A character can successfully resist influence/intimidation (e.g. temptation, emotional appeal, oratory, persuasion through logical argument, information gathering, threats, manipulation, torture, etc.) if he/she makes a dice roll using his/her WP + Influence (including Assertion specialism) or using his/her WP + Trance (including Resisting influence specialism), whichever is better, and gains a better result than that of the person attempting to influence or intimidate him/her.
There are bonuses or penalties to the resistance dice roll, depending on the character's behaviour traits and the consequences he/she will suffer if he/she gives in to the influence/intimidation and complies:
Behaviour traits | Modifier to resistance dice roll |
Character has a specific behaviour pattern that encourages the action demanded | -2 |
Character has a specific behaviour pattern that discourages the action demanded | +4 |
Character has a code of conduct that encourages the action demanded | -3 |
Character has a code of conduct that discourages the action demanded | +3 |
Character has an irrational fear discouraging the action demanded | +2 |
Character has a minor phobia discouraging the action demanded | +4 |
Character has a major phobia discouraging the action demanded | +6 |
Character has an irrational fear encouraging the action demanded | -2 |
Character has a minor phobia encouraging the action demanded | -4 |
Character has a major phobia encouraging the action demanded | -6 |
Consequences of the character complying with the influencer's/intimidator's suggestion | Modifier to resistance dice roll |
Highly life-threatening (e.g. divulging the location of a mafia boss, fighting a dragon because of the pot of gold it is guarding, jumping off a cliff) | +6 |
Significant downside to the offer (e.g. a guard letting someone through a gate, seduction in a society where adultery is a taboo and there is a high risk of being found out, divulging a secret that is not very important to them but which could result in punishment/chastisement for revealing) | +3 |
Ordinary with little or no apparent downside (e.g. a guard letting a casual offender go, eating an offered apple, revealing an interesting tidbit of gossip) | +0 |
Enjoyable/desirable with little or no apparent downside (e.g. seduction in a society where promiscuity is common, a guard holding up the progress of someone he/she doesn't like anyway) | -2 |
Once in a lifetime opportunity (e.g. accepting gift of a year's salary) | -4 |
Life-saving (e.g. accepting offered food when starving) | -6 |
In addition, the relationship between the character and the person attempting to influence/intimidate him/her results in a modifier to the resistance dice roll, which will vary depending on the type of influence/intimidation being exerted, as follows:
Relationship with person attempting to influence or intimidate the character | Modifier to resistance dice roll | |||||||
vs. Temptation | vs. Emotional appeal | vs. Oratory | vs. Logical argument | vs. Information gathering | vs. Threats | vs. Manipulation | vs. Torture | |
Character loves him/her | -2 | -4 | -4 | -2 | -6 | -2 | -2 | -2 |
Character likes him/her | -1 | -2 | -2 | -1 | -4 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
Character trusts him/her | -2 | +0 | -1 | -1 | -2 | +0 | +0 | |
Character respects his/her capabilities | +0 | +0 | -1 | -1 | -2 | -2 | +0 | -1 |
Character does not know him/her or is neutral towards him/her | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 |
Character fears him/her | +1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | -4 | +0 | -2 |
Character is disrespectful of his/her capabilities | +0 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +1 |
Character distrusts him/her | +1 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +0 | |
Character dislikes him/her | +1 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +2 | +1 | +1 |
Character hates him/her | +3 | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +4 | +2 | +2 |
For people that a character has only just met, the relationship is determined by how well the character establishes a rapport with them.