ND100 (yet another take on d100 gaming)

[el_octogono]

Hi! This dawning project started some months ago when I did a comment about alternative magic systems here at BRP Central. The idea was the Skill roll is made under the current value BUT over the difficulty, so no math was involved. It seemed to me a very clean mechanic, so I went and developed some other basic ideas and personal tastes. These are still in a note/ideas phase, but I wanted to share them here for feedback and whatever.

 

ND100 stands for New D100...

ND100 seeks for "player only" rolling, and adds a "success with a complication" instance.
 

Characteristics
STR    3d6
CON    3d6
DEX    3d6
INT    2d6+6
POW    3d6
CHA    3d6

I got rid of SIZ. I think it brings more trouble than solutions. Instead I use "Scale" which is a broad category. Humanoid characters have a Scale 2. My goal is to keep Characteristic values low, even for large beigns. Scale differences is what matters between different sized creatures. Think something like QuestWorlds "masteries".

 

Derived Stats
Hit Points = (STR+CON) /2
Energy Points = (CON+POW) /2
Damage Bonus = STR 2 or less (-6), 3 to 5 (-3), 6 to 8 (-1), 9 to 12 (none), 13 to 15 (+1), 16 to 18 (+3), 19 to 21 (+5), every 3 points (+2)
Scale = 2 (human)
Move = 8

Hit Points as usual.
Energy Points are both "magic points" and "stamina", making the pool useful for both magic and non-magic user characters.
Damage Bonus. One thing that usually bothers me is the quite large impact DB has on a characters damage. I made it a fixed value which is, at the same time, easier to use and less impactul.
Scale. As noted above.
Move. Still as usual.

Characteristic Rolls
Effort Roll = STR x3: An Effort Roll is needed when carrying, pushing or throwing objects. Objects of one Scale lower or less don’t require a roll. Objects of the same scale require a successful rol to be carried, with partial success meaning Move and physical skills are halved. Each Scale level above requires a higher success level.
Stamina Roll = CON x3: Stamina Rolls are used when a character runs, or exerts some physical activity during a prolonged length of time. Also required when a character receives a Major Wound or goes to 0HP or below.
Reaction Roll = DEX x3: Reaction Roll establishes which character reacts first in a given situation. If two characters roll the same success level, the one with higher DEX acts first, if it is the same, the one with the higher INT.
Memory Roll = INT x3: A Memory Roll is used when a character wants to recall some knowledge or detail previously seen. If the setting uses vancian magic, this roll determines whether a spell is forgot or not.
Perception/Will Roll = POW x3: Whenever a character may notice something a Perception Roll is needed. This is a passive action. For active perception activities, use the appropriate skill instead. If a character has to resist an intimidation, a moment of doubt or a magical intrusion, a Will Roll is needed.
Charisma Roll = CHA x3: This roll is made every time a character faces another for the first time. A Critical Success means social skills require one less success level. A success means the character is received in a good way. A partial success means the character is treated as any passing by. Failure means the character is not taken into account and all social skills require one higher success level. Fumble means the character is frowned upon and taken as hostile, treacherous or any other appropriate interpretation. No social skill is allowed without a really significant action.

Skills
Skills never go above 99% -- One thing I don't like is skills going higher than 100%... I know it has some useful mechanics, but it feels wrong for percentile gaming.
Skill bases are one Characteristic -- An easy way to give Characteristics more relevance.
Tick boxes -- I like them more than XP.
Skill rises 1d8. After base x5 or 90 (whichever is lowest), it raises by 1d4. -- Again, this is something to give Characteristics more relevance. Also grants some niche protection.


Skill rolls

Against set difficulty

Difficulty is expressed as a percentage value.

Roll 1d100 against difficulty, set by GM

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Success
• Roll under your skill BUT over the difficulty: success
• Roll under your skill AND under the difficulty: partial success, but with a complication or something happens.
• Roll above skill: failure
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble

Against other character or active opposition

Roll 1d100 against both player and opponent’s skill

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Success
• Roll under your skill BUT over the opponent’s: success
• Roll under your skill AND under the opponent’s: both succeed, or partial success, or something happens. Optionally, Player may choose both sides fail.
• Roll above skill BUT under the opponent’s: failure and opponent succeeds
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble

Against other character in combat

Roll 1d100 against the opponent’s skill

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Hit: full+roll damage
• Roll under your skill BUT over the opponent’s: Normal Hit: roll damage
• Roll under your skill AND under the opponent’s: Both sides hit: both roll damage. Player may choose to spend Energy Points* to win the tie. Optionally, Player may choose both sides fail.
• Roll above skill but under opponent's skill: failed defense: opponent rolls damage
• Roll over player AND opponent's full skill: both fail.
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble, opponent gets a critical hit: full+roll damage

*  Player can spend 1d4 energy points to exert himself and win the tie.

 

This is the meat of the mechanics. It reduces the number of rolls and makes them player facing. It makes opposed rolls less dull. It adds the "sucess with a complication" outcome, while it may be not to your taste, it's something many GMs already do when interpreting some rolls, especially opposed rolls.

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

I have some notes on combat as well, but let me know what you think about it so far.

Thanks!

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by el_octogono

[SDLeary]

3 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Energy Points are both "magic points" and "stamina", making the pool useful for both magic and non-magic user characters.

So, do you plan to have magic tire out the magician. It would be an interesting way to limit magic; still giving the capability for large spells, but only one-and-done.

3 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Damage Bonus. One thing that usually bothers me is the quite large impact DB has on a characters damage. I made it a fixed value which is, at the same time, easier to use and less impactul.

Have you thought about something more along the lines of a Damage stat that is then modified by the weapons?

SDLeary

[Mugen]

7 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Skill rolls

Against set difficulty

Difficulty is expressed as a percentage value.

Roll 1d100 against difficulty, set by GM

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Success
• Roll under your skill BUT over the difficulty: success
• Roll under your skill AND under the difficulty: partial success, but with a complication or something happens.
• Roll above skill: failure
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble

 

So, if your skill is inferior to the difficulty of the task, it has no effect whatsoever?

I think that's counterintuitive.

7 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Against other character or active opposition

Roll 1d100 against both player and opponent’s skill

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Success
• Roll under your skill BUT over the opponent’s: success
• Roll under your skill AND under the opponent’s: both succeed, or partial success, or something happens. Optionally, Player may choose both sides fail.
• Roll above skill BUT under the opponent’s: failure and opponent succeeds
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble

7 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Against other character in combat

Roll 1d100 against the opponent’s skill

• Roll same number on both dice, under your skill: Critical Hit: full+roll damage
• Roll under your skill BUT over the opponent’s: Normal Hit: roll damage
• Roll under your skill AND under the opponent’s: Both sides hit: both roll damage. Player may choose to spend Energy Points* to win the tie.
• Roll above skill but under opponent's skill: failed defense: opponent rolls damage
• Roll over player AND opponent's full skill: both fail.
• Roll same number on both dice, over your skill: Fumble, opponent gets a critical hit: full+roll damage

*  Player can spend 1d4 energy points to exert himself and win the tie.

So, if 2 characters with combat skill 99% fight against each other, they'll basically just hit each other every turn unless one of them rolls a crit, or the PC spends energy points ? That's not how I'd envision a fight between 2 skilled fighters. I think you need to have another solution for this case.

 

7 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Characteristics

STR    3d6
CON    3d6
DEX    3d6
INT    2d6+6
POW    3d6
CHA    3d6

As for myself, I dislike having different scales for characteristics, because it means I have to treat INT differently from the others, and I can't roll x times and assign results as I want. Couldn't you re-use your "scale" mechanism for INT, too ?

7 hours ago, el_octogono said:

Skill bases are one Characteristic -- An easy way to give Characteristics more relevance.

Not that much, given there's only a 15% difference between someone with a 3 and another one with 18, and 7 or 8% difference between them and an average person.

Edited March 24, 2021 by Mugen

[el_octogono]

11 hours ago, SDLeary said:

Have you thought about something more along the lines of a Damage stat that is then modified by the weapons?

That is an interesting idea... like how GURPS handles damage. I'll give it some thought although I don't want to go to much far from the usual BRP style, unless necessary.

 

 

7 hours ago, Mugen said:

So, if your skill is inferior to the difficulty of the task, it has no effect whatsoever?

I think that's counterintuitive.

Not quite. If you look at the possible outcomes, rolling BOTH under your skill and under the difficutly, which might be the case if it is higher than the PC skill, means you succeed but with a complication or something troublesome happens. Already many GMs resolve actions this way. It is similar to PbtA's Success with a Complication, or a Marginal Victory in HeroQuest.

Eg: Jerry the thief tries to lockpick an apartment door. He had sneak through the building's security. Jerry has 45% in Lockpicking and the GM states that the security lock has a difficulty of 55%. The lock is pretty complex, above Jerry's normal skills. Jerry rolls and gets a 39. That means a success with a complication. It means Jerry picked the lock but maybe left visible markings around, or made enough sound as to attract the security's or neighbor's attention.

 

7 hours ago, Mugen said:

So, if 2 characters with combat skill 99% fight against each other, they'll basically just hit each other every turn unless one of them rolls a crit, or the PC spends energy points ? That's not how I'd envision a fight between 2 skilled fighters. I think you need to have another solution for this case.

Yes, however I forgot to write that the Player may chose NONE makes damage in that case, as with normal opposed rolls. There are some other combat details I've not posted yet, such as number of attacks and Combat Maneuvers (ala Mythras). They all use Energy Points, but you can use them to create some leverage. The goal here is to avoid stale combat rolls and modifying skill with math.

 

7 hours ago, Mugen said:

As for myself, I dislike having different scales for characteristics, because it means I have to treat INT differently from the others, and I can't roll x times and assign results as I want. Couldn't you re-use your "scale" mechanism for INT, too ?

Rolling INT different is meant to avoid rolling a super low character and make it unplayable. I know, it may happen with other characteristics. It is a "problem" with the BRP stats and what those values mean. IIRC a 6 or lower on any stat means a huge drawback. On the other hand, rolling all characteristics with eg. 2d6+6 gives pretty high and unmeaningful numbers... Maybe 2d8+4 ?  But, again, it draws the system away from the usual BRP versions, which is not my intention unless its necessary.

 

7 hours ago, Mugen said:

Not that much, given there's only a 15% difference between someone with a 3 and another one with 18, and 7 or 8% difference between them and an average person.

You're right, but it is better than nothing. Plus, remember that skills grow faster until you reach your Statx5%, so a Character with a 10 can rise it's skill fast up to 50% vs. another Character with say 14 that can rise up to 70%.

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by el_octogono
Typos

[SDLeary]

5 hours ago, el_octogono said:

That is an interesting idea... like how GURPS handles damage. I'll give it some thought although I don't want to go to much far from the usual BRP style, unless necessary.

Well, it's the way Pendragon does it, for example.

SDLeary

[Mugen]

16 hours ago, el_octogono said:

You're right, but it is better than nothing. Plus, remember that skills grow faster until you reach your Statx5%, so a Character with a 10 can rise it's skill fast up to 50% vs. another Character with say 14 that can rise up to 70%.

I prefer to have base skill values set to 2 x a characteristic, with average base values around 21% to 26% and a maximum of 36% at character creation (and possibly 42% with RQ3 rules for maximum characteristics). Difficult skills might start at lower values, of course.

Concerning difficulty, it seems I completely misunderstood your post, sorry. For some reason, I thought that the lower the difficulty, the harder the task was...

Edited March 25, 2021 by Mugen

[Lloyd Dupont]

It looks like you might be interested in this D100 system!
[Dragonsbane Entertainment] Announcing the Sabre RPG System - Alastor's Skull Inn - BRP Central - The Chaosium forums (basicroleplaying.org)

It's quite different from BRP.... But it has some potential to seduce BRP users I'd say...

[el_octogono]

5 hours ago, Mugen said:

I prefer to have base skill values set to 2 x a characteristic, with average base values around 21%

You're right. 2x creates better starting values. I'm also considering doing something in the lines of Revolution d100, with broad skills and specializations.

 

5 hours ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

It looks like you might be interested in this D100 system!

I totally missed this. I'll take a look. Thanks!