Social Conflicts Like Pulling Teeth

[sinker]

You might want to remember that, as well as those options a creative and subtle wizard may attack and maneuver using spells. I have yet to think of a thematic device that would work as a social block, but there's no reason why that couldn't work too if someone figures that one out.

[Fedifensor]

You might want to remember that, as well as those options a creative and subtle wizard may attack and maneuver using spells. I have yet to think of a thematic device that would work as a social block, but there's no reason why that couldn't work too if someone figures that one out.

I'd be very reluctant to allow direct social attacks via spells.  Allowing such is inviting the AD&D wizard syndrome into FATE...

Maneuvers, however, are perfectly fine - especially to create aspects that can be tagged on a subsequent use of Intimidate.

[sinker]

One of the reasons that wizards are so powerful in DFRPG is that they are so flexible. Using magic they can do almost anything that anyone else can do as long as they are creative, however if they don't have the time to prepare they are limited in how often they can do it. A great example of a social conflict in which spells were used is in White Night

(click to show/hide)

when Harry and Molly argue and Harry "takes her out" with his little ball of sunshine.

Also I noticed Rapport wasn't on your list as an attacking skill. The Chit-Chat trapping allows one to make social attacks with Rapport.

[Sanctaphrax]

I agree with Fedifensor. A seven shift evocation is pretty much an instant win in the absence of toughness powers/extremely high defences. And there are no social toughness powers, which makes wizards the best social tanks around.

If you still support the idea of magical social attacks, remember that social combat attacks lack weapon ratings. Weapon 5+ attacks aren't exactly fair when everything else is weapon 0.

Maneuvers are probably fine, though. Sinker's example sounds like a combination of a spellcasting maneuver and Great Intimidation to me.

[sinker]

I agree with Fedifensor. A seven shift evocation is pretty much an instant win in the absence of toughness powers/extremely high defences. And there are no social toughness powers, which makes wizards the best social tanks around.

If you still support the idea of magical social attacks, remember that social combat attacks lack weapon ratings. Weapon 5+ attacks aren't exactly fair when everything else is weapon 0.

Maneuvers are probably fine, though. Sinker's example sounds like a combination of a spellcasting maneuver and Great Intimidation to me.

Thematically I dislike this interpretation. Seems to me that regardless of a wizard's skill one is going to be very frightened when they're throwing a ball of fire in one's face. That is a decent mechanic argument however. I could make a number of arguments for it, but it seems to be popular opinion that it's a bad idea, so I'll merely state that I've tried it in play and it seems no less balanced then throwing a wizard at a group of mortals (or lesser supernaturals) and it's not nearly as effective in combat against heavyweights as one might assume.

[craggle]

One of the reasons that wizards are so powerful in DFRPG is that they are so flexible. Using magic they can do almost anything that anyone else can do as long as they are creative, however if they don't have the time to prepare they are limited in how often they can do it. A great example of a social conflict in which spells were used is in White Night

(click to show/hide)

when Harry and Molly argue and Harry "takes her out" with his little ball of sunshine.

Also I noticed Rapport wasn't on your list as an attacking skill. The Chit-Chat trapping allows one to make social attacks with Rapport.

Afraid I haven't read to the point of the example, but couldn't that be a case of switching to a Physical stress track for an abrupt finish, with the other player trusting nothing serious to happen when they opt to be Taken Out and therefore forgo Consequences? 

Just because you're in Social Conflict doesn't mean in certain situations you aren't going to resort to the gut punch and then tag a Physical Consequence to encourage someone to spill the beans.

[Wordmaker]

I would have ruled the example from White Night as a normal Social Conflict with Intimidation.

(click to show/hide)

Harry's little ball of fire spell was just the description of how he was applying the skill. It wouldn't have worked if Molly didn't believe that he might just let the ball hurt her.

[Fedifensor]

Also I noticed Rapport wasn't on your list as an attacking skill. The Chit-Chat trapping allows one to make social attacks with Rapport.

I listed it...but I said it was primarily for maneuvers, based on the description under Chit-Chat:

A character skilled in Rapport is a master of small talk and, through casual, friendly conversation, can get folks to give up information without quite realizing they’ve done it. In a social conflict, you may roll Rapport for maneuvers and “attacks” with this goal in mind.

I figure there's a certain point when Rapport is harder to use...generally when the conversation gets less friendly.  If you're being attacked with Intimidate, you can defend with Rapport...but it's pretty hard to counterattack with Rapport at that point.