Defaults: IQ-5, Acting-5, Performance-2, or Politics-5
Public Speaking (IQ/Average) is general skill with the spoken word, associated with taking the stage, soapbox or pulpit and getting the attention of an audience. It is the fundamental skill for political leaders, stand-up comedians, and revolutionaries. Public speaking is a cornerstone for bards as well--and makes many of their enthrallment skills possible!
In legal thrillers, Public Speaking serves as a complementary skill to Law. If the defendant has confessed, Public Speaking can take the place of Law entirely--not to disprove the charges, but to gain sympathy for the defendant.[1]
Uses[]
- Both riling up a mob and calming one down can be done via Public Speaking[2]
Modifiers[]
"Y'know according to Jerry Seinfeld, death was the second most common fear. The first one was public speaking. It's wild to imagine that people are often more afraid of giving the eulogy than being in the casket." -- paraphrased from Chris Lackey, The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast
Smooth operators, those with voice and charisma tend to be better at public speaking. Likewise, those with tics, stuttering, or shyness tend to struggle.
As expected, issues with language and cultural familiarity can hamper public speaking--this includes charismatic characters who are from other timelines!
Techniques[]
- Irony (Hard)
- Default: Public Speaking or Writing
- Maximum: Skill+5
- You are skilled at negative arguments that undermine an opponent's position, giving an effective bonus to Will to the audience to resist adopting your opponent's point of view. Note that this only helps prevent a shift in view, but doesn't make your point more convincing on its own...[3]
Mentions[]
- Action -- The "Face" of action teams use this skill for distracting crowds or starting riots
- After the End -- Necessary for any proper post-apocalyptic cult leader
- Bio-Tech has activists, engineers and executives using this skill
- Leaders from City Stats have this skill in spades
- Fantasy and Dungeon Fantasy have bards, and bards need Public Speaking!
- Madness Dossier -- memetic ops on crowds
- more examples on John Dallman's page
Edition Notes[]
It replaces the 3e skill Bard.
References[]
- Basic Set, p.216
- Special credit to JohnDallman's excellent research on the skill, and in compiling all mentions of it onto one page.
- ↑ Social Engineering, p.54
- ↑ Social Engineering, p.72
- ↑ Social Engineering, p.81