Towards Cohesive Skills

It's time for a post again, after my very long hiatus.

Cuurent thoughts in skills:

A skill is a (generally) non-competitive activity that a character performs which must be trained (rather than being innate). Examples include Stealth, Blacksmithing, Disabling Devices, Climbing, Instrument Playing, etc.

Every skill has an ability score associated with it (dexterity for Climbing, for example). Some skills have multiple associated ability scores. Use the lower of them in these cases (Musical Instrument is associated with dexterity and charisma).

Every skill has a standard effect, which can be performed with no risk of failure. This is specific to each skill (Stealth allows a character to move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being noticed, with no chance of failure).

Every skill also has a challenge percentage, which is rolled whenever the character steps outside the standard effect while using the skill (in the case of Stealth, movement through every hex closer than the 5d4 first rolled requires a roll of the challenge percentage).

If a character is not "trained" in a skill, their challenge percentage is equal to the relevant ability score (no training in stealth for a character with dexterity 13 means a 13% challenge percentage). An unskilled character must also roll an additional challenge percentage on every attempted use of the skill. A character untrained in blacksmithing must make a challenge roll even if they are attempting a project within its standard effect. That same character, when attempting a challenging project, will roll their percentage twice (or more, depending on the difficulty).

Increasing one's ability in a skill requires time and money. First training takes 1 month and 1000 g.p., and makes the character "trained" in the skill, as well as doubling their challenge percentage (from 13% to 26% in the last example). At this point, they now have full access to the skill's standard effect.

From there, increasing a skill takes a number of months equal to the ten's digit of the current percentage, and the same x 1000 in g.p. This increases the skill by 5%.

Some classes (notably the thief) gain these skill increases automatically by gaining levels. This obviously takes no additional time or money. Thieves and other skilled classes may supplement their automatic increases with the time and money system on the side.

No skill may rise above its associated ability score x 5.

One of the simplest skills:

Stealth (dexterity): The character may move within 2d6 hexes of an observer without being detected. Add 1 to this number for every 10 lbs of equipment carried. Thieves may subtract their level from this roll. This number of hexes assumes evening light or torchlight, and no background noise; DMs may add or subtract up to 3 from the number based on worse or better conditions. Movement through every hex closer than this number requires a challenge roll.

I'll be doing a series of posting various skills as I design their particulars.

Next up, I'll be covering craft skills specifically.

Effects of Exposure

Every day of extreme or hostile weather, players have to make a paralysis save (or fortitude or constitution or what have you). If they fail increase their exposure meter by 1. The number under the dot indicates the penalty to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, To Hit rolls, and maximum HP. Wearing appropriate clothing grants a +2 bonus on the save.

Every night spent in comfortable quarters decreases the exposure meter by 1.

I'll be posting my system for generating weather soon.

Hit Dice on the Fly

I don't use any monster manual very much. Generally I invent stats for things on the fly, based on some measure of common sense. Hit points are an important part of this, so I've had to develop a consistent system. Hit Dice for a given monster is equivalent to its mass plus its combat experience.

Here is my system for mass-based HP (using a d8 for each hit die):

For every 5' of length along the spine's axis, I give 1 HD unit

For every 2' of width along the shoulders' axis, I give 1 HD unit

For every 1' thick from chest to back, I give 1 HD unit

Multiply all these together, and you have total Hit Dice. For example: a wolf is 5' long, 3' along the shoulders, and 2' thick from chest to back. This gives 1 unit x 1.5 units x 2 units = 3 HD.

Add to this hit dice for combat experience as follows:

Predator (animal intelligence): +1 HD

Fights among its own kind: +1 HD

Every 10 years of life: +1 HD

Humanoid intelligence: +1 HD

Supernatural entity: +1 HD

Every actual class level: +1 HD as class

The wolf is a predator and fights among its own kind, giving it 2 HD of combat experience. Thus its HD is written as 3+2 HD (average of 22.5 hp), and it has attacks and saves as a 2nd level fighter.

Another example: a troll is 10' tall, 4' wide, and 2.5' thick. This gives 2 x 2 x 2.5 = 10 HD for mass. It fights its own kind, has humanoid intelligence, is supernatural, and let's say it is 20 years old, for 5 HD of combat experience. It thus has 10+5 HD (average of 67.5), and attacks as a 5th level fighter.

Note that you will start having serious trouble with particularly large creatures. C'est la vie. If purple worms are 100' x 10' x 10', they will have 20 x 5 x 10 = 1000 HD, or 4500 hp on average. That's a loooonng combat. If you wish, you can determine HD based on the smallest length at which the creature is still "itself" (that is, worms and snakes have a long, repetitive bodies; only calculate HD for a fraction of this body). Using this system, let's say that each "segment" of the purple worm is 20' long, for 4 x 5 x 10 = 200 HD, or 900 hp. Still a monster, but I'm sure your PCs can at least outsmart the bastard!

This system is mostly based on Alexis' HD = m + e, a series of posts that can be found at the following links:

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-concepts-in-hit-points.html

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.com/2008/08/unified-theory-hd-m-x.html

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.com/2009/02/mass-experience.html

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.com/2009/02/you-cant-kill-whale.html

http://tao-dnd.blogspot.com/2009/02/big.html

Pentagonal Rock-Paper-Scissors

Consider the above chart. It represents a rock-paper-scissors style social interaction system.

Whenever a PC wants to interact with an NPC, they each roll 2d6. In general, the higher roller will get what they want. However, there are modifiers to the rolls, based on the method each character is using to get what they want. The GM chooses the NPC's method, the PC chooses theirs (both in secret), then rolls are made, and modifiers added. The five methods are Intensity, Leverage, Earnestness, Subtlety, and Misleading.

A green arrow pointing from one method to another indicates that the former receives a +2 bonus to their roll when opposed to the latter. A red arrow indicates a +1 bonus.

Intensity: This is the character using their force of personality, appearance, accoutrements, etc., in order to force submission. Raw intimidation, in whatever form you like.

Leverage: Blackmail, seduction, bribery, and other carrot-and-stick methods fit in this category. This requires that you actually have what you claim to have.

Earnestness: This is persuading with real arguments based on real beliefs. You just want to win them over, and have them see it your way!

Subtlety: This method relies on rank, etiquette, wordplay, mindgames, and other such tricks to convince your opponent that they want what you want! Veiled threats also have a place in this category.

Misleading: Lying, distorting the truth, and avoiding the subject are the main ways to use this category.

PCs may start the game skilled in exactly one of these methods (you don't get access to all five!). Every point of charisma bonus grants access to one more. If you attempt to use a method you are unskilled in, you have a -2 penalty to your roll (but you might get lucky!).

A character may attempt to learn more of them as the game goes on. If a PC uses a method they are unskilled in and roll 2 sixes on their 2d6, they have gained access to that method, and may use it without penalty for the rest of time.

Make sure the NPC has a goal in these conflicts as well, since if they win, they achieve their goal. PCs are bound by the social game just as much as NPCs are, so be careful!

Use situational modifiers as needed. If someone's job and/or family depends on their standing their ground, throw in a +1 or +2. If the PC is a reedy wizard with charisma 8 and strength 6, maybe an additional penalty on Intensity rolls. Be smart about things.

Finally, the use of the method has to make sense! No choosing Earnestness then working in a carefully constructed lie. The methods are what they are.

I have yet to playtest this, though I shall soon. Let me know what you think of it!

Further Reading: Everything Alexis of Tao of D&D has written on IMech (interaction/intelligence mechanic). His solution is far more complex and meaningful than mine, but as mine is simple and requires little workload, perhaps you will find some use in it.

NPC Personality Generation

This is a table I use to quickly make interesting, goal-oriented NPCs. Personality only, you understand. I've found it quite effective at giving depth to interactions and introducing sudden plot-hooks. Roll on all three tables for each NPC.

Table 1: NPC's Temperament (d20)
01 - grouchy
02 - too friendly
03 - generous
04 - racist and roll again
05 - excitable
06 - naive
07 - cynical
08 - melancholy
09 - touchy-feely
10 - slick
11 - jovial
12 - easily angered
13 - really sensitive
14 - idealistic
15 - annoyingly clingy
16 - sarcastic
17 - lazy
18 - perverted
19 - dominating
20 - exasperated

Table 2: NPC's Motivation
01 - family
02 - money
03 - fame
04 - happiness
05 - violence
06 - power
07 - justice
08 - sadism
09 - altruism
10 - sex
11 - fun
12 - travel
13 - weird collecting habit
14 - learning
15 - revenge
16 - craft
17 - beauty
18 - meeting people
19 - addiction
20 - nationalism

Table 3: NPC's Insecurity
01 - weight
02 - cuckoldry
03 - economic class
04 - literacy
05 - failed bloodline
06 - craft skill
07 - physicality
08 - idiot child/family member
09 - sexual impotency
10 - debt
11 - failed important task
12 - appearance
13 - stutter
14 - intelligence
15 - allergies
16 - religion
17 - social ineptitude
18 - cowardice
19 - age
20 - lack of respectability

Add more to it! Let me know.

Increasing the Metallicity of Warriors

Combat Skills:
 - Cleave
 - Disarm
 - Feint
 - Grapple
 - Block
 - Shove/Throw
 - Trip
 - Unarmed

Each of these starts at 1/6 skill for all characters. Classes with fighter attack tables may increase one of them by 1/6 each level. If you have 1/6, you succeed when a 1 is rolled on a d6. With 2/6, you succeed on a 1 or a 2, 3/6 succeeds on 1, 2, or 3, and so on. If you have a 6/6, roll 2d6; you only fail on double sixes.

Cleave: after killing an enemy, roll a d6. On a success, you get a free attack on an adjacent foe. If your strength is 13 or higher, increase skill level by 1.

Disarm: as a move action, you may roll a d6. On a success, the defender's weapon is knocked to the floor, a number of squares away equal to the d6 roll. If your dexterity AND intelligence are 13 or higher, increase skill level by 1.

Feint: as a move action, you may roll a d6. On a success, the defender loses his dexterity and parry bonus to AC until the end of your next turn. If your charisma AND dexterity are 13 or higher, increase skill level by 1.

Grapple: as a move action, you may roll a d6 (you must have at least one hand free). On a success, your opponent cannot move and is "grappled". Both of you receive a -5 penalty to attacks with weapons larger than knives. Both of you lose your dexterity modifier and parry bonus to AC. If the grapple is held for a number of rounds equal than 6 minus your grapple skill, your opponent is knocked unconscious. If your strength is 13 or higher, increase grapple skill by 1.
Breaking the Grapple: if you are dealt damage, your must re-roll or lose the grapple. During their turn, your opponent can choose to Compete your grapple: you each roll a d6, adding grapple skill. If they win, you are thrown to the ground and the grapple is broken. If you win, the time to unconsciousness decreases by 1. On a tie, nothing changes.

Block: block works differently then the other skills, as it is passive, not active. The starting 1/6 skill grants you the +5 block bonus to AC that I discussed in the last post. Each additional skill point increases your block bonus by 1. You lose this extra bonus when in heavy armor.

Shove/Throw: as a move action, you may roll a d6. On a success, your opponent is pushed back 1 hex (or square, or 5 feet). If you succeed with a 3 or higher, they are also thrown to the ground. If your strength is 13 or higher, increase skill level by 1.

Trip: as a move action, you may roll a d6. On a success, your opponent is on the ground, in the same hex they were. If your dexterity is 13 or higher, increase skill level by 1. Decrease skill level by 1 against opponents with more than two legs.

Unarmed: This determines how much damage your strike without a weapon deals. 1/6: d3, 2-3/6: d4, 4-5/6: d6, 6/6: d8. Increase by 1 if Strength is 13 or higher.

Further Reading: this system is based off of James Raggi's skill system from Lamentations of the Flame Princess Grindhouse Edition. Rules are free at that link.

A Swing at Armor Class

Armor Class option:

Melee AC = size modifier + parry modifier + dexterity bonus + armor bonus + shield bonus

This replaces the third edition version:

AC = 10 + dexterity modifier + armor bonus + shield bonus

Explanation time:

Size modifiers:
 - fine = 8
 - tiny = 7
 - small = 6
 - medium = 5
 - large = 4
 - huge = 3
 - gargantuan = 2
 - colossal = 1

(This means base AC for an unarmed human is 5, rather than 10)

Parry modifier: if you are holding a weapon, you get a free +5 bonus to AC, representing your ability to BLOCK with said weapon. You may increase your parry modifier over time if you are a fighting class (see the post following this one).

All the above is only for melee AC, since you are able to block a melee attack. Ranged weapons are unblockable (with some exceptions), but it is harder to hit someone in general. Therefore:

Ranged AC = size modifier x 2 + dexterity modifier + armor bonus + shield bonus

(this means base AC for a human is 10, as in the standard rules)

Unarmed people should be easier to hit with a sword than armed people.

Further Reading: Propositions for Circumstances Regarding the Contact Between an Attacker's Weapon and a Defender's Weapon, Shield or Armor, by Alexis at Tao of D&D