Deception

This skill represents your proficiency at deceiving others through conversation and face-to-face interaction. This  skill includes your ability to bluff your way out of trouble, bribe a suspicious official, fast-talk members of the public, or successfully gamble your way through a game of chance.

BRIBE (1 Minute)

Whenever you want to offer a target goods, information, or services to get that target to things they normally wouldn't, make a Bribe check against the target's Composure DC. Bribery allows a you to circumvent various official obstacles when a person in a position of trust or authority is willing to accept such an offering.

An illegal act, bribery requires two willing participants - one to offer a bribe and the other to accept it. When a character requires a bribe to render services, then a your Deception check automatically fails if a bribe isn't attached to it. If a bribe isn't required, a you can add a bribe to get a bonus on his or her skill check. This can backfire, as some characters will be insulted by a bribe offer (their attitude changes one step for the worse) and others will report you to the proper authorities.

CREATE A DIVERSION (1 Action)

With a gesture, a trick, or some distracting words, you can create a diversion that draws your targets' attention elsewhere.

Attempt a single Deception check and compare it to the Composure DCs of the targets whose attention you're trying to divert. Whether or not you succeed, creatures you attempt to divert gain a +4 circumstance bonus to their Composure DCs against your attempts to Create a Diversion for 1 minute.

FEINT (1 Action)

With a misleading flourish, you leave an opponent unprepared for your real attack. Attempt a Deception check against that opponent’s Awareness Defence.

GAMBLE (Variable Actions)

With a successful Gamble check, you can estimate the odds of a game of chance, determine if it's been rigged, spot a cheater, count cards, or increase your own odds of winning.

You can increase your odds of winning by either playing skillfully and honestly, or by cheating. If you play honestly, the player with the highest Gamble check emerges the winner. You gain a +2 to this check against unskilled opponents (those without any ranks in Deception), and take a -2 penalty against those more skilled than you (those with more ranks in Deception than you.)

If you cheat, you gain a +4 bonus to your checks against unskilled opponents, and you take a -4 penalty against those more skilled than you, as they are more able to determine you're cheating and call you on your actions.

IMPERSONATE (Variable Actions)

You create a disguise to pass yourself off as someone or something you are not. Assembling a convincing disguise requires either 10 minutes and access to a disguise kit, or 1 hour and access to a mall or other large shopping centre, but a simpler, quicker disguise might do the job if you’re not trying to imitate a specific individual, at the GM’s discretion.

In most cases, creatures have a chance to detect your deception only if they use the Seek action to attempt Awareness checks against your Deception DC. If you attempt to interact directly with someone while disguised, the GM rolls a secret Deception check for you against that creature’s Awareness DC instead. If you’re disguised as a specific individual, the GM might give creatures you interact with a circumstance bonus based on how well they know the person you’re imitating, or the GM might roll a secret Deception check even if you aren’t directly interacting with others.

LIE (1 Round)

You try to mislead or deceive a target through false bravado, outright lies, or extreme confidence. Doing so takes at least 1 round, or longer if the lie is elaborate.  Your Lie check determines the result of your trick, con, or bold face lie. No matter what other props you may use in a Lie attempt, the most important component is your attitude and verbal interaction. This is the ability to make another believe something that is not true.

To Lie, roll a single Deception check and compare it against the Composure DC of every creature you are trying to fool. The GM might give them a circumstance bonus based on the situation and the nature of the lie you are trying to tell. Elaborate or highly unbelievable lies are much harder to get a creature to believe than simpler and more believable lies, and some lies are so big that it’s impossible to get anyone to believe them.

At the GM’s discretion, if a creature initially believes your lie, it might attempt a Composure check later to Sense Motive against your Deception DC to realize it’s a lie. This usually happens if the creature discovers enough evidence to counter your statements.

PASS SECRET MESSAGE (1 Round)

You can use Bluff to pass a secret message to an ally without others understanding the message’s true meaning. Doing so in combat is part of combat banter. The DC of this check is 15 for simple messages and 20 for more complex messages, as determined by the GM. Those overhearing the message can attempt an opposed Awareness check to learn the gist of the message. You cannot take 20 on a Deception check to pass a secret message.