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