Zenbitz:Thoughts on speech

= "Speech" type skills =

Most games have some "speech" skill used to influence NPCs. Generally in an RPG you talk to NPCs and get them to give you stuff (including jobs, quests), or information. There should be different "types" of arguments - represented by different dialog trees - that could be used by the player to "get what he wants". Different NPC personalities are going to have different responses to different types of "speech".

Appeal to Reason
Using a logical argument to convince NPC of your needs

Appeal to Emotion
Using rhetoric to convince NPC of your needs - there are several subtypes of these. Appeal to Righteousness, Appeal to Faith, Appeal to Pity. Details would be left up to dialog writers. Might include "whining" or "nagging" as well - just keep taking until their willpower to resist fails.

Appeal to Fear
This is sort of a subtype of emotion, but basically - it's threatening the PC. If the threat is real and severe, it could be considered an appeal to reason.

Appeal to Greed
This is another one that could be rational or emotional. Basically, it's offering the PC something in exchange for their agreement, etc.