From:	Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject:	Skill Ratings (Re: Dice Rolls)
Date:	Tue, 17 Aug 1999 01:09:16 -0700 (PDT)

> >Oh, that's the other thing. I don't use open tests for stealth.
IMNSHO, they suck drek. I use an opposed test against the
perceiver's...err...perception.
>
> So if a Person has a Stealth of 12 and a guard has an Intelligence of
6, that sorta thing? I'm mixed on stealth myself, but then again, I
never roll good with Stealth...

Exactly. You roll your stealth dice against the other guy's Perception
(Intelligence) and he rolls his Intelligence against your stealth.

> >The point is, stealth and athletics are very, very rarely the
potentially game-breaking skills, so the cheaper costs don't matter.
>
> Full dash across a room, dodging random gunfire, somersault through a
doorway, land on your feet, open fire. Four Athletics tests, one
Firearms (whatever) test, right? Right? *crickets chirping* Well,
um...failing even one of those Athletics tests could mean life or death
for a daring, showy (or stupid) (or suicidal) player...

True - but I'd normally give a player bonuses for the sheer shock value
of such a move - if it was in character.

It still isn't unbalanced (especially because a player who did that
kind of stuff would likely get his character killed in other stupid
ways). What if that doorway he rolled through was booby-trapped? :)

> >Way? That's only an extra -1 to each target number you're talking
about. Remember, sliding scale. Each bonus to the target number gets
more and more expensive.
>
> And with a smartlink, that's a -3. I consider a -3 to be a
substantial modifier.

So do I. But it's still only one more than a mundy sniper. And that
mundy sniper can pull that -1 back just by taking one extra aim action.

Hmmm...here's an idea. Use my system, but with this alteration - the
target number mods for improved skills are not cumulative with other
things that modify target numbers. So your adept sniper with improved
rifle 4 and a smartlink either gets a -1 for the magic or a -2 for
smartlink. Not both.

> >> * AK404 decides to stop watching City Hunter and start reading
more Magic in the Shadows... *
> >
> >*Doc' thinks that's a smart move...*
>
> * better than scratching a troll's butt, in any case. ;) *
>
> * goes back to watching City Hunter *

*Doc' growls. "I SAID that I was scratching my butt, okay?!?!"*
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
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