Player Tips: Shape Stories – Social Play with purpose (make Persuasion rolls pop, social god or not)
Today we’re talking about four ways to bring more intention to social challenges in your TTRPGs: whether it’s talking down a charismatic menace who could put you in cuffs basically just because they felt like it or navigating drama within the party.
Here’s the thing: social scenes can shape the story just as much as a boss fight. But a lot of us (myself included) default to “I’ll just be nice and see what happens.” And that’s fine! But there’s so much more we can do so this isn’t about being the smoothest talker at the table - it’s about giving you a few tools to make those moments pop. A negotiation can often be just as tense as fighting a dragon so lets get into it. Obviously this isn’t the be-all and end-all but it’s a start. Also, what you choose should be appropriate to the context of the scene and game, I can’t tell you what to pick.
Transaction: You offer something in exchange or return for whatever you are requesting. You want your friends out of prison, so you agree to deal with some baddie in this leader’s name. Or maybe it’s just money. You’ll pay for a certain something. This one’s great when trust is thin - and maybe it’s because they’re shady or just that you don’t know each other - but either way, trust is thin and you need them.
Appeal or Argument: This is typically what people - me included - default to. You sway your audience to your side by presenting your objectives truthfully or deceptively, endearing or ingratiating yourself to them. This is usually the ‘convincing the NPC’ and your classic persuasion play. It’s generally a good approach for if you want to have a relationship, not just a result - a longer-term connection beyond just one or two sessions. So you want to make them want to help you, not just agree because they have to.
Intimidation: Threats of violence, shows of force maybe, a little “nice place you’ve got here, shame if something happened to it” energy. Use with care - and be ready for fallout. This is when you are very specifically trying to imply that you are not scared of the NPC and in fact, are capable of being just as dangerous or more even. You are not trying to ingratiate yourself, and are fine with being seen as dangerous and maybe not particularly moral, and the goal is to get them to see why saying no might be a mistake.
Alliance: Pitch partnership by outlining the benefits of working together and framing the relationship as a win-win. This kind of thing can naturally evolve over time but for the purposes of that negotiation scene, this is something you can lead with rather than grow into it. This is for when you’re aiming long-term or it’s a particularly big ask - and you want to walk away with a trusted ally, not just a one-time deal.
So yeah - next time you’re staring down a smug noble, a rival merc, or just a grumpy barkeep who holds the keys to your next plot hook, don’t default to “I guess I’ll just be nice.” Think about what kind of move you really want to make at the table. And if someone else is dong the talking, maybe you can support - these options are great to add flavour to your social support. These aren’t just tactics - they’re tones. Are you bartering for things that they find useful? Convincing them to join you by weaving yourself into their story? Flashing a weapon and letting silence imply violence? Or starting the first chapter of an alliance?
These four options aren’t the only tools in the box, but they’re a solid starting point to help your social scenes hit harder.
Try one out next session - and see how the game shifts when you show up with intention.
