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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Chapter 1: Gamemastery Basics / Running Encounters

Social Encounters

Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 16
Sometimes you’ll want to run a social conflict in encounter mode. The basic guidelines on how to do so appear on page 494 of the Core Rulebook, and this section expands on them with additional advice and examples. Social encounters still require opposition—typically an adversary arguing against you, but sometimes institutional opposition or strongly held beliefs. It’s important to note that some NPCs are much more adept at certain types of social encounters than at combat. You can find guidelines on creating such NPCs, and some examples in the NPC Gallery chapter. The Core Rulebook suggests a few means of measuring success and progress in social encounters. If you want something more detailed, look at Victory Points, or the more specific rules for Influence.

As noted in the Core Rulebook, social encounters don’t usually use 6-second rounds. The time scale you use can be flexible. Usually, you’ll want a participant to go on just long enough to make one salient point and attempt one check before moving to the next character in the initiative order. Be flexible and encouraging as you run a social encounter, and don’t worry about nitty-gritty details like character movement except in extreme cases. Allow the PCs to share information about as freely as the players can around the table. If one character is watching the opponent for signs they’re lying, assume they can easily convey that to other characters subtly. It’s good to remind players of things their characters might know or be likely to notice even if the players, in the moment, don’t have them in mind. Describe NPCs’ mental states and ask for clarification about the PCs’ attitudes when needed. The following list describes various types of social encounters that PCs may find themselves in.
  • Besting a rival bard in a battle of wits
  • Brokering peace between warring groups
  • Convincing a dragon not to eat the party
  • Convincing a monarch to defend against an invasion
  • Disproving a rival’s scientific theories before an alchemists’ guild assembly
  • Ending a tense standoff
  • Exposing a slippery villain’s deception before a court of nobles
  • Getting a desperate criminal to free a hostage
  • Persuading a clan to trust their ancient rivals
  • Petitioning for admittance to a magical academy
  • Proving someone’s innocence in front of a judge
  • Securing a major contract over a rival
  • Quelling an angry mob
  • Swaying a fallen priest to return to the faith
  • Tricking a charlatan into contradicting their past lies
  • Turning a leader against their corrupted advisor
  • Turning a low-ranking cultists against their leader
  • Urging a lawmaker to grant clemency or a stay of execution
  • Wining a debate about a contentious topic