Game mechanics

Different dice

As you probably are aware, most RPGs are played with dice made out of assorted polyhedra, the ones we will use for this game are the D4 (regular tetrahedron), the D6 (regular hexahedron or a cube), the D8 (octahedron), D10 (not a platonic body, but a semi-regular solid) and D20 (icosahedron). We will also use the D100 and I'd recommend using either a single D10, rolled twice or two D10 in different colours (one can buy D10s numbered 00-90 and if you want to use one of them instead, they do resolve lots of issues about what die represents the 10s). Occasionally, we will refer to other dice.

D5

Using a D10, let 1-2 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 1, 3-4 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 2, 5-6 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 3, 7-8 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 4 and 9-10 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 5.

D3

Use a D6 and let 1-2 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 1, 3-4 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 2 and 5-6 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 3.

D2

For the D2, we recommend using a D6 and either 1-3 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 1, 4-6 $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 2 or ``odd'' $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 1 and ``even'' $\rightarrow$ mathend000# 2.

Skill checks

Skill checks are always done with a D100 and a successful roll is one that is lower than the (possibly modified) skill value used.

Skill modifications are more common in combat than otherwise, but may be used on occasion for non-combat skills.

Always round to the closest whole number if you end up with fractions after applying a modifier. Feel free to consistently round x.5 mathend000# to x + 1 mathend000#.

Table 3.1: Skill modification table

Emma's character Joanne is about to roll for spotting hidden things. Joanne's ``Spot hidden'' is at 56%, but the GM decides that this is a hard roll, since not only is Joanne under fire, but there have been multiple smoke grenades set off. Multiplying 56% by 0.6 gives 33.6%, we round that up to 34%.

Emma rolls 51, thus Joanne fails her ``Spot hidden'' and will have to try later. Meanwhile, Joanne dashes towards cover.

Perfect, special and fumble results

Fumble

If a skill check roll is 95-00 (that is, 100), there is a risk of fumbling. Roll again and if the roll is higher than the (unmodified) skill value, the result is a fumble. A fumble is, in general, worse than just a fail (there are more specific fumble rules for combat on p. ), so a fumbled Spot hidden roll may end up with the character thinking there is a hidden trapdoor where there's only cracks in the floor.

Note that 00 followed by 00 is always a fumble.

Perfect and special successes

If a skill check roll is 01-05, there is a chance of a perfect success. Roll again and if the roll is lower than or equal to the (unmodified) skill value, the result is a perfect success. If it is higher, the result is a special success.

Attribute checks

Normal attribute checks

Attribute rolls are used to check for things where there are no applicable skills in the rule book (or when there are suitable skills, but a character doesn't have the skill in question^3.1).

An attribute roll is calculated from the relevant attribute and a difficulty multiplier; the result should be rolled under or equal on one D100 to succeed.

Attribute rolls can never be anything but ``successful'' or ``failed'', so there's no reason checking for fumbles or special or perfect successes .

Table 3.2: Attribute roll modifiers

Emma's character Joanne is diving towards cover because she is under fire. Unfortunately, there is no skill called ``Dive for cover'' (we could, possibly, use Dodge, but we won't), so the GM asks Emma to roll an Easy AGL check.

Joanne's AGL is 15, that means an Easy check is 94%. Emma rolls 18, so Joanne succeeds in finding cover.

Opposed attribute checks

Whenever two attributes are set in direct conflict (say, trying to break down a door or lift something extremely heavy), you can use an opposed attribute check. There is a simple formula to calculate the relevant percentage for success, start at 50% for equal numbers and for each step higer (lower) just add (subtract) 5% [ (Att - Def )*5 + 50 mathend000#]. Anything lower than 5% or higher than 95% is an automatic fail or success.

To make this faster, refer to this table:

Table 3.3: Opposed rolls percentage table

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

3 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F F F F F F

4 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F F F F F

5 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F F F F

6 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F F F

7 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F F

8 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 F

9 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5

10 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10

11 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15

12 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20

13 S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25

14 S S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30

15 S S S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35

16 S S S S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40

17 S S S S S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45

18 S S S S S S 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50

Footnotes

... question^3.1

This is only applicable for the skills that have no base chance