Gambling

CapnZapp · Dec 20, 2008

Which skill is used for gambling?

Campbell · Dec 20, 2008

That depends on what you mean by gambling. Gambling is highly based on chance, and other factors that influence success should not really fall under the same skill.

In a poker-like card game for instance

I would use Streetwise for finding a game, knowing its unspoken rules, and knowing what wagers should generally look like.
I would use Bluff to suppress tells and well bluff.
I would use Insight to spot other players' tells and gut check your hand's chances.
I would use Thievery to swap out cards or to stack the deck.
I would use Perception to check if other players are cheating or to count cards.
I would use Perception to sneak a peak at other players' cards.
Stealth checks might be required to stop other players from noticing your card counting.

Of course, all of that assumes, there's something more interesting than money at stake in the game. I'd let someone capable at same of the above skills skim some money anytime.

CapnZapp · Dec 20, 2008

I am indeed thinking of skill-based games.

(In games like Wheel of Fortune, you'd best roll random dice unless there's some way to cheat)

If boiled down to a single roll, a single skill check, which skill would you suggest?

That is, which skill do you feel best covers the lack of a Gambling skill?

Lukeworm · Dec 20, 2008

I'd go with the avarage of Bluf and Insight to represant the pc skill at something like poker (without cheating). For a gamble of pure chance, like dice or flipping a coin, no skill is needed.

Gruns · Dec 20, 2008

Sounds like a skill challenge to me! And Campbell has already done a great job getting you down the right path...

Later!
Gruns

Rafe · Dec 20, 2008

CapnZapp said:
I am indeed thinking of skill-based games.

(In games like Wheel of Fortune, you'd best roll random dice unless there's some way to cheat)

If boiled down to a single roll, a single skill check, which skill would you suggest?

That is, which skill do you feel best covers the lack of a Gambling skill?

Yup, I agree with Gruns (and, thus, Campbell). Use a skill challenge, with Campbell's outline of skills and their applications in that challenge.

Campbell · Dec 20, 2008

CapnZapp said:
If boiled down to a single roll, a single skill check, which skill would you suggest?

I probably wouldn't boil it down to a single roll. If there's no need to go in depth there most likely isn't anything really at stake. I'd rule if someone is trained in Bluff, Thievery or Insight they can scrap together an adequate existence gambling. Being trained in more than one would lead to a higher living standard or perhaps some pocket money.

If they feel the need to roll despite low stakes, I'd probably have them tell me what their focus is going to be and choose a skill that fits (playing defensively - Insight, cheating - Thievery, playing aggressively - Bluff) with a +2 bonus for having another trained skill that might help - I'd limit it to just a single +2 bonus.

Of course, this is largely a gaming philosophy issue. I tend to play very fast and loose with the rules of the game.

Roger · Dec 20, 2008

CapnZapp said:
Which skill is used for gambling?

Bluff (Charisma)
[...] You make a Bluff check to fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, gamble, pass off a disguise or fake documentation, and otherwise tell lies.

-PHB pg 183

Cheers,
Roger

CapnZapp · Dec 21, 2008

Thanks!

77IM · Dec 26, 2008

Ah, gambling! The bane of all DMs everywhere. (OK, it's not that bad, but we've all met players who are way too happy to hang around town gambling to earn gold rather than adventuring...)

Here are two subsystems for gambling:

I) Winners and Losers (stolen from Savage Worlds)
1. Decide upon a stake (say, 5 silver pieces)
2. Every gambler makes a check
3. Subtract the lowest result from the highest result. The gambler with the lowest result pays the difference x the stake, to the gambler with the highest result.
4. Repeat the above steps for the gambler with the 2nd lowest result and the gambler with 2nd highest result. If there's an odd number of gamblers, the guy in the middle breaks even.

II) Winner Takes All (stolen from Star Wars Revised Core Rules)
Same as above, except in step 4, each gambler compares their result to the guy with the highest result and pays him difference x stake.

These systems can be resolved in a single check per participant (although there is a bit of arithmetic involved after making the check), and it doesn't matter what skill or ability you use. You could even have different participants make different sorts of checks (letting everyone use their best skill from Campbell's list, for example).

-- 77IM