Author Topic: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?  (Read 2234 times)

Offline TheRealMe

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What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« on: February 07, 2011, 08:00:57 AM »
Marked By Power says that when dealing with someone in the magical community, all of your social skills operate at +1 bonus.  What counts?  Certainly Deceit, Empathy, Intimidation and Rapport count, which are listed under Social Conflicts on page 215.  What about Presence, which can provide extra boxes on the social stress track and which could be used to give commands?  What about Contacts and Performance?   

Or is it the context and not the skill that matters? That is, if you are using Scholarship to out-geek someone regarding the fine points of marine biology, would that get you the bonus if you are talking to a mermaid changeling?

- Ed
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Offline Drachasor

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2011, 08:03:21 AM »
Context is undoubtedly what counts, I'd think.

Offline bitterpill

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2011, 08:06:47 AM »
It says +1 to social skills which would be deceit, intimidate etc I wonder if that counts for incite emotion given the example in the text of a sponsor aiding an incite?
« Last Edit: February 07, 2011, 08:10:40 AM by bitterpill »
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Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2011, 03:36:26 PM »
Marked By Power says that when dealing with someone in the magical community, all of your social skills operate at +1 bonus.  What counts?  Certainly Deceit, Empathy, Intimidation and Rapport count, which are listed under Social Conflicts on page 215.  What about Presence, which can provide extra boxes on the social stress track and which could be used to give commands?  What about Contacts and Performance?   

Or is it the context and not the skill that matters? That is, if you are using Scholarship to out-geek someone regarding the fine points of marine biology, would that get you the bonus if you are talking to a mermaid changeling?

- Ed

Presence is certainly a social skill so it would benefit from Marked By Power when used actively, but "operating at a +1 bonus" doesn't read to me like an actual increase to the skill, so I don't think it would provide actual social stress boxes.

Contacts and Performance are, again social skills, so yes, I think it would apply, except perhaps for certain situations where the Performance skill is being used for pure technical ability.  Anytime it is used to influence people who can sense the mark, though, counts.

Trying to out geek someone (aka, to know more about something) doesn't seem like a social skill to me.  Trying to impress them with your knowledge might, though.

Offline arete

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2011, 05:47:30 PM »
I allow this effect on any social role that invokes the supernatural.   It effectively adds to defense and offensive social combat roles in my game unless I say so at the start of the roling.
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Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2011, 05:58:42 PM »
I allow it to boost any skill being used in a social conflict.

Offline infusco

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Re: What counts as a social skill for the Marked By Power bonus?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2011, 06:08:10 PM »
It says +1 to social skills which would be deceit, intimidate etc I wonder if that counts for incite emotion given the example in the text of a sponsor aiding an incite?

Any social roll, even in a conflict, but not on supernatural powers. Marked For Power means that you are respected in the supernatural community, not that your vampiric mojo is more effective.