Deception - Opposed or Standard

By edwardavern, in Game Masters

Just curious about this one. CR recommends that Deception checks be opposed by either Vigilance (p24) or Discipline (p113), presumably depending on circumstances.

I was just wondering what GMs do when PCs try to tell a very implausible lie. Do you:

a) Do an opposed check.

b) Do an opposed check but add lots of Setbacks.

c) Do an opposed check but upgrade the difficulty.

d) Do an opposed check but increase the difficulty.

e) Just say "it's a ridiculous lie, so that's going to be a Daunting check with 2 upgrades", or whatever difficulty you make up.

RAW suggests it should probably be a) or b), but I suspect that e) is just much easier all round. Wondered whether this was something anyone else has thought about at all?

I always star with "a" and work from there. a+b is the usual combo, but I'd reserve the right to do "c" or even "d" (though that's not likely).

Forget "e". That's just arbitrary. It should always be opposed by the NPC's pool. Otherwise you're treating everything from a moron to a genius in the same way.

Yes, start with option "a)". Then, depending on how implausible the lie is you either add setback dice or upgrade the difficulty, or both.

For example, a player character is posing as an Imperial officer trying to bluff his way past some guards:

- The character is wearing a stolen officer's uniform: Straight opposed check, Deception vs. Discipline. Maybe a boost die if the uniform doesn't have bloodstains or blaster scorches on it.

- The character is in civillian clothes, explains he's been on leave: Opposed check, three setback dice.

- The character tries telling the guards he's Darth Vader and this is what he looks like without his armour: 6 setback dice, upgrade the difficulty 8 times. And then flip a Destiny point to upgrade the difficulty again, just because.

Great, thanks guys!

The character tries telling the guards he's Darth Vader and this is what he looks like without his armour: 6 setback dice, upgrade the difficulty 8 times. And then flip a Destiny point to upgrade the difficulty again, just because.

Then hand the player a dunce cap and tell them to sit in the corner.