Chis Bertani Sez:
> This was one of the things I liked so much about Traveller; skill-1 meant
> something. You didn't have to have a level 5 skill just to have an even
> chance at succeeding! This is my big gripe with most d20, d10, or d100
> based game systems. (I also prefer bell curves.)
I would like to comment on both of these staements.
First, though it is nice for skill-1 to mean something, and for a
character allocating points, this is convienent. But there are some
things that people are not good at but that they have a chance to
do something if the task is simple. I may have a computer-3 skill
(personally) but my Auto Repair sill is not 0. (Maybe a T:2000 level
of 3-4).
Remember that just by asking a player to make a routine task
roll, the job is not routine. Routine things like replacing a light
bulb would not be rolled for, rather routine refers to something
that is routine for someone with the skill. i.e. In auto repair,
replacing the brakes would be routine, not worthy of a raised
eyebrow for a trained mechanic. I on the other hand wouldn't even
think of doing it.
Second and more importantly, I disagreee with the use of a bell curve
with a skill system where there are plusses to the roll. Lets say
that for whatever reason there is a DM of +1 applied to a roll. If this
is a routine roll 7+ then the chance of success rises from 58.3% to
72.2% (or 1.23x). If the task is difficult 11+ then the success goes
from 8.3% to 16.7% (or 2x). This means that something that is a small
help some times is a larger help at others. That is the +1 is not
a constant. (The reverse is also a problem the chance of failure
of a high (sill-4+) character is greatly reduced by a +1 sometimes,
but not at others). Also note that special successes are affected by
this effect as well.
This is why I likes the task system so much, as there was no longer
any +'s to deal with, just a difficulty and a skill-stat, or skill-skill
to worry about. Though the effects of a difference of 1 skill level
in all but difficult or impossible tasks made no difference.
Personally I prefer a d100 based system for a skill-based rules set.
(Like Ringworld, or Space Master). +10% means exactly that. A
player has an innate understanding of how likely they are to succeed,
and critcals (special successes) are easier to handle.
-Dan
P.S. I am not advocating that any form of Traveller change, just
pointing out a drawback to the 2D6 method.
Dan Corrin, Network Manager, Mechanical Engineering, UWO, London, Ontario
InterNet: [email removed]. [phone removed]
TML/CZ/FrameUsers/Consim FTP site: sunbane.engrg.uwo.ca (129.100.100.12)