Core Mechanic Concept

[The Worid]

I've been fiddling with a generic homebrew for some time now, and I would appreciate some input into the basic resolution mechanics (thanks already to Age of Fable from another thread).

The idea is a basic roll-high vs. DC system, with a few tweaks:

1. You must exceed the listed DC; equaling it is still failure, which treats unopposed checks like opposed ones.

2. Add your relevant attribute score (say, Intellect 6) as a bonus to a d10 to make a check.

3. Having ranks in a skill (I was thinking from 1 to 3) allows you to roll that many extra d10s, taking the highest only to add to the check.

Any thoughts? My issues include the lack of ability to even have a chance of achieving the next "level" of DC (in d20, for example, the "levels" of DCs go in 5s), the fact that 10 does not divide by 3 or 4 (which throws off some other numbers, but I would like to use d10s) and the fact that greater levels of skill do not entail greater possibilities of success, only more certain success.

Any advice is welcome.

[KrakaJak]

ftwThat seems like a Mash of ORE (Reign) and Unisystem. After reading this I have a couple of thoughts:


Why have rolls = DC fail? Just make your standard DCs 1 higher. Then you won't have to go against any popular RPG conventions already established.


I'd also reverse your skills/attribute mechanics for verisimilitude's sake. To me, attributes are more like "Raw Talent," and skills are refinements and training. I think that you should probably reverse the rolls of skills and attributes. With your system as it is, having a higher raw ability determines what you can and cannot do more than practice and training.

Example: Someone with Dexterity 1 With a Firearms of 3 (according to your write-up, a mastery of firearms) is never going to shoot a can off a fence from 100 yards (we'll say it DC 11). However, someone with a dexterity of 6 and a firearms of 0 will hit with 3 bullets out of a 6-shooter he's never fired before.

[The Worid]

Why have rolls = DC fail? Just make your standard DCs 1 higher. Then you won't have to go against any popular RPG conventions already established

Because that is contrary the point of the rule. The idea is to make probabilities more "perfect", so to speak. For example, something that bothered me using d20 (although it crops up in every roll-high game I've ever played) is that an untrained person is meant to have an even chance at a DC 10 check; but he doesn't, he instead has a 55% chance. If one must exceed the DC, then that is "corrected" to a 50% chance.

I'd also reverse your skills/attribute mechanics for verisimilitude's sake. To me, attributes are more like "Raw Talent," and skills are refinements and training. I think that you should probably reverse the rolls of skills and attributes. With your system as it is, having a higher raw ability determines what you can and cannot do more than practice and training.

Having attributes being represented by dice pools would quickly inflate the pools to high levels, so I'd rather have skills fulfill that. Also, having a take-the-highest pool makes your rolls higher and more predictable, so they seem representative of skill to me. Because attributes are meant as generalized aggregates of ability, it makes sense that they should provide the flat bonus. A master gunslinger who suffers from a degenerative disease which has sapped his dexterity isn't going to be able to hit anything; the "never fired before" thing could be handled by familiarity rules.

[Spinal Tarp]

For example, something that bothered me using d20 (although it crops up in every roll-high game I've ever played) is that an untrained person is meant to have an even chance at a DC 10 check; but he doesn't, he instead has a 55% chance. If one must exceed the DC, then that is "corrected" to a 50% chance.

  Then you just do as KrakaJak said and increase the DC by 1 and retain the standard 'roll equal to or more than the DC to succeed'.

[Spinal Tarp]

Having attributes being represented by dice pools would quickly inflate the pools to high levels, so I'd rather have skills fulfill that.

  You could just change your attribute range.

[The Worid]

You could just change your attribute range.

To what? In my experience, dice pools over 4 or 5 are quite irritating if the game isn't success-based like WoD (and even then, it can easily get out of hand). Which leaves a very small range for humans; I prefer a bit more precision in that area.

[Spinal Tarp]

If you're not keen on large dice pools but still want a good attribute range to satisfy your 'precision' needs, I would recommend dumping the whole multiple dice rolling concept.  You can just use the stat + skill method ( with tweaks if you want skill to matter more than stats or vice versa ).