Handbook

Diplomacy

Skills

srd

SRD

Check: You can change the attitudes of others (nonplayer characters) with a successful Diplomacy check; see the Influencing NPC Attitudes sidebar, below, for basic DCs. In negotiations, participants roll opposed Diplomacy checks, and the winner gains the advantage. Opposed checks also resolve situations when two advocates or diplomats plead opposite cases in a hearing before a third party.

Action: Changing others’ attitudes with Diplomacy generally takes at least 1 full minute (10 consecutive full-round actions). In some situations, this time requirement may greatly increase. A rushed Diplomacy check can be made as a full-round action, but you take a –10 penalty on the check.

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.

Special: A half-elf has a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks.

If you have the Negotiator feat, you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks.

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), or Sense Motive, you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks.

INFLUENCING NPC ATTITUDES

Use the table below to determine the effectiveness of Diplomacy checks (or Charisma checks) made to influence the attitude of a nonplayer character, or wild empathy checks made to influence the attitude of an animal or magical beast.

Initial Attitude————— New Attitude (DC to achieve)—————
HostileUnfriendlyIndifferentFriendlyHelpful
HostileLess than 2020253550
UnfriendlyLess than 55152540
Indifferent—Less than 111530
Friendly——Less than 1120
Helpful———Less than 11
AttitudeMeansPossible Actions
HostileWill take risks to hurt youAttack, interfere, berate, flee
UnfriendlyWishes you illMislead, gossip, avoid, watch suspiciously, insult
IndifferentDoesn’t much careSocially expected interaction
FriendlyWishes you wellChat, advise, offer limited help, advocate
HelpfulWill take risks to help youProtect, back up, heal, aid

Open Game Content from the System Reference Document 3.5, used under the Open Game License 1.0a.