From: [z z thall] at [mailbox.uq.edu.au] (Travis Hall)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: A New AD&D Skill System: Meanings (2 of 3)
Date: 27 Aug 1997 06:43:33 GMT
A New AD&D Skill System: What It Means
One of the difficulties that players often have in using a new system is
judging just how good a character's skills are. (Under my previous system, one
player kept insisting that his riding skill should be higher, when it already
placed his character in the top 5 out of his nation of about 4.4 million
people. The character was supposed to be fairly practised due to having ridden
long patrols before, but he wasn't supposed to be a champion, and the player
just didn't comprehend how good the character was.)
To help overcome these difficulties, I have compiled some notes to let
players know just how good their characters are.
First, the following table gives the number of successes which a character
with a given skill code can expect to get at least half the time.
Cross-reference the target number with the number of dice. 50% of all skill
checks will give that number of successes or more. This table is useful for
judging just how hard a given result is, and was used to determine the later
descriptions.
Target Number of Dice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
4 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2
5 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2
6 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3
7 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3
8 0 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4
9 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4
10 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5
11 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5
12 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5
13 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6
14 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 6
15 1 2 2 3 4 5 5 6 7
16 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 7
17 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8
18 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8
19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Secondly, there is a description which can generally be associated with each
skill code. To find the description, just look through the lists of skill
codes until you find the one you are after. The first codes in each list are
the most typical codes for each group - thus, a professional in a basic skill
is more likely to have 5D11 than 3D18. (Target numbers that high are very
rare indeed.) Also, note that there is a certain amount of variation within
each category. 5D13 is a top-end professional and will be better respected
than a 5D10, fairly shoddy for a professional. Also, 3D17 makes a person a
professional, but such a person would not be able to do anything more than
what a professional would normally do every day. If someone wanted a
particularly fine job done, this person just wouldn't be able to extend
himself to do that work. On the other hand, a professional with 7D8 is capable
of bursts of great inspiration, but is not consistent enough to qualify as an
expert. (Note that 7D8 in a basic skill is not possible in most cases. This
would be a person with a special talent, a prodigy, but one who lacks
training.)
There are two lists, one for basic skills and one for advanced skills.
Do not check proficiencies on the wrong list, or you'll get confused.
Basic Skills
lower No-hoper The character is almost a complete no-hoper.
Perhaps could succeed in an associated action,
through sheer luck alone.
1D10 - 1D20 Unskilled The character has no training, and no
2D6 - 2D14 noted talent in this area. Would hardly ever
3D6 - 3D9 be employed to work in a associated
4D4 - 4D7 profession, because the employer could pay a
5D3 - 5D6 street begger less for the same result.
6D3 - 6D5
7D2 - 7D4
4D8 - 4D12 Amateur/ Has not yet completed training, or perhaps
5D7 - 5D9 Apprentice practises the skill only as a sideline or a
6D6 - 6D8 hobby. Could try to make a living based on
7D5 - 7D7 this skill, but may well starve.
3D10 - 3D16
2D15 - 2D20
5D10 - 5D13 Professional Has completed training in the skill, and is
6D9 - 6D11 fairly well practised. If the skill is
7D8 - 7D9 associated with a profession, can earn a
4D13 - 4D16 decent living through it. Many NPCs have a
3D17 - 3D20 skill at this level.
5D14 - 5D17 Expert Considerably above the level of the average
6D12 - 6D14 professional. If the character makes a living
7D10 - 7D12 from this skill, could expect people to seek
4D17 - 4D20 him out over considerable distances to employ
his services.
5D18 - 5D20 Famed A level of skill attained by only the very
6D15 - 6D18 best of ordinary men. Greater skill can only
7D13 - 7D15 be achieved by those with supernatural aid or
talents beyond the ken of normal men.
6D19 - 6D20 Fabled Beyond the capacity of ordinary men. The
7D16 - 7D18 talent of such a person will be whispered
amongst members of the profession for years
after his death.
7D19 - 7D20 Legendary Among the greatest practitioners of the craft
in all of human history.
higher Godlike Skill levels above these are generally in the
realms of gods and races famed for their
abilities in these areas, but which may only
be fairy tales.
Advanced skills
lower No-hoper The character is almost a complete no-hoper.
Should give up now before wasting too much
time on this skill.
1D10 - 1D20 Unskilled The character has no training and no noted
2D6 - 2D14 talent in this area. Would never be employed
3D6 - 3D9 to work in this area, because he wouldn't know
4D4 - 4D7 where to start.
5D3 - 5D6
6D3 - 6D5
7D2 - 7D4
4D8 - 4D12 Apprentice The character has started training in this
5D7 - 5D9 area, but is still a long way short of being
6D6 - 6D8 fully competent.
7D5 - 7D7
3D10 - 3D16
2D15 - 2D20
5D10 - 5D13 Journeyman Has not yet completed training, but is getting
6D9 - 6D11 close. Could substitute for a fully
7D8 - 7D9 proficient person, as long as the demands
4D13 - 4D16 are not too great.
3D17 - 3D20
7D10 - 7D12 Professional Has completed training in the skill, and is
4D17 - 4D20 fairly well practised. If the skill is
5D14 - 5D17 associated with a profession, can earn a
6D12 - 6D14 decent living through it. Many highly paid
8D9 - 8D11 NPCs have a skill at this level.
9D8 - 9D9
5D18 - 5D20 Expert Considerably above the level of the average
6D15 - 6D18 professional. If the character makes a living
7D13 - 7D15 from this skill, could expect people to seek
8D12 - 8D13 him out over considerable distances to employ
9D10 - 9D12 his services.
6D19 - 6D20 Reknowned This is the person the experts seek out when
7D16 - 7D18 they need advice.
8D14 - 8D15
9D13 - 9D14
7D19 - 7D20 Famed A level of skill attained by only the very
8D16 - 8D18 best of ordinary men. Greater skill can only
9D15 - 9D16 be achieved by those with supernatural aid or
talents beyond the ken of normal men.
8D19 - 8D20 Fabled Beyond the capacity of ordinary men. The
9D17 - 9D18 talent of such a person will be whispered
amongst members of the profession for years
after his death.
9D19 - 9D20 Legendary Among the greatest practitioners of the craft
in all of human history.
higher Godlike Skill levels above these are generally in the
realms of gods and races famed for their
abilities in these areas, but which may only
be fairy tales.
--
Why is it that when I do finally get around to creating a .sig file, I
can't think of a single witty thing to say in it?
The Wraith