Influence

= Influence = A Character's Influence Chance Ability equals Elq+Emp. It reflects his ability to manipulate the actions of others through verbal persuasion. To use it, he must speak the language of the person or thing that he is attempting to influence. It may only be attempted with non-hostile, intelligent creatures.

If a Character has Rhetoric skill his EL is added to the Influence Chance of a Character. It is also added to his minimum Influence Chance.

If a Player does not wish to be influenced, he may subtract his Will from the Influence Chance of the person trying.

Modifiers
The Influence Chance is modified by the factors in Table 2.23. In all cases where a Characteristic is listed it is the rating of the Listener not the Influencer. In all modifications, round up fractions.

Table 2.23: Influence Chance Modifiers +X The factor is added before any other modification. +X% The factor is applied after any +X factors. −X% The factor is applied after all positive percentages have been applied. −X The factor is subtracted after all percentage factors have been applied.

EXAMPLE — A Character has a Base IC of 42%. He is Handsome(+5). He is trying to influence a Duchess to perform a dangerous action that is to her advantage(+10). He is the opposite sex(+5). The chance is, (42+10)×1.1, 58%.

Appearance Effect
The appearance to use depends on how personal the situation is. If it's not vary personal use Bodily Appearance if it's personal use Facial Appearance Appearance is the Character's physical attractiveness to members of his own race. When dealing with other races, the Referee may modify a Character's appearance to fit the standards of beauty that apply in that race. Appearance will never apply except when dealing with Intelligent Life-forms. Non-Intelligent forms couldn’t care less.

Table 2.24 gives factors that can be used. Factors for other races that can be encountered should be determined by the Referee based on these values. The Racial view, after modification, is found on table 2.25.

Table 2.24: Appearance Modification Table 2.25: Appearance Effect

If the request is done verbally look up Vocal Charisma on Table 2.25 and apply the modifier separately.

The effect listed is added to the Influence Chance before any other modifiers are applied. If Influence Chance is 28, and the Character is viewed as Ugly, it is reduced to 23 before other modifiers are applied. This does not apply when dealing with Contacts.

EXAMPLE — A Dwarf, appearance 24, meets a Human, appearance 60. The Dwarf sees the Human as having an Appearance of 40. The Human sees the Dwarf as having an Appearance of 14. For this interaction, the Human is Handsome. His Influence Chance is increased by five. The Dwarf is ugly to the human. Reduce his Influence Chance by five.

Minimum Chance
The Minimum Chance that a Character will have to successfully influence a non-enemy is equal to 25% of his Influence Chance Ability plus his EL in Rhetoric skill. This applies only for Player Characters. It does not apply when they are attempting to influence other Player Characters.

EXAMPLE — A Character has an Influence Chance Ability of 82 and no Rhetoric skill. His Minimum Chance, when applicable, is 20%.

Success
Each time that a Character influences someone he may increase either his Eloquence or his Empathy by 1. If the Influence attempt succeeds when he is at or below his minimum chance he may increase both characteristics by 1. (No characteristic may be increased past the Character’s Maximum Ability in this way).

NOTE — In influence, the Player must explicitly define what he is attempting to influence the listener to do. The Referee will assign factors, as he feels appropriate, based on the description. If the description is insufficient and the attempt succeeds, the Referee will determine what the listener believes he has agreed to do.