Draw Steel skill
Flirt
Flirt is a skill in Draw Steel: Using charm, attention, and romantic interest to lower someone's guard or earn a favor.
Last reviewed
Key facts
- Characteristic
- Presence
Overview
Flirt covers winning attention and using it: keeping a guard talking, getting a clerk to bend a rule, drawing a noble away from their entourage, making a target feel singled out and generous. It is a Presence skill because it lives in eye contact, timing, and confidence. It comes up at social events, in taverns, and any time a target might respond better to warmth than to argument. It is not mind control; the target decides, and a poor reading of the room backfires.
How it works
Characteristic: Presence. Skill group: Presence skills. Test: 2d10 + Presence; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. How it is used: Tier 3 earns real goodwill and a favor. Tier 2 earns a little more time or a small concession. Tier 1 is refused, and an offended target may become hostile or report the attempt. Edges and banes: Genuine mutual interest, a relaxed setting, or a target already inclined to help grants an edge (+2). A target who is on duty, wary, or clearly uninterested imposes a bane (-2).
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Face characters who prefer to open doors with charm. Character concepts: Troubadour who works every room, Aristocrat career courtier, devil with a reputation to enjoy. Synergies: Read Person to know whether it is welcome, Gather Rumors once the conversation is flowing, Deceive when the charm is part of a cover.
Frequently asked questions
Can Flirt shift an NPC's stance in a negotiation?
The Director may allow it as an argument if the NPC is open to it, with the same risks as any argument that misreads a motivation.
What if the player is uncomfortable with a flirting scene?
Keep it at the level of a charming exchange and resolve it with the roll. Tables set their own limits, and the skill works fine described briefly.