Shadowrun

Shadowrun General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Zen Shooter on <08-27-11/2032:39>

Title: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Zen Shooter on <08-27-11/2032:39>
The title of the thread says it all. A magician casts a Phantasm spell, which is a multi-sense illusion. The Phantasm could look like the average human, or it could look like a talking teapot. But shouldn't the caster be able to use their social skills through it? The Phantasm  can speak and gesture and make facial expressions.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Deliverator on <08-27-11/2049:59>
Unless its a talking tea pot... pretty sure they don't have faces
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: CanRay on <08-27-11/2218:37>
Dude, I'm totally wasted on some old acid my Grandfather had...  Or I think I am...  The toaster is telling me to do things...
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Onion Man on <08-27-11/2256:02>
Don't listen to the toaster.  Any minute now there'll be a food processor along with a better offer.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Chrona on <08-27-11/2339:48>
The title of the thread says it all. A magician casts a Phantasm spell, which is a multi-sense illusion. The Phantasm could look like the average human, or it could look like a talking teapot. But shouldn't the caster be able to use their social skills through it? The Phantasm  can speak and gesture and make facial expressions.

To answer seriously, I'd say yes, if the illusion is of  person and succeeded it makes sense.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: CanRay on <08-27-11/2347:23>
Don't listen to the toaster.  Any minute now there'll be a food processor along with a better offer.
Aw man, you can't trust the food processor!

He's a NARC, man!!!

The Kaff machine, OTOH...
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Bull on <08-28-11/0028:52>
I'd say you have to be at least humanoid (Capable of making expressions and such). 

And your opponents may get bonus dice against you, depending on what you look like.  I don't care how smooth the homless man is, I'm not giving him all my money.  And I don't trust talking furniture or tableware. :)

Bull
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: CanRay on <08-28-11/1011:53>
You forgot to end that sentence, Bull:  "Unless I'm in the Matrix.  Then I trust them to be IC."
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: kirk on <08-28-11/1017:55>
My two cents include you have to be wrapped in the phantasm, not projecting it elsewhere. You have to be able to pick up the subtle cues you just can't get at a distance.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Blond Goth Girl on <08-28-11/1105:41>
Totally with Kirk on this.  Plus you create a self-defeating NPC of a sorts.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Red Canti on <08-28-11/1154:36>
I'd say you have to be at least humanoid (Capable of making expressions and such). 

And your opponents may get bonus dice against you, depending on what you look like.  I don't care how smooth the homless man is, I'm not giving him all my money.  And I don't trust talking furniture or tableware. :)

Bull
What about singing furniture and tableware?
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: CanRay on <08-28-11/1209:28>
What about singing furniture and tableware?
You mean like this? (http://youtu.be/83ciwAd9D8g)
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Shinobi Killfist on <08-29-11/1147:26>
I'd allow it, though if he can;t see the person he in influencing there would be penalties, if the talking illusion is something odd like a chair there would be penalties as well.  I kind of assume part of the chairs conversation would be letting the person know you are the great wizard of oz and you are just speaking through this chair or whatever so the target knows they are actually talking with a person and not hearing things, or the victim of a malicious prank. 
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: CanRay on <08-29-11/1204:29>
If I were GMing, I'd only allow it if the guy was tripping something fierce.

'Course, he might be distracted by the table lamp you're NOT affecting just as much...  I'd have additional RPing/Rolls required just to keep the guy's attention.
Title: Re: Can You Use Social Skills Through Phantasm?
Post by: Shinobi Killfist on <08-29-11/1502:39>
I am not sure why people are so against this.  People listen to and are persuaded just by the voice of a person all the time, it is called the radio and the telephone.  If the chair is talking to you, the person would think magic if the speaking were visible like it grew a mouth, or if it was just audio coming from the chair it could be a concealed speaker or whatever.

 But if the person is persuasive they are persuasive, whether it is done in person or just through their voice.  As long as you are not trying to pass yourself off as a sentient teapot and there is a reasonable reason your voice is coming from that spot you should be able to use your social skills just fine.