Diplomacy
Replace the Diplomacy table (PH p. 72) with the table below. With this revised table, it is no more difficult to improve NPC attitudes, but it now includes a risk of alienating whomever you are negotiating with (thus worsening their attitude). I've been using this table for some time, so you may as well be aware of it.
And don't laugh at the funky margins. I can't figure out how to do tables on this thing.
Initial New Attitude (DC to Achieve)
Attitude Hostile Unfriendly Indifferent Friendly Helpful
Hostile Less than 20 20 30 40 50
Unfriendly Less than 10 10 20 30 40
Indifferent Less than 1 1 10 20 30
Friendly --- Less than 1 1 10 20
Helpful --- --- Less than 1 1 10
Negotiation Bonuses
Social skills, such as Diplomacy, are heavily role-play dependent. Thus, you may get a bonus or penalty to your skill check based on what you actually say. When it seems appropriate, I consult the following table to assign an ad-hoc bonus/penalty to any given check.
Character Actions Modifier
Insults NPC -5 to -6
Casts aspersions on NPC's motivations, actions, or character -3 to -4
Makes irrelevant points, ignores NPC's motivations -1 to -2
Makes good points, plays on NPC's general goals or feelinsg +1 to +2
Speaks well, offers the NPC something he wants +3 to +4
Stirring oration, utterly convincing, utilizes the NPC's deepest goals +5 to +6
