so something ive internalized about social mechanics [token shit from belonging outside belonging, string tech from monsterhearts] is that their purpose is to give an RPer a set of verbs for making, at the very least, a half decent character scene.
like, tactical combat systems give you a standard set of verbs, nouns, language and vibe for combat. You SWING your SWORD at the GOBLIN to GET THE TREASURE that it STOLE from the DRAGON.
all that is so that John RP can roll up, look at his sheet and go "ok so... Jane's gonna move 20 feet and stab the golem with her spear, wait no! With her hammer! Bash it with her hammer!"
and that's a decent start to a fight. Damage typing, weapon swapping, that's the cool shit of a fight.
But the cool shit of a character scene is more ethereal. It's tension, it's dramatic irony, it's having some idea of whats going to happen but wanting to see how it plays out, or its learning about these characters in a new, or familiar, situation.
And therefore, you get social mechanics.