A question that might have an obvious answer but I'm not seeing it.

Starting on page 277 of the main rule book it explains some examples for social personalities and the modifier and effect. The effect results in the opposing NPC's disposition going up or down based on DoS or DoF. However only one is listed. So for instance with an Aggressive Personality if you use a Command it lists a +5 x DoF effect. What happens if the player succeeds? Does the disposition just not get affected at all? I'm just really not sure how the disposition mechanic works.

No one knows?

Since there is nothing listed there in case of DoS, then nothing happens.

The character has motivated the npc to do something, showing charisma or whatever. It's only in case of failure that the npc feels like being insulted because of the attempt.

The npc is indifferent towards charismatic leaders or people who are able to motivate him to do something, but hates being bossed around by wannabes or people who he feels doesn't take his best interest into account.

This is basically not the way to raise disposition for this particular npc. Charm and Deception works better in this case (manipulation, ego stroking, ...)

Hope that helps.

Thank you!

yes - but it is strange that it results in +DoF*5, meaning: if you fail on your command test, the disposition of the NPC IMPROVES ?!?!?

This means he likes me more, if I am really lame at commanding him around really ?

Uh yeah, I think that's a typo and should have been negative.

Otherwise it would be really strange story-wise...I mean...really....

"Do what I say !"

- "No way, you funny bastard. But I really love you !"

I don't think that this is a typo. An aggressive person just doesn't like to be commanded around and to be intimidated, so for their disposition towards you it is better if you fail these tests. That said, I think this personality is only good for orkish characters like heavies and crazy gang bosses. I made up a table of some more personalities to use in my game: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZZ0MgpSK4xDuCTe6Eh8SD5NXZHV2_00SVdsBVdwJblo/edit?usp=docslist_api

Maybe of use to other GMs.

Of course I try to faithfully reflect the personality of an NPC to the players. Additionally I allow the players to judge the personality by a Scrutiny test after a short conversation. If successful I tell them the personality and which social skill is most likely to increase the disposition.

The whole Disposition mechanic seems...unfinished to me. No, not unfinished, ill-considered , perhaps. Tacked on, rushed.

I mean, to go back to the Aggressive personality. The only way to make a social test and lower their Disposition toward you is to ask a bunch of questions and fail to get answers. Everything else either raises their Disposition or does nothing. Really? Ineffectually trying to Intimidate an aggressive person doesn't hack them off? Failing to ingratiate yourself to them through Charm doesn't just annoy them? Frankly, I'm surprised that the table isn't full of -ve's instead of +ve's...they're supposed to be Aggressive, right? Practically everything should lower their Disposition, even when you're getting successful results!

I'd rather see a system where the results of success or failure have different Effects on Disposition, based on personality. It's like they missed a column out. For Example; an Aggressive Personality should have something like a -20 modifier to Charm, +5xDoS Disposition on Success and -10xDoF on a failure . Aggressive people don't like weaselly slippery wordsmiths as a rule, so it's both hard to Charm them and they don't like it when you fail to Charm them.

Yes, true. It is unfinished and maybe even ill-considered. But I like the basic idea and with a little bit of tweaking it is usable. Maybe the problem is, that I never have played any system, where ANYTHING at all about usage of social skills was written in the rules. So the DH2 approach seemed nice to me.

This is my opinion too. Disposition system is clearly unfinished. Besides I think it's overcomplicated. If one character wants to influence other it should be done by testing one of the social skills. Personalities could just give bonuses or penalties to such test.

For example Hive Ganger could have personality that works well with Charm (+20 bonus) and Intimidate (+20 bonus), but doesn't with Command (-20 penalty) and Deceive (-20). Of course his personality could be discovered as normal, with Scrutiny skill that could have separate bonus or penalty.

I imagine Disposition system was a way to "remember" relations history between characters. But it could just be modificator to test, the better the more character likes you, the worse the less he likes you.

Besides it's stupid that intimidation doesn't depend on actual force that character has. Aggressive Ganger might be eager to kick your ass if you intimidate him with no real advantage over him. But he'll surely listen to you if you show him force - after all being ganger he knows how the "might is right" rule works.