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## BtB Diplomacy design intentions

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PoliteNewb
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### BtB Diplomacy design intentions

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Post by PoliteNewb » Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:05 pm

I was just reviewing Diplomacy (Wild Empathy, actually), and came across this:

> SRD wrote: Try Again
> Optional, but not recommended because retries usually do not work. Even if the initial Diplomacy check succeeds, the other character can be persuaded only so far, and a retry may do more harm than good. If the initial check fails, the other character has probably become more firmly committed to his position, and a retry is futile.

What does this (specifically the bolded text) mean?
I mean, if you look at the DC chart, it is nearly (or actually) impossible for a second attempt on a successfully diplomatized person to "do more harm than good".
If they were Hostile and you made them Unfriendly, you need to roll less than 5 just to make them Hostile again...how likely is that, if you just successfully hit a DC 20 check?
In all other cases, you need to roll LESS THAN 1 to put things back how they were...in other words, you need to be trying to use Diplomacy on someone when you have a penalty. Is Is anyone anywhere dumb enough to do that?
The only possible way the bolded statement makes sense is if repeated diplomacy attempts on the same subject use the initial attitude, not the modified attitude. Do you think this was the design intent?
Since this interpretation prevents Diplomacy from being "you are now my BFF", would it be playable? After all, it doesn't prevent you from turning somebody from Hostile to Helpful...it just means that takes a DC 50 check (requiring a total of +30), not a DC 20 followed by a DC 15 followed by a DC 20 (which can fairly easily be done by any 1st level Bard).
Apologies if this has already been discussed.
I am judging the philosophies and decisions you have presented in this thread. The ones I have seen look bad, and also appear to be the fruit of a poisonous tree that has produced only madness and will continue to produce only madness.
--AngelFromAnotherPin
believe in one hand and shit in the other and see which ones fills up quicker. it will be the one you are full of, shit.
--Shadzar
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Psychic Robot
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###

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Post by Psychic Robot » Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:06 pm

> What does this (specifically the bolded text) mean?

it means once you try to convince someone to do something and you keep pestering him, he's going to get annoyed.

> Count Arioch wrote:I'm not sure how discussions on whether PR is a terrible person or not is on-topic.

> Ant wrote:

> > Chamomile wrote:Ant, what do we do about Psychic Robot?

> You do not seem to do anything.

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CapnTthePirateG
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Post by CapnTthePirateG » Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:19 am

I guess this falls into "MC do whatever, we ain't balancing this shit. Now go cast fireball."

> OgreBattle wrote:"And thus the denizens learned that hating Shadzar was the only thing they had in common, and with him gone they turned their venom upon each other"
> -Sarpadian Empires, vol. I

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echoVanguard
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Post by echoVanguard » Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:36 pm

I thought the title of this thread referred to "Business-to-Business" and got all interested. Thanks for letting me down, PN! (just kidding)
echo
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