equal to the die result (e.g., rolling a 3 starts the NPC as Unfriendly).

Using Disposition:
Disposition influences how NPCs react:

• Hostile or Unfriendly NPCs resist or act against the PCs.

• Neutral NPCs require persuasion to offer aid.

• Friendly or Supportive NPCs provide help willingly.

• Devoted NPCs may sacrifice for the PCs or permanently ally.

[ Back | Contents | Next]

File Created: 05/01/2025
Last Modified: 05/01/2025