this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2023
36 points (92.9% liked)
rpg
3208 readers
29 users here now
This community is for meaningful discussions of tabletop/pen & paper RPGs
Rules (wip):
- Do not distribute pirate content
- Do not incite arguments/flamewars/gatekeeping.
- Do not submit video game content unless the game is based on a tabletop RPG property and is newsworthy.
- Image and video links MUST be TTRPG related and should be shared as self posts/text with context or discussion unless they fall under our specific case rules.
- Do not submit posts looking for players, groups or games.
- Do not advertise for livestreams
- Limit Self-promotions. Active members may promote their own content once per week. Crowdfunding posts are limited to one announcement and one reminder across all users.
- Comment respectfully. Refrain from personal attacks and discriminatory (racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc.) comments. Comments deemed abusive may be removed by moderators.
- No Zak S content.
- Off-Topic: Book trade, Boardgames, wargames, video games are generally off-topic.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Rolling under ability, is nice and easy, to grasp, no wonder why it's one of the most common mechanic in RPG, knowing that I have a score of 60 means that I have 60% chance of success.
However, mechanically, system, I feel like Multi-dices, like WOD/Shadowrun work better. A big issue with single-dice system is the flat probability distribution meaning that an untrained person are a pretty high probability of success while a trained person as still a pretty high probability of failure. I like more mechanics with less randomness.
As much as I like success counting systems, the speed of one die roll-under is really good if you are playing a game with lots of procedural rolls.
Success counting really benefits from games using concepts like let it ride from Burning Wheel (don't keep rolling the same thing unless the situation changes significantly) and either extremely limited or highly abstracted combat.
GURPS is a 3d6 roll under, it's nice
Indeed,
3D6 works way better than 1D20 as it makes character with a bad score, worse, character with a good score better, and character with an intermediate level decent. For a game, I replaced the 1D20 by 3D6, and I felt like it was an improvement, as suddenly outcome were more predictable.
At least with my player (at the time) it reduced tendencies to over optimize character, and frustration where these optimized character fail. It's an easy house-rule that I would recommend when possible.
I like your point about multi dice systems being good because of how they represent skills non-linearly.
I did have to do a double take about you saying more games should play like shadow run though lol