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Action Chance

This document proposes using the Basic combat matrix as a simplified skill system to determine the difficulty of tasks by assigning them a test number from 9 to 0, with higher numbers representing easier tasks. A character's ability check would then be compared to the associated target number on the matrix. Additional ideas are presented for incorporating attributes modifiers and standardized descriptions of task difficulties.

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Mark Hunt
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11 views

Action Chance

This document proposes using the Basic combat matrix as a simplified skill system to determine the difficulty of tasks by assigning them a test number from 9 to 0, with higher numbers representing easier tasks. A character's ability check would then be compared to the associated target number on the matrix. Additional ideas are presented for incorporating attributes modifiers and standardized descriptions of task difficulties.

Uploaded by

Mark Hunt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Action Chance

Beating an AC of “Hard”

I like devising things that plug into an existing “system” without undue modification. The

Combat Matrix can be used for any test. Consider that the BX table simply presents 13 steps

of difficulty which happen to be rated from 9 through -3. In practical terms tasks may be

rated from Easy to Hard, and for simplicity, Test Numbers 9 through 0 present an adequate

range of Check Roll values.

The AC Number is converted into a Test Number

In a simple scenario a Player whose character happens to be a 3 rd Level Fighter wishes to


climb a vine covered wall. The Game Master must pick a Test Number from 9 through 0
which represents the difficulty of this task. If the Game Master picks a 5, moving down on the
chart to the 1st to 3rd row one finds a Check Roll of 14 is required, and the Player must roll 14
or better using a d20.

That’s it!

every other column to determine difficulty rather than all of them. Label them easy, average,
challenging, hard, daunting, impossible and you’ve pretty much got the full range covered.

This is brilliant – I can’t believe I’ve never thought of this before. The great part is that
because it’s based on the Basic combat matrix, it progresses by level, not class (though I
suppose one could parse out the “4th + Higher” into levels 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15).

I suppose one might also allow attribute bonuses? Like STR bonus for climbing the vine or

INT for doing something smart?

Deftly done!

Quite a few skill driven game systems have a tiered difficulty systems with (for instance) 5 to
6 skill levels (trivial, easy, average, hard, very hard, daunting for instance). These skill levels
tend to be grouped 2-3 die roll values apart (depends on your die mechanics).
In one system, they have the notion of a UTP – Universal Task Profile. It’s simply a formalized

shorthand for declaring a skill test (and in some systems, the combat mechanics use the

same system as other skills).

The UTP concept means I can do something like this in my module description:

To Operate The Rusted Portcullis, Very Hard, Strength, 1d6 rounds, hazardous. If the roll

misses by 5, the character suffers 1d3 damage from strain and all physical activities have a -1

penalty until a night’s rest have occurred.

The format is:

,,,,.

Other qualifiers:

Opposed (an example would be a PC and an NPC arm wrestling – to win is an average task

with STR as a modifier and because it is opposed, PC adds his str mod and subtracts the NPC

competitors str mod to arrive at the total mod)

Uncertain (an example would be a PC reading an ancient tome written in a long dead

language – a hard or very hard task using INT, and uncertain means the player rolls a check

and the DM rolls one behind his screen – both fail -> clear failure, either fails but not both ->

partial success, both succeed -> complete success – the uncertain part is that the player

never knows what the GM rolls so he only knows one of two possible results apply)

Having a standard task description method means a ref can a) write modules where tasks

are clear without having to imagine an exact difficulty each time (just a word describing very

easy to daunting) and b) the ref can make up tasks easily on the spot with some consistency.

I guess c) would be you can build up a small reference page that has frequently seen tasks

for reference for consistency over time.


I know B/X was table heavy and sometimes the tables are non-linear for flavour so

abstracting to a simplified skill system might feel a bit off, but the utility far outweighs the

pain. And the ability to ref all these situations without ever having to look at a chart (if the

difficulty levels are standardized) is an amazing accelerator to the game and that means

smoother combats and other activities.

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