What we are talking about here is social conflict. Some players are not good at roleplaying and thus avoid roleplaying situations. It has been my experience that if social conflict is to be left as strictly a roleplaying device, then those that can roleplay well and can express their ideas better than others generally will win the conflict. Highly unfair and frustrating to those that can not. My solution is that there is no social hitpoints, only a Body of Argument. Each combatant rolls his Body of Argument before each conflict and then let the conflict begin.

Body of Argument= 2d10+ Wisdom Bonus+ Intelligence Bonus+ GM Modifiers.

Conflict consists of Influence vs. Influence with the winner removing the amount that he won by from his opponents Body of Argument. Who ever reaches 0 first loses. I would also apply Boon Points and use the Combat Boon Table, but describe the effect in a social context. Between each roll if someone wishes to roleplay, so much the better and if done well.....then a bonus to his influence roll. This allows those that cannot roleplay well a fighting chance at winning a social conflict. The Emperor's evil Vizier is now someone to reckon with. He would probably have a high bonus in both Wis and Int, not to mention a high Influence skill (he is the Vizier after all). The random 2d10 roll for the Body of Argument means that victory is not assured.

We have used this in our Novus Middle Earth game for important situations and found it to be exciting, inspiring and highly narrative.