Complimentary Skill Rolls for Influence

[Kaslak]

Originally Posted by Yenaldlooshi

In reading Exploits pages 6 and 10, I am wondering if it would be wrong to allow a player with many of the skills for influence rolls (a bard) to make additional skill checks to try to add to the success of a master skill. Example; rolls using Diplomacy with a roll for Fast-Talk and Sex Appeal as complimentary skill rolls per Exploits page 6.

Though the text states; "This usually means rolls against two different skills, attempted by two different delvers...", the word "usually" gives flexibility for this and since the skills seem combinable in many cases. ie. Using fast-talking with sex appeal at the diplomatic bargaining table should be a thing so I am thinking of allowing it.

Can someone make a good case not too? Should I limit it to only one complimentary skill roll per attempt? (I just noticed how busking works on page 14 so I think I will run with just one main roll with as many complimentary skill rolls as appropriate to the scenario)

I don't see this really encouraged nor discouraged by the rules (unless I am missing something).

What say you all?

I think that in social engineering it was made clear that 1 complementary roll per character is the limit for one skill roll - I can double check if needed.

However you can also consider that a social situation can be as complex as a combat, not resolved in a single roll. For instance, in my opinion, when it makes sense in a complex social situation the GM may set things up such that an earlier positive reaction or influence roll may add bonuses for following ones (e.g. if you made a good presentation of yourself with public speaking at the greetings stage, you get a positive bias acting as a sort of very short term reputation when you try to use Diplomacy later). In this regard, you may want to look at the "manipulation" mechanics in social engineering also, which acts outside of the complementary roll limits, and is a high-risk and high-reward approach (as specious intimidation in Basic Set)

Conversely, you should check also what makes sense - in a single roll, you might have to justify how Diplomacy, Fast-Talk and Sex Appeal would contribute to each other, as they are approaches quite different to each other - pulling completely different strings, if I may. On some kind of people it might work, but for other can be confusing, and gauging for reactions and choosing only one strategy might be better imho.

[mburr0003]

Originally Posted by Kaslak

I think that in social engineering it was made clear that 1 complementary roll per character is the limit for one skill roll - I can double check if needed.

It is, since that's also the limit in Action 2: Exploits which is where the Complimentary Skill rule originates.