MANIPULATION: EMPATHY

Alien life forms may gut you without remorse, but the most truly dangerous beings in the ALIEN universe are corporate agents and other schemers who use lies, threats, or subtle persuasion to get what they want.
To make another person see things your way, make an opposed roll for MANIPULATION (it takes a liar to spot a liar). Your chances are affected by your negotiating position (see below).

FAILURE

Your adversary won't listen and won't do what you want. They might start to dislike you, or even attack you if provoked.

SUCCESS

If you succeed, your adversary must either do what you want or immediately attack you physically. Even if your adversary chooses to do what you want, they can still demand something in return. The GM decides what that entails, but it should be reasonable enough for you to be able to meet those demands. It is up to you to accept the agreement or not.

STUNTS

For each 6 you roll in excess of what you need to win the opposed roll, you can choose one of these stunts:

Your opponent does what you want without demanding a favor in return.

Your opponent does more than you ask for, for example giving you some useful piece of information. Details are up to the GM.

Your opponent is impressed by you and will try to help you later on in some way. Details are up to the GM.

BEING MANIPULATED

NPCs and other PCs can use MANIPULATION on you. If their roll succeeds, you must attack or offer a deal of some kind. Then it is up to the GM (or the other player) whether your adversary accepts or not.

MANIPULATE A GROUP

When you want to manipulate a whole group, you usually address the group’s leader or spokesperson. Note that you get a –1 modification to your roll if your opponent has more people on their side. If you reach an agreement with the leader, the rest of the group usually follows. If there is no given leader it’s harder—every single opponent acts individually.

NEGOTIATING POSITION

Your chances of using MANIPULATION on someone successfully are affected by your negotiating position, which is determined by the GM. Each of the following factors gives your roll a +1 modification:

You have more people on your side.

What you ask for doesn’t cost your opponent anything.

Your opponent has suffered damage.

You have helped your opponent previously.

You present your case very well (determined by the GM).

Each of the following factors modifies your roll by –1:

Your opponent has more people on their side.

You ask for something valuable or dangerous.

Your opponent has nothing to gain by helping you.

You are having trouble understanding each other.

You are talking via radio or shouting at a distance.

NOT MIND CONTROL

When you use MANIPULATION on someone, you don’t take control of their mind. What you are trying to convince your adversary to do must be somewhat reasonable, otherwise the GM can disallow it.