Hi all,

Sorry for the jumble of text below but i am running into a problem getting my head around social interactions using the expanded rules from Into the Storm (pg 204-207). I am specifically looking for help on my points (4) and (6) in the example below from pg206.

From Point (4) below. If you keep scoring successes in Charm and increase its disposition, then switch to Blather for the first time, do you use the disposition from Charm because it is your highest bonus? Bascially a Global Bonus?

From Point (6) below. Even though failing a Decieve their Charm disposition holds at (+30), as with above i assume this is because it is the highest disposition bonus. Yet there is also a (-20) from the failed Decieve even though they are using Charm, i assume this acts as a Global Reduction?

So what if they tried Intimidate which they have not used, would it gain Charm's (+30) and Decieve's (-20)?

If they tried Decieve again to raise/remove its (-20) would it gain Charms (+30)?

Thanks

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From my reading the formula for working out the total modifier for the tests is:
Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test

Breaking down the example on Pg206 i assume the starting disposition is Challenging and affects all stats.

1) The first charm test by Lidiah using the above equation would be:

Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition? + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test
0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 0

Which she passes increasing the Charm disposition by 1 level to Ordinary (+10).

2) Jarrion tries a Lore test. Normally a (-30) but gains a (+10) from the previous successful test making it a (-20) which passes.

3) They then try a second Charm test:
Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition? + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test
10 + 0 + 0 + 10 = +20

Which they pass and increase the Charm disposition by another level to Routine(+20).

4)They now try a blather with a +30. I get that they have +10 from the previous successful test. But where is the +20 from? I assume that because Charm disposition has been increased by 2 then all stats have been? So you use the highest positive bonus?
Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition? + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test
20 + 0 + 0 + 10 = +30

Which they pass and yet again increase the (now global?) disposition by another level to Easy(+30).

5) Yuri now tries to Decieve. This has a negative outcome so a (-10) applies.
Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition? + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test
30 + 0 + (-10) + 10 = +30

They fail be 2 degrees after a fate point

6) They try Charm again to smoothe things over. As they failed the previous test they do not gain a (+10) bonus but Charm still has a base of (+30). Why is this? Did only the Decieve Disposition reduce because they failed a Decieve test? And did it reduce two steps for the 2 degrees of failure? This would mean:
Disposition(Table 7-1) + Negative Disposition? + Outcome (Table 7-2) + Pass previous test
30 + (-20) + (-10) + 0 = 0

Okay, since nobody has touched this I'll give it a go.

First, the formula is Disposition + Outcome only.

Disposition is the NPC's attitude to the player characters. There's no such thing as "Charm disposition" or "Intimidate disposition", only 'Lt Sanders' disposition'.

Lt Sanders' disposition is -20. A successful Social Skill Test brings Lt Sanders' disposition to -10. The next Social Skill Test is made against Lt Sanders' new disposition.

The Outcome should be consistent within a Social Challenge - if you're trying to get a customs officer to wave you past, for example, the penalty should remain the same whatever Social Skill is employed.

And a failed or passed test makes the next test one step easier or harder - ie it's a -10 or +10 depending - in all challenges, whether Exploration, Investigation or Social.

Hi LoneKharnivore thanks for replying.

What you are saying makes sense and is how i am reading the rules, yet the example on pg206 of Into the Storm was confusing me. The reason I assumed there was a Negative disposition is near the end of the example it says " The difficulty is further modified by the fact that the Trade Minister is now Skeptical (–20)" . I could could not understand a disposition change from (+30) to (-20) on a fail of 2 degrees.

Now i realise this (-20) is not actually used in the rolls. It reflects a momentary attitude change where the tests reflect the overall situation. It can be used to help describe the situation and for the GM to roleplay the NPC. Thanks for the clarification and I am slapping myself to save you the additional hassle

So using the simpler (CORRECT!) rules my Point 5 would become:
they failed their roll by 2 degrees taking their disposition from +30 --> +10
Which would make the maths for Point 6 make sense when removing that -20 modifier.

To be honest, I much prefer using the Disposition system from Dark Heresy 2nd Edition (one of the few things that came out of that release). There, a character's demeanoure and personality are taken into account when determining how adverse Social Skills affect him.

For example, a well-groomed noble would be easier to Charm or Barter with, but less susceptible to acts of Command or Intimidation due to their upbringing, providing bonuses to the former but negatives to the latter.