A Crash Course in Fate of the Norns' Social Combat

The social combat rules introduced in *The Children of Eriu* bring the same mechanical depth I love in the base game to the social sphere. I am always excited by alternatives to the traditional skill based approach of most other RPGs. That said, social combat was a point of difficulty for me and my players when we first encountered it. The system is innovative, but it requires a mindset shift, too.

So what's the real payoff here? This subsystem is wildly different from approaches in other traditional RPGs, so what's the point? Why go through all this trouble?

For me, it's the same value we get from having rigorous mechanical combat rules. Rules for physical combat provide a consistent method to determine when a character is hit, harmed, or killed during the course of play. Likewise, characters may find themselves on the ropes, socially speaking. A character may yield information they hadn't intended to. No one can always keep a cool head. Characters may find themselves doing things they don't want to do because they feel socially pressured to do so. These rigorous rules explicitly mandate roleplaying these very real, human limitations. Just as combat rules exist to prevent the "Nu uh!" response to "The sword hits you," these social rules prevent that response to peer pressure, interrogation, or emotional drain.
# Ask "Why?" not "How?"
In most skill based RPGs, asking *how* a character engages an NPC is the most important question. Are they lying? Appealing to a sense of honor? Flirting? The answer to these questions then determine which skills and abilities are at play, and accordingly, how to resolve the action. While these questions are still important in *Fate of the Norns*, they are not the first piece of information we need as game masters.

There are three different basic social actions in *FotN*. Which one to use depends entirely on the immediate goal of the action.
## Question
If one wants information from a character they do not want to give up, this is the time for a Question attack. Questioning a character may be the main goal of the conversation. But it can also be used to get more information about a fellow character in the hopes of using this information to strengthen later social attacks.
## Provoke
Use provoke when trying to change someone's emotional state. I think the naming of this one is confusing for some players. Provoke is neither: 
	(a) tricking/cajoling/inciting another into action;
	(b) inherently hostile.
The word "provoke" generally conveys both of these things. But in this game, it simply means causing an emotional condition. This may mean applying Grief or Fear to an enemy. It also includes giving an ally the Inspired or Brave conditions. While causing a condition may be a goal in and of itself (e.g., during combat), it is often a useful stepping stone to reach through an opponent's social defenses.
## Compel
When you need someone to do something, you are attempting to Compel them. Compel is the hardest thing to achieve, and rightfully so. Convincing someone to do something is sort of the ultimate challenge in social combat. As such, a character's Social Protection is always doubled against a Compel. Bear in mind Compel is still insufficient to make a character violate their core beliefs or responsibilities. It can, however, make someone act out of character.
# Social Damage and Limitations
Calculating the action value (AV) of a social attack is no different from that of physical attack: spend runes, add bonuses from trait matches, talents, equipment, and personal characteristics. Then the target adds up their Social Protection Factor, as well as any active defense should they choose to spend runes. Active social defense is no different, either, but the Social Protection Rating has a component for which there is no physical equipment: **Innate Social Defense**, or, ISD.

When targeted by a social attack, choose to defend spiritually or mentally. Then, add up the number of runes matching that trait on your playmat (In-Play, In-Hand, or Contingency). This is your ISD. It is added to your Social Protection Rating.

Any remaining value is how much social damage the target takes. Social damage differs from physical damage in two ways:
1. Social damage cannot move runes along the wound track any further than "Stun".
2. Once the Essence Bag is empty, no more social damage can be taken. Do not remove runes from the playmat to refill it.
A social "killing blow" occurs when at least 1 damage is inflicted, and the target's essence bag is empty after resolving social damage. When this occurs, the result is enhanced.

Social damage provides a natural limit to the total impact social actions can have within a single round. Exactly how it limits social attacks differs based on the type of social attack. It is also not the only limitation to each social attack. It took me some time to grok these limits, as they are not implicitly defined by the game's runic system. However in practice, they are essentially ways for you as a GM to say, "Okay, you've exhausted that option. Try something else or move on."
## Question
Question is the simplest of the social attacks to resolve: Each point of Effect (AV after defense) gives one piece of information. This is convenient because it matches the resolution of Lore skill checks. Per the official rules, it does not matter how much damage is actually inflicted by the attack, even if no damage was dealt at all. The only limitation is that after a Question attack has failed, the character cannot be questioned for another hour.

On a "killing blow", the target also gives up a String: a piece of information critical to this character. Having one of a character's Strings may provide a bonus on future interactions.
## Provoke
Provoke attacks require that damage is dealt. If no damage is dealt, whether through lack of effect, or because there is no remaining damage, the Provoke has no impact on the character. Once a character has been provoked to a condition, that condition cannot be boosted further for at least an hour. Bear in mind that characters are only subject to at most two emotional conditions at a time. If they have more than two, the two highest intensity conditions take precedent.

On a "killing blow", the target increases the intensity of the condition by a further +1.
## Compel
A Compel attack has no impact unless the target's Essence bag is empty. So either the Compel must achieve a social "killing blow" or the target already has no runes in bag when the Compel attack has been initiated. In addition to the damage requirement, the defender always doubles their Social Protection (including their ISD) against Compel attacks before adding any other defense bonuses.

On a "killing blow", the Compel has a stronger impact. The directive may be bigger, or perhaps a second, smaller request may be added on.
# It cuts both ways
Social combat does not exist solely for players to exert their will over the denizens of the world. It is a complex web in which everyone takes part. It is an opportunity for players to more deeply explore their character. It provides a way for the game master to connect players to their setting and the people of the world.

Social combat cuts both ways. I can influence others, but I am also influenced by them. I learn secrets and call in favors, but I owe debts and have my own vulnerabilities. Such situations naturally build relationships within the setting and allow for character growth on a personal and emotional level.

I want to end on a list of situations where *FotN*'s social combat system shines in creating a more complete social experience, particularly those situations where, for good or ill, "it cuts both ways."

- Characters with thick emotional walls are the hardest to humiliate, but also the hardest to inspire. 
	- Passive social defense applies in all situations, even when it is disadvantageous. Slapping someone on the shoulder and saying, "Hey, be brave!" is not miraculously going to make everything better. Self-doubt, anxiety, or fear are not simply gone when we want them to be. They take effort and time to work through.
- Someone going all-out to get others talking and engaging are likeliest to spill secrets or gain social obligations of their own.
	- Just like in physical combat, spending your runes to be proactive leaves you fewer runes to spend on defense. This can leave you vulnerable to an opponent's Question or Compel.
- Characters can only be subjected to so much social influence at a time. At some point, they clam up, shut you out, or have just made up their mind.
	- Social damage is limited to the runes already in your bag. Once that bag is tapped, you cannot be Provoked. This is a nice cushion so that you can only get yourself in so much trouble at a time.
	- Timing is a subtle art in social combat. You may have a very concrete objective in a social scene. Go straight for it too early, and your target is well prepared to defend themselves. If you wait too long, they're already socially exhausted with nothing left to give. No matter how logically you make your case, regardless of how manipulative your character is, sometimes the opportunity passes.