Quote from: The ExploitedSymbaroum's default rule for handling player interaction with NPCs is one where the PCs must try and 'roleplay it out' and if the player does a decent job he or she passes. There are 'certain' situations where you might have to make a roll but overall it's down to the player.

I've stumbled with this the other day. Is this quote true? I've been interested in Symbaroum for a long time now, but if this is true then it raises some big red flags to me.

Thanks in advance.

Quote from: Itachi;1094366I've stumbled with this the other day. Is this quote true? I've been interested in Symbaroum for a long time now, but if this is true then it raises some big red flags to me.

Thanks in advance.

I don't know the answer but I doubt it's down to player roleplaying (God forbid!). The Symbaroum Quick Guide has:

Attribute: Persuasive
Example Actions: Influence/convince others, lead, rally

I doubt that one would design in a score for Persuasive and then not use it?

Quick Guide does say this:

Player Control
In Symbaroum the players typically handle all dice rolls, whether they are active (e.g. attacking, sneaking) or reactive (e.g. defending, detecting enemies). See the header Let's Fight! on page 5 for how this works in play, but basically all antagonist values are used as modifiers when players are rolling tests. One great upside of this is that the GM can focus on narration and interpretation.

It's all down the player's roll - not roleplay?

See: https://frialigan.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Symbaroum-Quick-Guide_2019.pdf

Thanks! So it's like most games in that the character social stats or abilities do factor on situations.

About the only players roll, I don't think that has anything to do with role-playing but simply that players roll all the dice / GM doesn't need to roll for NPCs. Just like in PbtA, Numenera, etc. Makes sense?

Quote from: Itachi;1094366I've stumbled with this the other day. Is this quote true? I've been interested in Symbaroum for a long time now, but if this is true then it raises some big red flags to me.

Thanks in advance.

It does have a Persuasive attribute.  And the privileged Boon gives you advantage on it, while the Pariah bane gives disadvantage.  So it's not as if you never roll them.  From what I recall some of the adventures reference social conflict.  Of course when you look that up in the core book it amounts to "eh...do whatever".  IIRC it's more along the lines of old White Wolf's "don't let the dice get in the way of a good story".  It's not as if they have a system to enable the sort of game they advocated (or even rules designed to deliberately not get in the way - if you really want to role-play everything don't have social mechanics at all).

Symbaroum on the whole is very rules light - except when it isn't (the range of exception based rules options which are as a whole horribly unbalanced and just plain lazy unfinished design) - the basic core of the game is a solid roll-under D20 system however).

A lot is left to GM judgement calls.  Sometimes in a good way, but sometimes in just a lazy way.

It looks at first glance like a game that's influenced by the OSR.  But it's really not that.  It pays lip service towards exploratory styles of play (and at first the whole set-up appears to be designed to support it)*.  At it's heart however it's a 90s style setting heavy metaplot driven game.

*It feels like they recognised a trend and wanted to capitalise on it - but it's also clear that they don't really get it.

From the Symbaroum core rulebook (p162):

QuoteSocial Challenges
Social challenges consist of important negotiations, often involving the great and powerful personas, groups and monsters of the game world – situations that are unfit for combat and cannot be solved with a mere Persuasive test. In short, the social challenge is solved by your and your friends' roleplaying, where you will have to persuade, deceive and bargain your way to a solution. The Game Master handles the parameters for the social challenge, while you portray your character and together with your fellow players try to carry through a successful negotiation around the gaming table.

As I said "eh...do whatever".