Persuade

Key facts

Characteristic

Presence

Overview

Persuade is the straight social approach: showing a magistrate why releasing your friend serves her, talking a mercenary captain into a better price, convincing a frightened village that the party is worth trusting. It is a Presence skill because the same argument lands differently from different mouths. It comes up in negotiations, at courts, in front of gatekeepers, and whenever the party wants an NPC to choose their side and stay there afterward.

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 wins genuine agreement that survives the conversation. Tier 2 gets a concession with conditions attached. Tier 1 fails, and pushing further can harden the NPC against the party. Edges and banes: A real benefit to the listener, shared interests, or a good reputation grants an edge (+2). Asking someone to act against their own interest, a hostile listener, or arriving with a known grudge imposes a bane (-2).

Tips and playstyle

Best for: Parties that prefer negotiations to fights, and any hero who speaks for the group. Character concepts: Aristocrat career envoy, Magesinger diplomat, a Censor who argues doctrine for a living. Synergies: Read Person to find the argument that works, Lead when agreement must become action, Culture for the etiquette that keeps the door open.

Frequently asked questions