If I misrepresented your opinion, T.Foster, I apologize. In any case, I could probably have phrased things better. Thief skills and open doors--while not wholly unrelated--don't really qualify as ability checks to me.
Thief skills: Look up base chance on a table by level. Look up modifier on a table by ability score.
Open doors/bend bars/lift gates: Look up chance on a table by ability score.
Ability check: Roll ability score or less on 1d20. (Or roll ability score -4 or less on 1d20. Or roll ability score less on 3d6. Or roll ability score or less on 4d6.)
Now, possibly the tables can be replaced by a calculation. And certainly, the table lookup or calculation can be preformed once and kept on the character record.
But ability checks--and now I realize the distinction to be made--are typically used for winging it. You don't have time to develop a table or calculation and--even if you did--you don't want to take time to use it.
Col_Pladoh said:
That I don't believe that one size fits all in regards to ability checks is certainly true. That's why I prefaced my earlier post of approval of the concept as I did. The various checks for thieving abilities and assassination are also examples of how I view the concept.
One thing that has struck me recently: These days there seems to be a strong feeling that RPGs need a "universal mechanic". A common criticism of OAD&D is that it lacked such. Reading OAD&D & classic Traveller these days, however, it seems to me that they
did have a universal mechanic--which as a youngster I missed--though it may not be explicit.
For OAD&D I'd say it was: Figure out what you think the odds are and pick a die roll/target number with those odds.
(Look at the dwarf abilities in the PHB. Gary isn't concerned with what dice you roll, although he gives you suggestions. He's merely concerned about communicating the odds.)
Col_Pladoh said:
Early in the developmental stage of OD&D I allowed non-mages to use wands, needing to rolll their Intelligence or less on 3d6 to make the device function. I dropped the concept as being incoingruous with the class-base of the game.
Interesting.
I guess what I really want to know from Gary is: When winging it while DMing, do you use this sort of direct ability check? Do you use it often? Is there any basic mechanic you fall back on, or do you just guesstimate the odds (informed by the character's ability scores, class, level, & situation) and pick a dice roll & target number to match?
How about in the LA system: Do you usually have players roll directly against their abilities or do you figure the odds informed by their abilities?
