Social Interaction Style: Pleading

[ajardoor]

Social Interaction Style: Pleading

See Pyramid 3/54, The Civic Arts in GURPS. I thought up another social interaction style.

6 points.

Beggars and diplomats alike try to appeal to mercy and charity. This social style revolves around both appearing harmless and in need of help, and stirring emotions of empathy or pity. Stylists adopt a servile or pathetic manner, with tears in their eyes and a small shivering stature. Dignity and composure must be cast aside to either promote a moral cause or save their own skin. A key element of the style is carefully judge the prospective helper, looking for any signs of callousness or Sadism in advance of the plea.

Shadier practitioners of this style use sympathy as a weapon to manipulate others for immoral gain...or to carry out a surprise attack...

Skills: Panhandling, Diplomacy, Acting or Body Language, Urban Survival or Savoir-Faire (Servant), Streetwise or Fast-Talk.
Techniques: Agenda, Cutting Out.
Cinematic Techniques: Beguilement, Personal Guarantee.
Perks: Rehearsed Role, Honest Face, Forgettable Face, Passing Appearance, Disarming Smile, Party Animal, In the Know.

OPTIONAL TRAITS
Advantages: Contacts, Pitiable, Empathy.
Disadvantages: Dependants, Addiction, Status, Wealth, Laziness, Social Stigma (any).
Skills: Psychology (Applied), Knife, Scrounging, Area Knowledge, Politics, Law (any), Current Affairs, Holdout, Detect Lies, Pickpocket, Merchant, Public Speaking.

[whswhs]

I'm going to say I don't think the skills for a style ought to be "A or B." The styles I'm familiar with have fixed lists of mandatory skills.

[transmetahuman]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'm going to say I don't think the skills for a style ought to be "A or B." The styles I'm familiar with have fixed lists of mandatory skills.

It looks like two different styles, one for beggars and one for diplomats, mushed together. These aren't the only types of people who people who might benefit from the style. What do you think of maybe making the required skills Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Acting *and* Body Language, and maybe Psychology (Applied)? Leave the other skills as optional traits for the beggars, diplomats, and whoever else to specialize with.