Rumpus
2007-03-14, 11:05 PM
Hey all!
I'm thinking about eliminating the Bluff skill from my upcoming campaign. Basically, I can't imagine a situation that calls for a Bluff check that couldn't just as easily be represented with Diplomacy or Intimidate. If you are well-spoken and persuasive when telling the truth, you are probably equally well-spoken and persuasive when lying. If you are skilled at making threats or looking scary, you should still be threatening even when you don't neccesarily have the juice to back it up. I just don't see a need to have one skill for lying and one for telling the truth.
Mechanics-wise, any class that has Bluff in the skill list will add either Intimidate or Diplomacy if one isn't already there. The places the rules call for Bluff checks will be replaced by one of the following: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perform (Acting) or Profession (Actor), or whatever other skill seems appropriate. I haven't figured out what to do with Feint yet, but Bluff never really seemed like a good fit for that to begin with. And to be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen someone feint in-game anyway...
Are there any compelling reasons to keep this skill in-game?
I'm thinking about eliminating the Bluff skill from my upcoming campaign. Basically, I can't imagine a situation that calls for a Bluff check that couldn't just as easily be represented with Diplomacy or Intimidate. If you are well-spoken and persuasive when telling the truth, you are probably equally well-spoken and persuasive when lying. If you are skilled at making threats or looking scary, you should still be threatening even when you don't neccesarily have the juice to back it up. I just don't see a need to have one skill for lying and one for telling the truth.
Mechanics-wise, any class that has Bluff in the skill list will add either Intimidate or Diplomacy if one isn't already there. The places the rules call for Bluff checks will be replaced by one of the following: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perform (Acting) or Profession (Actor), or whatever other skill seems appropriate. I haven't figured out what to do with Feint yet, but Bluff never really seemed like a good fit for that to begin with. And to be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen someone feint in-game anyway...
Are there any compelling reasons to keep this skill in-game?