Are there any (good) handbooks for Social Types/Faces?

[Cygnia]

Not necessarily Diplomancers (and potential abuses there), but those who rely on talking rather than shanking. :smallwink:

[Drakevarg]

I dunno about 'good' (haven't had cause to read it that closely), but there's Pathfinder's Ultimate Intrigue, which seems to cover a lot of social systems.

[Telonius]

I don't think there are any for 3.5 specifically. I did find a guide to "The Social God" in 5.0 here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?490505-The-Social-God-A-guide-to-an-optimized-party-face). Most of that is 5.0-specific, but the "Homework" section has some generally-relevant tips.

HOMEWORK
Finally, being a social god requires your own charisma, creativity and eloquence. If you don’t know how, here are a few sources of knowledge (will update this with time):

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie: One of the most recognized books on making friends and making people like you. If you can’t be bothered to read it, at least skim through it.

The Mystery Method, by Mystery: This book’s purpose is picking up chicks, but the principles are solid for most social interactions.

The Juggler Method: If you read a few pages of the Mystery Method and found it boring or obnoxious, try this one.

200 Sales Hunting Tips: Your whole job is to sell, be it ideas, things or motivations, so this might help. Read sparsely.

How To Lie: Pretty self-explanatory.

The Flim-Flam Man: A solid list of scams and the principles behind them, by Reddit user famoushippopotamus.

List of confidence tricks: More scams for glory!

TV:
House of Cards: Frank Underwood is the ultimate social god in politics.
Lie to Me: How Deception, Insight and Investigation work.
Game of Thrones: Well, you know it.

Movies:
The Ocean Trilogy (Ocean’s Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen): how a group of con artists, flim-flammers, tricksters and techwizards operates. Endless ideas.
Now You See Me: Kinda like the one above, but with more magic.
House of Games: Joe Mantegna lays down the law on manipulation.
Training Day: Always be yourself, unless you can be Denzel Washington.
Catch Me If You Can: Another great confidence man from real life.


One of the tricky parts about making a "Party Face" guide is that handbooks usually focus on what's possible mechanically. A handbook could tell you how to optimize for the biggest Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Intimidate, and Bluff bonuses you can get; or how to properly apply Suggestion or other mind control. And some of that does get touched on in various handbooks for Bards, Rogues, Warlocks, or Beguilers; or in specific Diplomancer builds (like this one (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=9714575&postcount=5)).

That kind of skill optimization is important, but it's really only part of what makes a truly effective party face. A whole lot of the rest depends on the player's skill (rather than the character's mechanical strength). You need to be able to come up with wacky-but-effective plans on an instant's notice, and get inside the DM's head enough to make them sound plausible enough to get an achievable DC. You need to be able to manage the rest of the players, get them on board with what you want them to do, and share enough of the spotlight with them to make it a real collaborative experience. Basically, you as a player are what a Bard is to an adventuring party: a force multiplier, for having fun instead of fighting monsters.

[Jervis]

For rolls a dip in Marshall does wonders, can effectively double your charisma mod. Beyond that Nymphs kiss adds more skill points and +2 to all charisma rolls. Circlet of persuasion is a god tier item. I know a lot of this from my Sha’ir optimization.

[Metastachydium]

A Warlock dip for Beguiling Influence is also customary. And be a half-elf. This is the one thing they do well (in no small part due to their ability to take levels in both Human and Half-Elf Paragon, netting a +4 to CHA, Diplomacy as a forever class skill and some direct bonuses to the skill checks themselves).

[Condé]

Binder is really good for that too. A single dip OR Bind Vestige + Practiced Binder allow you to bind Naberius and have his Silver Tongue ability, all day, everyday.


Silver Tongue: You can take 10 on Diplomacy and Bluff checks even if distracted or threatened. In addition, you can make a rushed Diplomacy check as a standard action and take no penalty. (Normally, a rushed Diplomacy check requires a full-round action and imposes a -10 penalty on the check.)

Oh and if you are a binder, you also get Disguise Self at will. Which is pretty cool for rp situation.

[Thunder999]

I think the issue is that outside of Diplomancer/generally just maxing the face skills, there's not much to it mechanically. Social interactions are mechanically just a skill roll or two, usually made to feel like more with some roleplay.

[lylsyly]

I think the issue is that outside of Diplomancer/generally just maxing the face skills, there's not much to it mechanically. Social interactions are mechanically just a skill roll or two, usually made to feel like more with some roleplay.

Thunder is right, Being a face is just about skill points. By RAW Diplomacy is basically broken as is. You don't really need but 1 dip.

My favorite is Human with Able Learner and Nymph's Kiss. Factotum 1 and then either Rogue or Scout 19 for the skill points and combat utility.

just my 2 coppers ;-)