GURPS Social Engineering

[PK]

SG: Pretty much. In many ways, Social Engineering is the GURPS equivalent of "a social combat book," inasmuch as that means anything in GURPS -- but after what systems like d20 and Exalted did to redefine that term, it was important to ensure that no one thought we were implementing a "take the standard combat system, but just redefine everything social terms" approach.

Honestly, I have yet to play through a "social combat" that felt at all natural -- every time, the surrealism of it pulls me out of the verisimilitude. The craziest must've been a few months ago, in Exalted, when we had to convince a mayor to sleep with a call girl (long story), and I experienced the "Mass Social Combat rules." It was really weird to feel like I was being yanked out of the RPG and into a wargame, especially when the whole idea is that it's a form of social interaction (which usually leads to more immersion, not less).