Favorite Core Mechanic - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Favorite Core Mechanic

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jackofhearts
Feb 12, 2010 23:40:33
I was interested in hearing some comparison of chore mechanics from RPG games. Obviously, if you're playing D&D 4E, you're used to the d20 mechanic. Has anyone played and really enjoyed any other mechanics?

Dice Pools
3d6 (bell curve)
Step Dice (moving from 1d4, to 1d6, etc)
Diceless

Any mechanics that you especially liked from any game?
#2
Dreamstryder
Feb 13, 2010 1:48:45 OVA RPG's Ricochet mechanic: you roll a number of d6s and pick one, but of any of these d6s roll matching numbers, you can add them, treating the sum as one die. It adds some randomness and makes characters who roll less d6s more likely to still beat the rolls of one who rolls more d6s.
#3
jackofhearts
Feb 13, 2010 10:35:09 Interesting, I've never played it. Thanks! Any others?
#4
elkalash
Feb 13, 2010 22:11:32 try researching the warhammer tabletop core cuz a friend told me its faster and much cooler than 3.5 (but he's never played 4ed yet) it was interesting. I don't remember the details unfortunately. I like 4ed fine for now.
#5
bartleby42
Feb 14, 2010 0:19:20
The problem with Die pool systems is target numbers. All tasks are either trivial or impossible.

Take shadowrun for example; it's a d6 dice pool and 5 and 6s are "hits". An average task has a target number (threshold) of 3, meaning you need 3 hits. So to reliably make an average roll you would need 9 dice.

Every die pool game I've played has been stat+skill +/- mods, and shadowrun is no different. The stat range for humans is 1-6, and the skill range for everyone is 0-6. This means in order to do an average task you need to be very trained in a skill (4+) and have an exceptional stat (4+), which is silly.
What makes it worse is that without training you get a -2 penalty, so if your character doesn't have training in firearms they cannot hit the broadside of a barn.

So if you are running a shadowrun game, target numbers have to be low enough that the untrained can hit it, making it completely trivial for the trained, or high enough to challenge the trained, making it impossible for the untrained. Sort of the dilemma that DMs face making skill challenges for every encounter.
#6
jackofhearts
Feb 14, 2010 23:06:46 I agree. My first thought was that a dice pool is a great, stream-lined way to easily determine success vs failure, but it is difficult to fine-tune the rolls (it isn't granular enough without too many dice). Maybe there is a good way to implement a dice pool though?
#7
Qube
Feb 15, 2010 1:15:19 Chuthulu has an interesting system.
d%, rolling under the target number: if you have a 60 on listen, you need to roll under 60 (a 60% chance to do this with a d%) to get it.

at the end of a chapter, everyone level ups. if you use a skill successfully, you mark it. at lvl up, you choose 3 marked skills and roll a d%. if you are above the target (40% in case of my listen example) you gain 1d10 points in it.

--> skills you're not good at, dont' go up easely (as you first require a successfull roll to mark it)
--> anti power play: skills you are extremely good at, don't go up easely (as the chance is 100-ranks )
--> game master adaptive: skills the game master favors (makes you roll a bunch) and that you're not so good at, go up easely (many uses --> high chance on success, and thus marking)
#8
jackofhearts
Feb 15, 2010 19:28:48 That does sound fun. I always wanted to play Chuthulu and I've never done it. I'll take a look.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jackofhearts Feb 12, 2010 23:40:33	I was interested in hearing some comparison of chore mechanics from RPG games. Obviously, if you're playing D&D 4E, you're used to the d20 mechanic. Has anyone played and really enjoyed any other mechanics? Dice Pools 3d6 (bell curve) Step Dice (moving from 1d4, to 1d6, etc) Diceless Any mechanics that you especially liked from any game?
#2 Dreamstryder Feb 13, 2010 1:48:45	OVA RPG's Ricochet mechanic: you roll a number of d6s and pick one, but of any of these d6s roll matching numbers, you can add them, treating the sum as one die. It adds some randomness and makes characters who roll less d6s more likely to still beat the rolls of one who rolls more d6s.
#3 jackofhearts Feb 13, 2010 10:35:09	Interesting, I've never played it. Thanks! Any others?
#4 elkalash Feb 13, 2010 22:11:32	try researching the warhammer tabletop core cuz a friend told me its faster and much cooler than 3.5 (but he's never played 4ed yet) it was interesting. I don't remember the details unfortunately. I like 4ed fine for now.
#5 bartleby42 Feb 14, 2010 0:19:20	The problem with Die pool systems is target numbers. All tasks are either trivial or impossible. Take shadowrun for example; it's a d6 dice pool and 5 and 6s are "hits". An average task has a target number (threshold) of 3, meaning you need 3 hits. So to reliably make an average roll you would need 9 dice. Every die pool game I've played has been stat+skill +/- mods, and shadowrun is no different. The stat range for humans is 1-6, and the skill range for everyone is 0-6. This means in order to do an average task you need to be very trained in a skill (4+) and have an exceptional stat (4+), which is silly. What makes it worse is that without training you get a -2 penalty, so if your character doesn't have training in firearms they cannot hit the broadside of a barn. So if you are running a shadowrun game, target numbers have to be low enough that the untrained can hit it, making it completely trivial for the trained, or high enough to challenge the trained, making it impossible for the untrained. Sort of the dilemma that DMs face making skill challenges for every encounter.
#6 jackofhearts Feb 14, 2010 23:06:46	I agree. My first thought was that a dice pool is a great, stream-lined way to easily determine success vs failure, but it is difficult to fine-tune the rolls (it isn't granular enough without too many dice). Maybe there is a good way to implement a dice pool though?
#7 Qube Feb 15, 2010 1:15:19	Chuthulu has an interesting system. d%, rolling under the target number: if you have a 60 on listen, you need to roll under 60 (a 60% chance to do this with a d%) to get it. at the end of a chapter, everyone level ups. if you use a skill successfully, you mark it. at lvl up, you choose 3 marked skills and roll a d%. if you are above the target (40% in case of my listen example) you gain 1d10 points in it. --> skills you're not good at, dont' go up easely (as you first require a successfull roll to mark it) --> anti power play: skills you are extremely good at, don't go up easely (as the chance is 100-ranks ) --> game master adaptive: skills the game master favors (makes you roll a bunch) and that you're not so good at, go up easely (many uses --> high chance on success, and thus marking)
#8 jackofhearts Feb 15, 2010 19:28:48	That does sound fun. I always wanted to play Chuthulu and I've never done it. I'll take a look.