This is a rough draft I conjured up tonight as main resolution mechanic for simple RPG. The skill resolution is following:

-2 if character is unskilled, 0 means character has some basic idea, +2 means character is regularly using it as part of her work and +3 means character is a veteran with ten or so years behind her. +4 and +5 would describe a life-long expertise in subject.


Player rolls three D6 (two white and one red) and skill rating (N/A, o ... +5) against a target number (varies with TN as 8/10/12/14/16/18/20) and 12 as average.

Thus if a roll of 3D6 + skill rating is twelve or higher the roll is successful at average task.

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Alternatively task requires doing multiple successes as size. Typically 5/10/15 with 10 being average. If so, character gains successes at rate of Skill Rating/2 (rounded downwards) + (red die score). When number of collected scores is equal or higher than task size the ask is passed successfully. Multiple characters may do this together.

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Designer's Notes:
1) I chose 3D6 as my main mechanic as it has smaller variance as 1D20.
2) I wanted better skilled characters to get more successes than rookies when task size is in use.
3) I want skill to matter.
4) I thought that in my system character would gain fixed number of points of year but could only invest one point per skill and then gain skill rating when enough points had been collected through years. The skill investments would be geometrical (1 as N/A->0, 1 as  0->1, 4 as 1->2, 5 as 2->3, 11 as 3->4 and 14 as 4->5). There would be normally roughly one adventure per year and characters would be dynastic (with new Chars eventually replacing old one.

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Open questions:
1) I have also been pondering changing this to use a fixed TN (perhaps set as 12) but then adding a system where GM tells player what maluses and bonuses are there (perhaps even -3 to +3) depending on circumstance. I have played Mongoose Traveller which uses it to a great effect.
2) I have been pondering of adding a attribute score that rises and falls every year depending on characters occupation and if char puts points to attributes rather than skills. I thought that char gains/loses attribute points at rate of one per year and thus attribute effect would rise and fall according to those losses. This effect would be geometrical so 0 -> 0, +1...+3 -> +1, +4...+8 -> +2, +9...+15 -> +3, etc. Similarly it would go downwards. Thus for example fit char would slowly lose her endurance rating by being in office work (unless she puts development points to prevent that).

Ideas, thoughts?

Quote from: Nikita;778950Player rolls three D6 (two white and one red)

Why?

Quote from: The Butcher;778956Why?

Alternatively task requires doing multiple successes as size. Typically 5/10/15 with 10 being average. If so, character gains successes at rate of Skill Rating/2 (rounded downwards) + (red die score).