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Two types of rolls: Opposed Rolls Each side rolls 2d6 + Modifiers. d6’s explode on a 5 or 6 (roll another d6, which can also explode). Margin of success = difference between rolls. Simple Rolls 3d6 + Modifiers. d6’s explode on a 5 or 6 (roll another d6, which can also explode). Margin of success…

When you make an attack in combat, the opponent can choose whether to use active or passive defense against the attack. Your passive defense score is based on ability scores (doesn’t scale with level). If you choose to actively defend, you also get to add a relevant skill bonus to the score. (full defense, consisting…

Musings on a mechanical system to handle checks in social situations There are many different ways to approach social situations. Some approaches work better than others, depending on the individuals involved and the situation. Flattery, eloquence, and etiquette may prove effective in convincing the seneschal to grant your request for an audience with the king,…

Problem: absolute ability scores don’t actually matter that much. But the perception of balance between players does. Idea for Solution: an ability score draft. Players can draft 2 of their ability scores (the rest will be random…3d6 straight down). Have the players decide amongst themselves the order of the draft (or pick it randomly). Use…

Fundamentals Idea Break skills up into fundamentals and specialties Tiered Idea Skills belong to high-level categorical groups. Each skill feat you gain also increases your bonus with generic checks in the high-level category. For example, Athletics might be the high-level group, and taking feats in swimming, climbing, endurance running, etc. all contribute to increasing your…

Trainable Skills Working with the Descriptive Skill Ranks Concept First, compare your training against the complexity of the task. This puts you in one of several buckets: All checks start out at DC 15. You can only attempt checks at your skill rank or below. Mathematically similar: each skill rank gives you +5 in the…

I have been working on a new idea for d20 checks to build diminishing returns into the core mechanic. Here is the result I’ve come up with: Whenever you make a check, roll a d20 and add your modifier. If the die result is between 1 and 5 (lower 25% of results), reroll with a…

While adventuring, you will often try to take actions or overcome obstacles that challenge your character’s abilities, skills, or expertise. Whenever the outcome of your actions is uncertain or contested, the DM must decide what happens, often relying on the roll of a die to determine the results of an action. There are three main…

Summary Basic Rules Checks (incl. flat checks) Attacks Saves Encounter Mode When every individual action counts, you enter the encounter mode of play. In this mode, time is divided into rounds, each of which is 6 seconds of time in the game world. Every round, each participant takes a turn in an established order. During…

Block ◇ Trigger:  You are wielding a melee weapon and an opponent you can see attempts to move into a square adjacent to you.1 You move into the square first, before the opponent can. The opponent may revise their movement to move into a different square instead. This new square must be adjacent to both…