Advice on Running Social Interactions With NPCs

 Hi everyone!

This is advice I sent my CoC players and thought I'd share. Please enjoy.

 

I just thought I’d clear things up about social interactions with NPCs.

 

Mostly, I just roleplay the NPC as if they were a real person. In the first session when Lady Jane offered her sword to a policeman in a shootout, he boggled at her and shouted, “Just get some backup lass!” Ditto for when Shirly Bath walked into a hospital brandishing a shotgun and people freaked out. Act nice & they’re nice, act not and they’ll respond in kind.

 

When you need to get an NPC to do something special, here is basically my procedure:

 

Here is some advice about running NPCs that I shared with my players.

SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH NPCS

Tedankhamen will explain the NPC’s motivations

You can add or point out things that may be off

If we agree on these particulars, we move to the resolution.

 

There are then 3 skills you can choose from

 

Fast Talk – For when you need to flim flam in a rush.

 

Persuade – For when you need to appeal to reason or their better nature.

 

Credit Rating – For when you want to make a deal.

 

After choosing which route is possible and best for the situation, you enter into the roleplay & roll.

 

First, you act out what your character says.

If it makes sense or sounds good, you get a flat roll or even a bonus if done well.

If it doesn’t make sense or sounds off, you might get a penalty or automatic refusal.

Then you roll the bones.

A critical success might mean you get extra information or help.

Straight failure means they might still point you in the direction of someone who can help.

A fumble just means refusal, unless there is a good story reason for them to turn on you (ie secretly a nazi).

 

I am just trying to balance out the roleplaying and roll playing in a fun and fair way.

Hope that helps!