StarJaunter/SocialInfluenceSystem

Social Influence System

Intimacies and Virtues (Stolen from Social Conflict)

Characters may have intimacies: these are strong emotional positions or rational
opinions held by the character. These can be any sort of opinion or emotion which
the player and GM feel is appropriate. A character may have as many intimacies as
desired; while having too many will restrict the character's actions, having too
few will leave the character more open to social manipulation by others. Each intimacy
is associated with one of the character's Virtues.

Types of Intimacy

Each Virtue has a particular type of intimacy which can be associated to it:
Virtue Intimacy Type
Compassion any positive version of other three types
Conviction Illusions/Beliefs
Temperance Emotions
Valor Compulsions/Taboos
Minimum Number of Intimacies

Each Virtue has a minimum number of Intimacies which it must have associated to it,
depending upon its rating.
Virtue Rating Minimum number of associated intimacies
O none
OO none
OOO one
OOOO two
OOOOO three

Virtue Channel Gain and Loss

Any time a character acts in accordance with one of their intimacies they regain a Virtue Channel for the associated Virtue, as long as this will not raise their available number of channels above the permanent rating of the virtue. If the player wishes, the permanent rating of the intimacy in question may also be raised by one at this time, as long as this will not increase the rating above that of the associated Virtue.

Any time a character acts against an intimacy they must mark off one Virtue Channel from the associated Virtue. In addition the strength of the intimacy may be reduced to a third degree influence. If the character acts against an intimacy but has no Channels for that Virtue remaining, then they must spend a point of temporary Willpower instead. A character with neither Willpower nor channels in a particular Virtue remaining may not act against intimacies of that Virtue.

The same intimacy may not cause virtue channel gain or loss more than once in the same scene, however it may cause both gain and loss in the same scene (effectively canceling out). Note that Willpower is not gained by acting in accordance with a Virtue; if a character with zero Channels remaining in a Virtue acts against it (and therefore spends a Willpower to do so), they will gain a Virtue Channel should they subsequently act in accordance with the intimacy. They do not get the Willpower back.

No Willpower Cost to Channel Virtues

A Virtue Channel may be spent to gain extra dice on any roll that the Virtue could be reasonably applied to, as in the corebook. However, is is no longer necessary to spend a Willpower point in order to channel a Virtue in this way. All that is necessary to channel a Virtue for dice is to spend the Virtue Channel itself. This applies to spending Virtue Channels for dice on any roll, it is not limited to Social Conflict.

   This is a major rule change designed to increase the value of Virtue Channels