Social Skills in Roleplay

If you are rolling dice in game, consider reading, Using Skills in Roleplay. Be excellent to your fellow players.

Persuade

 * 1) Getting people to reveal more than they are originally willing, rather than changing their mind on something.
 * 2) DM discretion; if you are trying to get someone to change their mind, you will need to supply a good reason why your argument is the better option.
 * 3) Just because you invested 30 ranks into persuade does not mean that the guards will let you off with a warning after attempting to assassinate the mayor while proclaiming the glory of Cyric.
 * 4) Honeyed words get you in the door. Good PR, bribery, blackmail and favors keep you there.

Bluff

 * 1) This skill is contested by the other party's Bluff. Never bullshit a bullshitter.
 * 2) Downplaying the seriousness of a crime. Subtly shifting the blame. Convincing a commoner you're actually a noble and there's an impostor on the loose.
 * 3) Maybe you need to make a monster think you're really its friend and you're trying not to blow your cover while luring these hapless adventurers into its trap.
 * 4) If you've been caught in a lie before, don't expect others to believe you as readily.
 * 5) The more unbelievable something is, the higher the difficulty check is.
 * 6) Some bluffs simply cannot be accomplished. If you try to persuade a guard that the Mayor is secretly Asmodeus in disguise, it's going to fail... and worse will follow.

Intimidate

 * 1) The entire purpose of this skill is to frighten others.
 * 2) This can be subtle veiled threats, open declarations of harm, or staring someone down.
 * 3) A(n) individual(s) can only be intimidated for so long before they react violently. A cornered rat will fight for its life.
 * 4) Do not expect intimidation to be consistently effective. If you succeed, you may get the desired result - like scaring a witness into a confession. However, it is just as possible that the witness may just tell you whatever you want to hear in hopes that you'll stop terrorizing them.
 * 5) If this skill check fails then your target can laugh at you, or simply shrug it off.
 * 6) The worst case scenario is that they take your threats of bodily harm seriously and respond accordingly. Roll for initiative!