Is it reasonable to ask (just ask, not demand) our DM to allow Performance to adjust NPC attitude? That is, to use nonspecific successful Performances of various kinds to make a hostile (but nonviolent) creature indifferent, or turn indifferent creatures friendly? As always, Performance covers a wide array of entertaining, so this could be something like having a scintillating conversation about wine over dinner (advantage: brewer's supplies!), parties with musical or singing performances, or entertaining a noble by having a game of chess.
Of course, having a lot of friendly nobles could be beneficial for many kinds of adventurers, but entertaining the crew on a long voyages with games of chance and sea shanties is also pretty useful, and establishing friendly relations with a tribe of hunters through ritual combat, hunting, and a bonfire feast afterwards is also pretty useful.
This is a potentially a very broad and powerful use of the Performance skill, because it can be applied in reducing Persuasion and Deception DCs for various requests as long as there is time to do it, and it can mitigate the negative effects of various deceptive actions. Is this too powerful or disruptive? This supplements the use of Insight to determine NPC Flaws, Bonds, and Ideals.
That is a perfectly valid and normal way to use that skill. Absolutely. That's what it's there for. Of course, the DM will have the power to set whatever DC they think is appropriate for the given situation, and may ascribe potential negative outcomes as well as positive ones depending on the outcome of the roll. But as long as you make an attempt to roleplay the scene through your character rather than simply asking for dice rolls, that is way performance works. Go for it!
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Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
It’s always reasonable to ask. Personally, I’m not sure if I’d allow it, since that’s what persuasion is for. Also, some of your examples include tool and other proficiencies (brewers supplies, gaming sets, combat, hunting, cook’s tools) which are not performance, but would be a check in their own right (using performance to hunt something is right out. Now, using it to put on a show about a past hunt could be great) I think your example suggests letting you use a proficiency help you in a conversation about that topic, which I could absolutely see working, though I don’t know if I’d consider a conversation to be a performance. Maybe under some circumstances, but that would depend on the performer, the NPC and the conversation.
But I know a good show can put a person in a better mood generally. And I’d certainly have NPCs remember an exceptional performance they saw. I don’t know if it would necessarily translate to adjusting their attitude as much as maybe lowering the DC when you make the persuasion check.
Adjusting NPC attitudes does lower future Persuasion DCs or makes them automatic (DC 0). The core activity in all of these pursuits is entertainment. It's to act in a way that puts the other party in a good mood (hence "flattery"). So the conversation isn't so much to impress the other party about your expertise in wine, or the game isn't about trying to win - it's about making sure everyone is having a good time. Of course, you wouldn't use Performance to hunt; that would be attack and stealth rolls, but against deer, most of those would be moot, anyway. It's to set up the hunt in such a way that everyone gets into a good mood about the ritual and the ensuing feast. Of course, as with Persuasion, the actual broad points of conversation and activity would be played out, but this is absolutely a pitch for conversation-as-entertainment rather than conversation-as-persuasion. I'm not trying to persuade them about anything specific. I'm not trying to win games, or be correct about wines. I'm just trying to entertain them.
Actually, in the sense that I CAN use tool proficiencies in some of these checks, per Xanathar's Guide to Everything, I'd ask for advantage on the roll, as well. That is, when playing chess, I'd ask for an advantage in entertaining my "opponent" because I'm proficient in both Performance and chess. I'm not playing to win. I'm playing so that they have a good time. Winning is tangential to my goals - and it could be detrimental depending on how the other party feels about losing.
Is it reasonable to ask (just ask, not demand) our DM to allow Performance to adjust NPC attitude? That is, to use nonspecific successful Performances of various kinds to make a hostile (but nonviolent) creature indifferent, or turn indifferent creatures friendly? As always, Performance covers a wide array of entertaining, so this could be something like having a scintillating conversation about wine over dinner (advantage: brewer's supplies!), parties with musical or singing performances, or entertaining a noble by having a game of chess.
Of course, having a lot of friendly nobles could be beneficial for many kinds of adventurers, but entertaining the crew on a long voyages with games of chance and sea shanties is also pretty useful, and establishing friendly relations with a tribe of hunters through ritual combat, hunting, and a bonfire feast afterwards is also pretty useful.
This is a potentially a very broad and powerful use of the Performance skill, because it can be applied in reducing Persuasion and Deception DCs for various requests as long as there is time to do it, and it can mitigate the negative effects of various deceptive actions. Is this too powerful or disruptive? This supplements the use of Insight to determine NPC Flaws, Bonds, and Ideals.
That is a perfectly valid and normal way to use that skill. Absolutely. That's what it's there for. Of course, the DM will have the power to set whatever DC they think is appropriate for the given situation, and may ascribe potential negative outcomes as well as positive ones depending on the outcome of the roll. But as long as you make an attempt to roleplay the scene through your character rather than simply asking for dice rolls, that is way performance works. Go for it!
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.
It’s always reasonable to ask. Personally, I’m not sure if I’d allow it, since that’s what persuasion is for. Also, some of your examples include tool and other proficiencies (brewers supplies, gaming sets, combat, hunting, cook’s tools) which are not performance, but would be a check in their own right (using performance to hunt something is right out. Now, using it to put on a show about a past hunt could be great) I think your example suggests letting you use a proficiency help you in a conversation about that topic, which I could absolutely see working, though I don’t know if I’d consider a conversation to be a performance. Maybe under some circumstances, but that would depend on the performer, the NPC and the conversation.
But I know a good show can put a person in a better mood generally. And I’d certainly have NPCs remember an exceptional performance they saw. I don’t know if it would necessarily translate to adjusting their attitude as much as maybe lowering the DC when you make the persuasion check.
Adjusting NPC attitudes does lower future Persuasion DCs or makes them automatic (DC 0). The core activity in all of these pursuits is entertainment. It's to act in a way that puts the other party in a good mood (hence "flattery"). So the conversation isn't so much to impress the other party about your expertise in wine, or the game isn't about trying to win - it's about making sure everyone is having a good time. Of course, you wouldn't use Performance to hunt; that would be attack and stealth rolls, but against deer, most of those would be moot, anyway. It's to set up the hunt in such a way that everyone gets into a good mood about the ritual and the ensuing feast. Of course, as with Persuasion, the actual broad points of conversation and activity would be played out, but this is absolutely a pitch for conversation-as-entertainment rather than conversation-as-persuasion. I'm not trying to persuade them about anything specific. I'm not trying to win games, or be correct about wines. I'm just trying to entertain them.
Actually, in the sense that I CAN use tool proficiencies in some of these checks, per Xanathar's Guide to Everything, I'd ask for advantage on the roll, as well. That is, when playing chess, I'd ask for an advantage in entertaining my "opponent" because I'm proficient in both Performance and chess. I'm not playing to win. I'm playing so that they have a good time. Winning is tangential to my goals - and it could be detrimental depending on how the other party feels about losing.