Mark: a possible overhaul.

So, Dave's beef with the system has always bothered me. That is, that you sometimes want to roll high, and sometimes you want to roll low.

In the system as it stands, for proficiencies and willpower/fortitude checks, you want to roll low. I think I've come up with a solution. I'd like to know what you think.

For proficiency skills:

Proficiency skills can be bought, rated 0-5. 0 means you haven't bought the proficiency.

0 means you roll 1d4 when you make a skill check.
1 means you roll 1d4 when you make a skill check, but 4's explode (you roll them over, adding the result to 4, ad infinitum)
2 means you roll 2d4 when you make a skill check, 4's explode.
3 means you roll 3d4 when you make a skill check, 4's explode.
4 means you roll 4d4 when you make a skill check, 4's explode.
5 means you roll 5d4 when you make a skill check, 4's explode.

Similar to 3Ed D&D, each check is given a target number by the DM.
The basic structure is: 4-simple, 8-average, 12-involved, 16-difficult, 20-improbable, 24-impossible.

I ran some tests. These are the results:


















Now attributes would simple give modifiers to related proficiencies. For example, a 16 agility might give +2 to all agility-related proficiency rolls. -That's applied to the final result.

I kind of like the exploding die thing, and I think skill attempts being non-linear gives a better feel. It's very unlikely a character with a 1 rating could do the impossible, but it could happen. Conversely, a character with a 5 rating could feasibly fuck up on an average attempt, but never on a simple one. -I think the non-linear aspect, as well as the reasonable target numbers (that everyone has a chance to reach), make it an improvement over 3ED D&D.

Proficiency skill ratings would be bought with proficiency skill points. Fishing might be 1 for 1, whereas extraplanar knowledge might be 5 for 1.

For Fortitude and Willpower checks:

These would be changed to target numbers 1-20ish. Your intellect-endurance average would compute your willpower modifier (+1, +2, etc.). Your strength-endurance would compute your fortitude modifier.

Target numbers would now be based on what you were resisting, rolling a d20. A first circle spell would likely be target 11. 2nd circle would be 12, etc...

I think this makes more sense. Your ability to resist something should have something to do with yourself (your modifier), but much more to do with the thing being resisted.

Comment:

I hate to fix so much so late, but I think this makes things much nicer. Also, positive modifiers are always good, and negative modifiers are always bad.

I think Dave will be happy too.