[RPG] What do I roll for seduction

dnd-5esexualityskillssocial

I plan to play a bard who is very seductive, somewhat of a Casanova. Do I roll persuasion, performance or some other skill check to determinate the outcome?

Our game is less dungeon-delving and more social situations, so I expect this to come up often enough. Usually our group just roleplays seduction attempts but this PC is very promiscuous and I don't feel like roleplaying it out every time my character tries to seduce an NPC. It would become awkward for me, the DM, and the rest of the group. So I'm looking for a rule I can fall back on.

Best Answer

There is no set skill for seduction. It's going to fall back to a discussion between you and your DM on which ones you feel appropriate, with the DM having the final say.

Personally, I don't think it's actually tied to any one skill, it's going to be the overall nature of what you're trying to do.

  • Trying to seduce someone you have zero actual interest in, as a strategy point, a way to achieve a completely separate goal? Sounds like you don't actually have a (direct) interest in bedding him/her, so Deception.

  • Trying to seduce someone because they're beautiful and you just want in his/her pants on general principles? Persuasion

  • Oh, wait, you're using music, song, poetry, and other Performance type things as the core of your seductive effort?

  • And while I certainly hope you're never this gauche, this cruel, trying to convince someone that his/her only hope of survival is to partner with you sounds very much like an Intimidation effort to me.

It's also worth noting that a clever player or DM could come up with even more interesting, less obvious combinations. An NPC who's attracted to muscle men may take an Athletics check; you may peel a lime in a single, long strip with Sleight of hand to suggest your abilities in the bedroom; a creative player or DM could probalby find a way to be suggestive with a LOT of skill checks -- or even a flat out ability check.