tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370268061829710124.post6348920927860574575..comments2024-03-06T03:36:43.359-06:00Comments on Robert Fisher: Thinking out loud (3.0): Classic D&D ability checksRoberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370268061829710124.post-68786327347027155402016-02-14T14:47:20.183-06:002016-02-14T14:47:20.183-06:00All good points. Thanks!All good points. Thanks!Tetramorphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07253316716885460459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370268061829710124.post-28984177850329281932016-02-13T21:10:25.594-06:002016-02-13T21:10:25.594-06:00Thanks for the comments, Nathan.
The thing about ...Thanks for the comments, Nathan.<br /><br />The thing about using level as a modifier is that you can end up with things that are automatically successful. If you have an 18, any check against it will be an auto success by 2nd level!<br /><br />And sometimes that’s OK. But sometimes I want an alternative where failure is always possible.<br /><br />Of course, you can say that a 20 always fails, but that has never set well with me. That means that at 5th level, a character with an 18 and a character with a 15 are exactly equivalent. And the character with an 18 has the same chance of failure as when he was 2nd level. (And you can get into the ability to absorb penalties, but that’s never been a persuasive argument for not trying to fix the issue to me.)<br /><br />I also agree that sometimes you don’t want level to be a factor. The thing I leave unspoken here is that what I really want is an array of different solutions so I can pick the one that I think best fits the situation. Sometimes I might use just roll under score. Sometimes I might use roll under score with level as a modifier. Sometimes I might use roll as many dice as you have levels.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370268061829710124.post-16305306200973610092016-02-13T20:15:16.901-06:002016-02-13T20:15:16.901-06:00Reread my comment and saw immediately that it woul...Reread my comment and saw immediately that it wouldn't work! How about d20 subtract HD less than or equal to ability score? That could work! Thanks for your blog.Tetramorphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07253316716885460459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370268061829710124.post-51371522139747169402016-02-13T20:11:33.215-06:002016-02-13T20:11:33.215-06:00What about d20+HD greater than or equal to ability...What about d20+HD greater than or equal to ability score? Easier gets an additional bonus. Harder gets a penalty. Of course, I like the way ability scores are unaffected by level. Some things you got or you don't got, regardless of experience. Thanks!Tetramorphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07253316716885460459noreply@blogger.com