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Bluff as Mechanics.
Let’s look at the mechanical abilities that Bluff gives you.
Bluff is used primarily to tell convincing lies – to make what’s outrageous seem plausible, and what’s suspicious seem ordinary. Misdirection, fast-talk, disguises and forgery are all in the domain of Bluff. A Bluff check is opposed by an observer’s Insight check. The check could be opposed by multiple Insight checks, depending on how many observers can see and hear you and care about what’s going on.
You can use Bluff to Feint an enemy in combat or create a diversion to buy yourself a moment to hide. Both of these events check against your opponents’ passive Insight.
- Gain Combat Advantage: Once per combat encounter, you can try to gain combat advantage against an adjacent enemy by feinting. As a standard action, make a Bluff check opposed by the enemy’s passive Insight check. If you succeed, you gain combat advantage against the enemy until the end of your next turn.
- Create a Diversion to Hide: Once per combat encounter, you can create a diversion to hide. As a standard action, make a Bluff check opposed by the passive Insight check of any enemy that can see you. If you succeed, make a Stealth check opposed by the passive Perception check of any enemy present. If the Stealth check succeeds against an enemy, you are hidden from that enemy until the end of your turn or until you attack.
Bluff as Platform
What activities tie easily to Bluff? Who are the types of people who train in Bluff?
The Bluff skill is composed of primarily two aptitudes. The first of these is speechcraft. How quickly can your character come up with an answer to a question, be that answer truthful or otherwise? Politicians need that sort of ability. Does (s)he know words specific words to use or avoid that lend weight to the statement being made? Charlatans are good at this. The cad on the corner hawking the most recent potion made from ‘real, authentic hydra spit’ needs Bluff. The traveling diviner who tells people their fortunes (i.e. what they want to hear) for a modest, nominal fee is also Bluffing. Is (s)he knowledgeable enough in the subject matter to implant a kernel of truth within the lie to make it more believable? That’s the realm of the Imposter or maybe even the Spy, passing along just enough truth to retain believability while ultimately leading the target down the wrong path.
The other aptitude involved with Bluff is body control. Control of the voice, the face and the breath; Entertainers need Bluff to act in theatre and maybe even for proper singing technique. The Gambler needs Bluff to play a straight face when the hand he’s holding is clearly a winning or losing hand. She might also be mixing Bluff with Intimidate to get in her opponent’s head and mess around. In a similar vein, Socialites find that Bluff helps you keep a straight face when spouting even the most inane sycophantic garbage. Lesser nobility may be using Bluff on a regular basis to jockey for favor among the greater houses or royalty. Those really good in Bluff might even be able to slow their heartrate or stop sweating making it an interesting and unique choice for Mystics or Sharpshooters. Are you one of the few out there who really misses 3rd Edition’s Autohypnosis skill? Consider Bluff as your 4th edition analogue.
Bluff as Sense
It’s very likely that the master of Bluff is a predator. He looks into a tavern and knows quickly who’s naïve and who’s been around the town a couple times. There are marks and then there’s everyone else. Scoundrels who’ve been caught a few times (or perhaps never at all!) also know where the authorities might be and how to avoid them. If not a hunter, the Bluff specialist has something to hide from someone and is never fully comfortable. Where are the exits? How can I use this terrain to my advantage? Those trained in Bluff should be able to perceive this freely.
Bluff as Social Skill
Hope you enjoyed that breakdown of Bluff! Next week: Diplomacy.
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Ryven Cedrylle was introduced to 2nd edition D&D by his father at age 8 and has been hooked ever since. When not out somewhere with his nerd-loving wife, he spends an inordinate amount of time staring at small objects - primarily beakers, stars, books about religion and virtual gaming miniatures. Follow him on Twitter for previews of upcoming material and random nuggets of wit!
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Of all the skills, this is the one I’ve been waiting for, but the article didn’t address my primary issue. I’ve got a character in my group with a very high bluff skill, and he talks his way past every encounter I design. The campaign is mostly fights against humans, with a minimum of monsters, so it’s been more of an issue than it might in other settings. Other than having NPCs with insight skills of 30, what do you think might be done to mitigate the constant bluffing?
I think you’re going about this wrong way asking about the 30 Insight skill. Sounds to me, Greg, like you and your player have different gaming expectations. He clearly gets his jollies from the talking more than the fighting. Do you regularly give him something he needs to Bluff his way through? Not just the occasional town guard – something really epic? He’s not really doing anything wrong, exactly, just outside the genre of your game. Put him in a ‘The Sting’ or ‘Catch Me If You Can’ situation from time to time and I’ll bet he goes along more readily with your combats.