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View Full Version : Tongue twisters for Bluffing?



Tyrael
2007-10-22, 11:08 AM
Ahoy, folks. One of my recent characters is a bluffer and con artist, and I'm rather fond of the Jack Sparrow model of things, who uses tongue twisters, fast talking and logical conundrums to weasel his way past people.

So far, the only one I've found/come up with are:

It looks like the one that once did the wanting suddenly wants to be wanted by a different wanting that has a want of wanting that has never been wanted for sake of want-ness...eh?

Oh, I can't get in? That's very interesting, mate, but if I may lend a machete to your intellectual thicket, think about this: If a man goes back and kills his grandfather afore he's born, does the man die, or does the grandfather? If the grandfather dies, the man can't be born, but if the man isn't born, the grandfather doesn't die, so he doesn't, so he does, so he doesn't and does all over agin! I'll let ye ponder that awhile, mate. Don't mind me. *slips past*

Anyone can feel free to contribute. I'm looking for the sort of thing you can rattle off quickly, followed by a Bluff check to Confuse The Hell Out Of Someone.

Wooter
2007-10-22, 11:20 AM
Just use a bluff check to say you're lying. They will be frozen in paradox.

Azerian Kelimon
2007-10-22, 11:23 AM
And that reallt doesn't seem like a bluff check, but rather a logical problem. I'm pretty sure this would call for an Intelligence check, not a bluff check.

Kompera
2007-10-22, 11:29 AM
Anyone can feel free to contribute. I'm looking for the sort of thing you can rattle off quickly, followed by a Bluff check to Confuse The Hell Out Of Someone.Roleplaying these situations is wonderful, but regardless of how good or poor the player is at coming up with the fast talk, diplomatic speech, intimidating threat, whatever, it should be the character's skills which rule the situation. Else the fast talking 5 INT 5 CHA Barbarian will suddenly be the most intelligent and charismatic skill monkey, and the rest of the players may as well sit back and watch him/her win at D&D.

In other words, even if the player comes up with a totally lame soliloquy, the GM should not penalize the character. Nor should the reverse occur. Just because the player is particularly quick witted and skilled in the gift of gab, no modifiers should be applied to their character's attempts to distract the palace guard when the character has a hard time forming a complete sentence due to low INT.

Techonce
2007-10-22, 12:51 PM
Roleplaying these situations is wonderful, but regardless of how good or poor the player is at coming up with the fast talk, diplomatic speech, intimidating threat, whatever, it should be the character's skills which rule the situation. Else the fast talking 5 INT 5 CHA Barbarian will suddenly be the most intelligent and charismatic skill monkey, and the rest of the players may as well sit back and watch him/her win at D&D.

In other words, even if the player comes up with a totally lame soliloquy, the GM should not penalize the character. Nor should the reverse occur. Just because the player is particularly quick witted and skilled in the gift of gab, no modifiers should be applied to their character's attempts to distract the palace guard when the character has a hard time forming a complete sentence due to low INT.


as long as it is in character, I have been known to give a +1 or +2 circumstance bonus to a player for things like the above. Maybe it's letting the good be better, but if the player amuses my properly, I will reward them.

kjones
2007-10-22, 01:19 PM
Same here. If my players can come up with some clever reasoning behind their Bluff or Diplomacy checks, that's worth a circumstance bonus for sheer cleverness.

You're absolutely right in that it shouldn't make a difference, but I want to reward my players for good RPing.

Tyrael
2007-10-22, 01:34 PM
Well yes, I know that player skill and character skill are different, but I always think it's fun to RP some things out rather than the generic "I Bluff the guard into letting me pass," especially if it's a party-face character.

KIDS
2007-10-22, 01:34 PM
Your descriptions in first post are completely sound and valid. Jack Sparrow did distract people with rumors of the Black Pearl *successful bluff check to cause distraction* and such, it's a nice example.

It's a normal use of Bluff skill (or depending on what you want to do, maybe some other) and I agree that it should be completely governed by rules, with a +2 or such RP bonus for a quick-witted character actually coming up with those things. I once played a bard that always invented all kind of fast talk and believe me - it was draining and tough, but one of the most rewarding experiences in D&D I've ever had. Very fun!

p.s. I don't have good ideas for "pickup" lines now but I might post some later

why123
2007-11-07, 01:00 AM
Same here. If my players can come up with some clever reasoning behind their Bluff or Diplomacy checks, that's worth a circumstance bonus for sheer cleverness.

You're absolutely right in that it shouldn't make a difference, but I want to reward my players for good RPing.