1. d20 and variants
2. WoD's d10 dot system.
3. Cortex games variable dice size thingy (your stats determine not what bonuses you get, but what size of dice you roll).
4. CoC's d100 roll under.
5. Superheroe's 3d6 roll under (hated this system).
Looking for interesting examples of alternate dice systems. Any recommendations that I haven't already played/seen?
L5R/Burning Sands has the R&K method
The Star Trek RPG from Decipher had a 2d6 system that (if I recall) referenced a "success-level" chart.
The Unisystem is a d10 system in which all skill checks are 1d10+ the corresponding attribute + the appropriate skill, attempting to total nine or more. Nine was a single success, and approximately every 2-3 higher was an additional success.
Shadowrun uses a system similar to White Wolf's (add attribute to skill, roll that many dice), but they use d6's.
I like this system (rolling a pool of dice for successes) best. Reminds me of risk.
On the polar opposite side is Shadowrun, which uses nothing but d6s. A very well done system I must say.
The original Call of Cthulu game was d100 based. I think I liked it better than the d20 system for that game.
PTME Productions, found here uses a d10 system mostly. I advise checking that game system out, it is quite an original game.
I played a game called Deadlands once that used playing cards for most of it's "rolls", which I found very cool to play with.
I played a game called Deadlands once that used playing cards for most of it's "rolls", which I found very cool to play with.
I've heard great things about that game. And it's such a thematic way to resolve issues for the genre.
I've heard great things about that game. And it's such a thematic way to resolve issues for the genre.
Deadlands Reloaded (the newest edition) uses cards for character creation and for combat initiative, but uses the Savage Worlds variable dice system for everything else. I'm in a group that's playing DL:R every other week.
I once played a character in white wolf that rolled, probably 7 dice, on perception. I botched multiple times, the character with 1 or two dice passed all the time. Really bothered me. Here was a character that should notice every tiny detail about a situation, and couldn't find his way out of a wet paper bag. I don't know how White Wolf has changed their system, this character was back when white wolf first came out, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I've noticed this flaw in most dice pool systems, so the Framewerk 'dice poker' system, while gimmicky, gives you more chances to actually succeed on a roll, if you roll low to average on the dice.
I once played a character in white wolf that rolled, probably 7 dice, on perception. I botched multiple times, the character with 1 or two dice passed all the time. Really bothered me. Here was a character that should notice every tiny detail about a situation, and couldn't find his way out of a wet paper bag. I don't know how White Wolf has changed their system, this character was back when white wolf first came out, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
I was playing a ghoul game with some friends. My character (a bull- centuries of selective breeding has birthed these over muscled humans) could easily flip a car. I was also the only combat character. In a climatic battle scene my friend took down 3 vampires, solo, with the face character, and I managed to deal maybe 6 damage (despite having 9+ attack dice).
Admittedly my rolls are embarrassing. Shadowrun 4th ed has a system for buying successes by giving up dice from your pool, which neatly fixes the problem.
Wow, that was a messed up game though. Still, the skills were hilarious.
Similar to D&D where you have a "target number", but if you roll the maximum on a die, you re-roll it and add the result.
So, say the target number is 15. And you have a step of 14 (d20 +d4, IIRC). You roll a d20 and d4, and if a 4 comes up on the d4, or 20 on the d20 then you re-roll it and add. It can get nuts if you roll high each time.
