Action Resolution Table for MF

[Piperdog]

Hey guys, it has been a long while since I have been on the boards. Way back I mentioned I loved the Mental Attack table; it struck me how it was simply an attribute vs attribute chart. I thought it would awesome to use for any attribute vs attribute check, and that why not use it for combat as well? I recently stumbled across Tom Ryan and New Haven Games, who are diligently working on a cool 2e inspired game called Myth and Magic, using Tom's BASE20 concept (check it out, its cool). I also saw this as a percentile matrix, in GORE/BRP I think, as a resolution system. So I expanded the chart and here it is.

http://db.tt/z6yVyqx

The mechanics are simple.

All saving throws/opposed tests/skill and attribute checks/ are designated a difficulty; utilizing Tom Ryan's BASE20, I highlighted the standard difficulty benchmarks at 5,10,15,20,and 25. This is for those that want quick and hard numbers for saving throws and checks. The numbers in between are for those that want a more granular difficulty natumber ladder. The GM sets the DC at 5 for mundane, basic tasks/ 10 for common or average tasks/ 15 for challenging tasks/ and 20 for very hard tasks. 25 is considered superhuman or of legendary proportions; while used rarely, it exists. An average person with an attribute of 10 needs to roll those numbers exactly, meaning, a difficulty of 10 requires him to roll a 10, and a DC20 requires him to roll a 20. For every point above or below 10, it goes up or down in increments of +1 or -1. In essence, a 13 grants +3, or a 17 grants +7, and so on. The Action Resolution Table does the math already for you.

Attribute ChecksThe GM assigns a difficulty using the above guidelines. Simply crossreference the Active Stat with the chosen DC and you'll find your your needed die roll number. An example would be lifting an immense weight, say a broken steel girder that pinned a dying companion to the ground. A DC20 means that the average person with a 10 strength would need a 20 to move it; just a 5% chance. But some with strength of legendary proportions, say an 18 score, could move it on a 12 or higher.

Saving ThrowsAs above, but the save is assigned an attribute as the Active Stat. So a Save vs Radiation would most likely be a Save vs. Con to avoid its effects. A Save vs Dex may be used to avoid Energy Attacks, etc.
I suggest adding 1/2 the characters level (rounding down) to add to saving throw success. Life Experience, training, and the proverbial School of Hard Knocks counts for something. Categorizing enemy saves requires a little conversion work, but is basically the same thing. Add 1/2 their HD/Level to their saves.

CombatThis is a huge change from the traditional combat but very intuitive. I am using it for fantasy as well right now. It completely replaces the AC system. Instead, it is usually a Dex vs Dex check for general weapon melee or ranged combat, while Str vs Str is usually grappling (plus any misc modifiers due to mutations or magic, etc). The more agile a character is over his opponent, the more difficult he is to hit. Armor, in this case, subtracts from damage (shields grant bonuses to Dex to avoid being hit AND reduce damage....I love shields man.)

Opposed TestsThis is other Attribute vs Attribute tests; things like sneaking past a guard would be a Dex vs Int check; these tests are usually just assigned a DC when the GM doesn't know or doesn't care what the enemies attributes are, but say it is a major villian npc. Then the GM would most likely use the opposed attribute of the villian as the DC. Mitigating circumstances may of course grant bonuses and penalties but that is the basic mechanic.

I just thought I would share my latest craziness; if you don't use it, I hope it was at least interesting. Cheers!

[Agrippa]

While I would use this system to replace all standard rolls, such as attack rolls and saves, this could be used for resolving other tasks. Pehaps research, athletics and investigation. By the way, do you mind if I use it with this project?

[Malcadon]

Its even more simple, if you reduce it to a basic mathematical formula (I'm such a nerd ):

D+10-A=N (>)

D = Ability score of the defensive character, or difficulty score.
A = Ability score of the active character (the one who is preforming the action).
N = Number needed to roll against (equal or higher) for the active character to succeed.

LOL D.A.N.!

A new score I recommend for this system is Prescription (as seen in GW 4th ed). Intelligence could serve this, but that is best used for more technical thinking, while Prescription is used for tasks like Awareness, Search, Sense Motive, Innuendo, Know Direction, est.

As an option for an added skill system, players could have skill points that adds to the base Ability score. Unlike v3.x, such points should only be given out in small numbers, as these scores just adds to what the characters can already do well, but they just have a greater edge when preforming a particular task, and too many skill bonuses tend to make the characters too powerful. So, if a character is trying to climb a wall (difficulty 15), he would normally use his Dex score (15) to do so, but this character has some skill at it (Climb +3, to make the Dex score 18), so the character only needs to roll a (15+10-18=) 7 or better.

For combat, I recommend using weapon reach as an attack adjustment. For shields, +2 seems better then the usual 1 point adjustment. I do like your idea about the use of armor and shields. Armor is simple: 9-AC=DA (damage absorption)