tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post9199134979673768649..comments2024-02-27T01:17:39.925-08:00Comments on The Nine and Thirty Kingdoms: What Being Skilled MeansTalysmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02162328521343832412noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post-87504432076843019422011-01-06T17:27:17.794-08:002011-01-06T17:27:17.794-08:00@migelito: that'd work, for people who use ski...@migelito: that'd work, for people who use skill checks. Although you might want to incorporate the diminishing returns that Brian mentioned, adding one improvement at a +4 margin and am extra improvement for every <i>doubling</i> of the margin.<br /><br />@Brian, Roger: Personally, I prefer to shift most of the burden of better-than-normal performance onto the tools used, so that for example your ability to pick locks is static, but higher-quality lock picks let you pick higher-quality locks.<br /><br />I do incorporate both potential limits and diminishing returns into my approach by saying that characters get a +1 if there are more advantages than disadvantages in the current situation, maybe a +2 if there is an enormous difference in advantage. Thus, higher skill level or greater advantage does not mean a greater bonus, but a greater ability to avoid a penalty.Talysmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02162328521343832412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post-52662231546723878662011-01-06T14:10:52.701-08:002011-01-06T14:10:52.701-08:00Combining this idea, and a method I often used in ...Combining this idea, and a method I often used in the past, I would look at the margin by which a skill attempt succeeds. If the player makes the check by 12 (for ex.) they have achieved perfection. Making the check by 8 or by 4 nets successful but less impressive results. In some cases, making it by 16 or 20 might result in some sort of masterpiece creation, if appropriate to the skill.<br /><br />This method builds in both the die roll and the skill level to determine degree of success.migellitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17106614212764056058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post-67758443070936212662011-01-06T13:52:11.980-08:002011-01-06T13:52:11.980-08:00>Instead of a baseline starting speed, power, a...>Instead of a baseline starting speed, power, and effectiveness, there's a baseline perfect speed, power and effectiveness. <br /><br />This is probably the most realistic way of doing it, but for simplicity's sake it might be best just to say that the bonus from a skill gives diminishing returns. There's probably a clever way to do so with dice mechanics that doesn't involve people having to look at tables.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post-26533731037958356772011-01-06T04:17:20.840-08:002011-01-06T04:17:20.840-08:00Certainly with the special movement skills there&#...Certainly with the special movement skills there's a set move that you can only fail to achieve. D&D doesn't always give the intermediate option of "stand still" - when climbing, you either move upwards or fall - but if you work this in, this gives you a system where more skilled people move faster.<br /><br />Pottery is a skill where I would give the chance to craft a "super-vase" but only if the potter was trying for it. The Legend of the five Rings RPG builds this in with a system of "raises" you can call on a skill check to make it more difficult but with a better outcome. In D&D you can do the same with a modifier to the roll.Roger G-Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594440701279968693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239577512598038009.post-25056319747384963532011-01-05T18:10:21.373-08:002011-01-05T18:10:21.373-08:00At first glance, I'd say I definitely agree. H...At first glance, I'd say I definitely agree. However, I don't have a problem with telling a hobbit their max strength score is a 14 either.<br /><br />I think with abilities, rather than skills, it's often useful to compare the same ability from character to npc to monster, in which case an absolute scale is probably more useful than a relative one.migellitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17106614212764056058noreply@blogger.com