How do you handle judging a character/insight?

[Thisdan]

I frequently come across situations where the PCs try to judge the character of a person or their intentions.
In other RPG games there usually is something like an "Insight" skill.
I sometimes let them roll on diplomacy or persuasion etc. but that always feels weak an often doesn't really fit well.
How do you GM something like that?

 

[Sigtrygg]

I have added three secondary characteristics - perception, determination and influence.

 

[Vormaerin]

I don't know why you think using a social skill (streetwise, deception, diplomacy) feels weak, but that is what I do when I feel like a die roll is the correct way to resolve the situation.

 

[Sigtrygg]

CT skills I use for interaction
streetwise, liaison, carousing, admin, interrogation, recruiting, instruction, leader, steward

 

[alex_greene]

Investigate. That's your one-stop people reading skill in Traveller.

 

[Reisender]

I never liked the "insight" or "judge intention" skills of other RPGs. I think it is the task of the GM to represent the situation to the players in such a way, that the players is able to make up their own minds. The player then decides if his/her character trusts an NPC for example or not.
To actually read the intentions of an NPC you would need appropriate PSI-powers.
As already mentioned for skills: Advocate, Broker, Carouse, Deception, Diplomat, Gambler, Investigate, Leadership, Persuade, Steward or Streetwise
The skill "Admin" covers more technical aspects of bureaucracy to me but could be used to detect flaws on someones behaviour should he pretend to be someone from a certain bureaucracy branch.
With the broad skill set of Traveller I feel there is no single right way but it depends on the situation which skill to use and each GM does it differently.

 

[alex_greene]

Insight skill (Investigate in Traveller), or any other kind of people reading skill, is one of the most useful skills in any game. Your characters should not need Insight to just scan a guy for evil like some "Detect Lie spell." It's there so your character can learn more things about the world than what they pick up while on the trail or crawling around some catacomb looking for walking meat mooks to kill for XP and drop treasure.
If your character develops a reputation for profiling people, sussing them out, spotting the patterns in their minds which drive them to act this way or that way, they can become a person in demand everywhere.
Similar skills you can use: Carouse, to get the other guy to let down their guard; Persuade, to see what their better nature looks like; Recon, to see what they are doing when they think nobody's looking; and Steward, to gauge their character in a tight, cramped room with no exits.

 

[Vormaerin]

I never liked the "insight" or "judge intention" skills of other RPGs. I think it is the task of the GM to represent the situation to the players in such a way, that the players is able to make up their own minds. The player then decides if his/her character trusts an NPC for example or not.
To actually read the intentions of an NPC you would need appropriate PSI-powers.

Yeah, I generally don't do "detect lie" or general "is this guy trustworthy". But I let characters use skills to recognize flaws in the spiel or use of standard manipulation techniques, etc. Or to get the NPC to slip up and reveal more than they intend.

But I almost never say anything like "make a skill roll to see if he's on the up & up" or whatever.

 

[Fulcs]

Let the players make a case for a skill which they think would be applicable to the situation.
That ties it into their background and helps to further solidify that character's 'back story'.

I'd be tempted to make the roll myself too, so that there is still an element of uncertainty, and also gives the referee the option to act on an effect of -6 or more without the players being alerted to the fact that they might have rolled 'snake eyes' and thereby alerted to anything you then say being completely misleading!

 

[Condottiere]

As a hard skill, it would have to be investigate, but social interaction skills would work about as well, since you probably discern intent of the what the non player character is trying to accomplish.

 

[Sigtrygg]

PCs and NPCs are "in universe" - we the players and referees are not.

Unless you and your group are professional actors then the chances are you can not "pretend" the body language and visual clues that would be obvious in universe.

Hence the need for some sort of social interaction resolution system.

 

[Vormaerin]

PCs and NPCs are "in universe" - we the players and referees are not.

Unless you and your group are professional actors then the chances are you can not "pretend" the body language and visual clues that would be obvious in universe.

Hence the need for some sort of social interaction resolution system.

Right. I just tend to describe characters that are sketchy or whatever with mannerisms or other clues rather than paywall that information behind a skill check unless said person is actually skilled at Deception. Most PCs are either native or adoptive members of the shady travellers' society, so I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt about such things, just like I don't require Recon checks for competent observation. Only for unusual things or when players want information that I think requires expertise they might not have.

 

[Garran]

While there isn't a single skill, it's generally viable to treat it as "takes one to catch one". Do you want to know if the guy is lying? Deception. Is the guy's paperwork not quite right? Admin. Etc.

 

[Thisdan]

Thanks for the feedback! I like the approach of adjusting it to the respective skill area that is relevant at the moment.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I frequently come across situations where the PCs try to judge the character of a person or their intentions.
In other RPG games there usually is something like an "Insight" skill.
I sometimes let them roll on diplomacy or persuasion etc. but that always feels weak an often doesn't really fit well.
How do you GM something like that?

The players roleplay in-character the encounter. A skill check roll based on narration from the players' actions is best practice.

 

[Sigtrygg]

I have yet to play an rpg with anyone into amateur dramatics.

 

[Reisender]

I have yet to play an rpg with anyone into amateur dramatics.

These things exist and I was fortunate enough to be part of several of these groups. I guess it is more common with Storyteller systems than with Traveller.

 

[Seffix]

These things exist and I was fortunate enough to be part of several of these groups. I guess it is more common with Storyteller systems than with Traveller.

Oh yeahI I've been playing Traveller with high school theatricality (and then collegiate theatricality, and then workaday theatricality...) since those wee black books came out. In fact, I think the first time anyone in my groups read all the rules to a game was TFT...