Conflict of Interest

Sometimes, the situation calls for us to solve it with words. Like, some good arguments and sick buns. Here's a means of doing so. Conflict of Interest is meant to be one person versus another in a duel of the wits.

State Your Case

Each side briefly describes their point and what they want. Cases are stated in an orderly fashion. Once stated, write it out.

Agree to the Terms

Both sides must agree to the terms of the contest before continuing. This is a metagame condition. “If I win, you’ll do X. If you win, I’ll do Y.” Each side states their terms and agrees to abide by them, keeping them reasonable and achievable. Larger issues should be broken up into smaller arguments and spanned across multiple conflicts.

Walking Away

A player can never be forced to engage in a conflict. If they wish, they may always walk away - refusing to debate the point.

Body Argument (BA)

The equivalent to hit points in a verbal contest; the resilience of your argument and yourself. Your Body Argument (BA) is determined by your Logic Dice. The size of the Logic Dice you roll to form your BA is equal to your level of ability in Charsima-based skills. Your Logic Dice are d6s if you aren’t proficient in any of the aforementioned skills, d8s if you are proficient in at least one of them, or d10s if you have expertise in at least one of them. Roll Logic Dice equal to your level, and add your Intelligence modifier to each roll. The total equals your Body Argument.

If the Conflict is of no great importance, both sides can halve their BA to speed up the process.

Weak Point (WP)

Everyone's argument has a weak point, and you're looking to find that while trying to cover yours up. Your Weak Point equals 10 plus the modifiers of two of the following ability scores: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Additionally, if you have anything to add to your argument, such as evidence or a testimony, your WP increases by 1 for each provided, up to an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.

Verbal Damage

Your Verbal Damage Dice are one die size larger than your Logic Dice. Verbal damage is dealt when your skill check exceeds your opponent's WP. In a Conflict, any of your skills can be your weapon. When you deal verbal damage, you add the ability score modifier of whatever skill you were using to the roll. If the d20 roll is a 20, it is a critical hit.

Verbal Exchange

Each side plans an action in secret and their actions are then played against one another. This whole ordeal is called an exchange. Once actions are chosen, the DM calls for the actions to be revealed simultaneously. Each action is spoken and resolved before moving on. If one side’s body argument isn’t reduced to 0 at the end of the exchange, start a new one. Both sides take a moment to choose a new action. Repeat the process until one side’s body argument has been reduced to 0.

Speaking the Part

When playing actions, you must speak your part. The arguments must be made.

Winning a Conflict of Interest

One side must have their BA reduced to 0 at the end of the last volley in order for a victor to be declared. If both sides are reduced to 0, follow the rules for ties.

Compromise

It's rare for concessions not to be made in an argument by the winning party to the loser. When your body argument is reduced by a certain amount of verbal damage, compromises must be made in the following ways:

If your BA is reduced by 1/4 its max value, only a very minor concession is necessary. This concession is a small one regarding your goal or agree to an additional, minor condition that the opponent puts forth.
If reduced by 1/3, a legitimate concession must be granted to the loser. This is a significant concession regarding your own goal or agree to an additional, related condition.
If reduced by half, a major concession is in order. This should feel like losing.

Losing and Tying

Losing

The loser must follow the results of the argument; they've lost and they've agreed to go along with whatever it was their opponent proposed before the conflict, for the time being. These rules don't dictate true feelings or reality. They only dictate public performance and acknowledgment of the "truth".

Tying

If both body arguments are reduced to 0 in the same exchange, the contest ends in a tie. Two options are available: part ways and agree to take up the conflict another day, or they can agree to compromise. This compromise must sit squarely in the middle of both sides.

Actions

The eight actions of the Conflict of Interest are Avoid, Dismiss, Feint, Incite, Obfuscate, Point, Rebuttal, and Other Actions.

If an action requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your skill's ability score modifier (your choice, as long as it is appropriate).

Order of Actions

Points and Dismisses are spoken before Rebuttal; Feint and Obfuscate are used to interrupt the opponent. Avoid happens last; Incite and other actions can be used at any time. If two players use Point, Dismiss or Incite, choose the order yourselves.

Counters, Countered By, and Defends Against

Counter indicate that this action has special powers against the listed action(s). Typically this involves a check versus WP, but special cases are also listed. Countered By indicates the opposite of counters- this action can be blocked by the moves it is countered by. Defend Against indicates the action allows the player to take defensive measures against the listed action when played at the same time.

If the opposing side does not take an action that counters or defends against your action, you roll an additional Verbal Damage Die.

Avoid

Defends Against: All except Dismiss

You stray off topic, to the point of sounding desperate or ridiculous. Make an ability check versus the target's WP. On a success, you reduce your opponent’s Incite, Obfuscate, or Point verbal damage by a number equal to the margin of success. Avoid automatically beats Feint and Rebuttal, and it does not work against Dismiss.

Dismiss

Defends Against: Nothing Countered By: Rebuttal

You attempt to end the conflict here and now. Make an ability check versus your target's WP. On a success, you roll two additional verbal damage dice. If this does not end the contest, you lose your next action.

Feint

Counters: Rebuttal Defends Against: Obfuscate

Feint only works against Obfuscate or Rebuttal. If used against a Rebuttal, you may speak first, offering your dummy point. Once your opponent's Rebuttal is in progress, you interrupt with your real point. You then make a Point against the defender, canceling the Rebuttal. Make an ability check against the target's WP. If used against Dismiss, Incite, or Point, you get no attack. Against Avoid, the defender takes no damage. Against Obfuscate, you make two attacks instead of one.

Incite

Counters: Nothing Defends Agaisnt: Nothing

You outright insult your opponent, distracting or dismaying them. Make an ability check against the target's WP. On a success, roll verbal damage, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they miss their next action. If the Incite fails, however, the margin of failure is added to either the opponent's next check or verbal damage roll.

Obfuscate

Counters: All except Feint Defends Against: All except Feint

You must present some non sequitur or bizarre, unrelated point in an attempt to confuse or distract your opponent. Obfuscate is spoken while the opponent is speaking. This action forces a contested skill check between two skills of each player's choice. If you win, the target loses their current action and reduces their next verbal damage roll by your verbal damage die. If you fail this check, their action is not lost and the target can add your verbal damage die to any roll they make during the next exchange.

Point

Counters: Feint, Obfuscate, Incite Countered By: Avoid, Rebuttal

The Point is your main attack. You make an ability check against the target's WP. On a success, roll verbal damage.

Rebuttal

Counters: Dismiss, Point Countered By: Feint

You let your opponent make their Point or Dismissal, and then refute the arguments made while making a Point yourself. When making this Point, you roll your verbal damage dice twice. You can choose to either deal verbal damage equal to the result, regain BA equal to half the result (rounded up), or divide the result among each option.

Other Actions

If you cast a spell or do anything else in a duel, follow the rules for Actions in the PHB.

Helping

Others can add to your actions, giving you a +1 bonus to your checks or verbal damage rolls for each participant, but each participant must speak the part.

Subbing In

At any point during the exchange, you may use a bonus action to tag someone else into the conflict. They then take the stage, taking your action if you haven't taken it already, and changing their Logic and Verbal Damage die accordingly.

Citations

Crane, Luke. The Burning Wheel - Gold Edition. 3rd ed. New York City, New York: L. Crane, 2011.

WWW.GMBINDER.COM

This document was lovingly created using GM Binder.

If you would like to support the GM Binder developers, consider joining our Patreon community.