The best RPGs with mechanics that encourage diplomacy

Gamers who love RPGs may love this genre for its deep combat mechanics, interesting worlds, or the ability to truly roleplay many great characters. However, RPGs are almost unique in gaming as one of the few genres that not only allows for diplomacy, but often encourages it.

Set in medieval Bohemia, on the plains of Faerûn, or in open space, RPGs are a fantastic place to enjoy a diplomacy-filled game.

8 Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Medieval tactics

As one of the greatest medieval RPGs of recent times, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has cultivated a rabid fan base that loves the weird and wonderful ways each player can enjoy the game. Fortunately, if players prefer chat over violence, persuasion and diplomacy are certainly valid strategies.

Diplomacy in the game is governed by the persuasion ability, which is stratified based on many different circumstances. For example, if Henry (the main character) is wearing the best clothes or a scary sword, people with a higher reputation are more likely to be receptive to him. Likewise, when equipped with large swords, he can be feared. It's surprisingly contextual and a great way to navigate the game's various challenges.

7 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Power through your will

​​​​​​While opinions about Bioware are mixed nowadays, most RPG fans have fond memories of the company in the 2000s, when they created cool RPG classics, e.g. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic(also known as KOTOR). Accordingly, the game has a strong set of diplomatic mechanics to complement the Jedi-based action.

Based on a system clearly inspired by tabletop role-playing games, players can invest in charisma traits as well as empathy abilities to try to get out of a surprising number of situations – such as when Ben Kenobi insists that these aren't the droids you're looking for.

6 Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Roll for persuasion

Before the release of D&D Fifth Edition, which took TTRPG to new heights, Pathfinder became the game system of choice thanks to its well-designed mechanics and incredible player interaction, setting the stage for the Pathfinder series of games based on the same system. .

U Pathfinder: Kingmakerplayers are free to create their own character, and like the D&D system from which it is inspired, charisma and conviction are the main attributes to invest in if players prefer a diplomatic tact when it comes to solving problems. There's nothing like talking about a potentially brutal fight with some great dice rolls and wit.

5 Baldur's gate 3

Talk about how to get rid of a brain parasite

Baldur's gate 3 is an undoubted classic in the RPG genre for a reason. Never before has the joy and fun of fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons found their way into a video game (with a few tweaks).

Naturally, this means that persuasion, deception, and charisma are the main components of character. Larian Studios' epic adventure features an incredibly impressive set of encounters that can be completely bypassed with words of wisdom and a great Persuasion roll. Bards, sorcerers and warlocks are ready and waiting to make their way to the final boss with a wink, and who knows – maybe that silver tongue will come in handy when it comes to romance?

4 Deus Ex

Every conspiracy needs a diplomat

While it would come to define the hardcore gaming crowd, it took until Deus Ex (and to be fair Systemic shock 2) to make the series of addictive simulators popular and become the most loved in the series. The great diplomacy of the game is one of the main reasons.

In short, everything is based on the player's previous choices, his actions, the information he has gathered, and his previous relationships with various factions and characters. This means that diplomacy seems very real and deserved. It's not a roll of the dice, it's the result of decisions made, which means that every choice takes on extra weight when you think about how it might affect future conversations.

3 Fallout: New Vegas

They talked about going all-in

As a modern classic in the world of open-world RPGs, Fallout: New Vegas has an impeccable reputation for its grown-up and mature approach to role-playing mechanics and storytelling, with a strange but wonderful commitment to making speaking a viable path through the Mojave Wasteland.

One of the player's primary skills in the game is speech, which can be heavily invested in to completely bypass some of the game's greatest challenges and powerful enemies. One of the game's final bosses can actually be persuaded to leave with a high enough level of speech. Few games would make such a bold leap.

2 Planescape: Torment

Socratic dialogue

Despite being tied to a PC for a long time, Planescape: Torment is slowly coming to be regarded as one of the best games in the entire RPG genre, and one of the main reasons is the incredible writing that doesn't shy away from complex themes and philosophies.

Players take control of the Nameless, a mysterious figure that can be specified for wisdom, intelligence and charisma, as well as lore and story skills, which can lead to entirely new avenues of conversation that some players may never see. The long conversations in the game are considered some of the best for a reason, so diplomacy is actually one of the best ways to play the game.

1 Elysium discotheque

The voices in your head

After its release in 2019, everyone knew it Elysium discotheque there was something special. Where most RPGs have a heavy emphasis on combat, the vast majority do Elysium discothequeThe gameplay is simply conversational, written like no other RPG ever made before, and even better with the release of the updated Final Cut version.

The player takes control of a detective who competes with a large number of characters in his head, representing his various skills, attitudes, personalities and behaviors, with constant internal commentary competing for action. Conversations are conducted through these strange yet extremely unique voices, resulting in wildly different playthroughs and diplomacy that never holds the player's hand.