Take 20 on Diplomacy?

[xroads]

In Pathfinder, can a player take 20 on diplomacy checks assuming time permits? I know taking 20 means the player is assumed to be failing multiple times til they get it right. But that doesn't mean the failure has to be a spectacular botch (ie pulling the NPCs attitude close to Hostile).

The reason I ask is because I'm running a module where the diplomacy skill can make life easier for my players, but the average diplomacy skill for the group is probably a negative number. :smallsigh:

Thanks :smallsmile:

[Ksheep]

I'd say no. From the SRD:


Try Again

You cannot use Diplomacy to influence a given creature’s attitude more than once in a 24 hour period. If a request is refused, the result does not change with additional checks, although other requests might be made. You can retry Diplomacy checks made to gather information.

In theory, you could take 20 by attempting it once a day for 20 days, but that probably wouldn't fly.

[Divide by Zero]

When...the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20.

So that's a no.

[xroads]

Ahhh... Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification Ksheep and Divide by Zero.

[MadGreenSon]

The only remotely possible situation where taking 20 on Diplomacy should even be conceivable is if you're sitting down to some serious, long-winded, take-forever treaty negotiations.
Even then, that is better handled by individual rolls as various points come up and roleplayed out a bit.
It also sounds boring.:smallbiggrin: