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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chris_Nightwing" data-source="post: 5844119" data-attributes="member: 882">Thanks for your reply, I'll try to reassemble my thoughts again!I think it's very difficult to implement a system featuring both a DC (target number) and a level (unt/com/exp/mas) unless they have distinct and well-defined meanings. Even then, as a DM, it adds a further dimension to have to consider in designing/throwing out a skill check. The only clear separation I can come up with is innate aptitude vs. learned aptitude, which works for example with Climb (being strong and dextrous will make you a natural talent, but you can't get up a mountain without training). Setting task difficulties based on this distinction is still quite a challenge, if I had to advise on how to do it I would recommend considering breadth and depth. The breadth of a skill is akin to how many things need to work out for you to succeed (and thus partial success can exist), whereas the depth of a skill is how hard it is for any one thing to work out.Returning to your initial example, Deciphering the entire scroll is a broad task - you've got to get the language, history and arcana all correct. Translating it is narrow, you just need the language. The depth depends on how obscure the text and references are.Ok, now I would tweak your system a little to make this work. The DC (or depth) of the check is a target for your innate ability, and so your d20 rolls should be modified by the relevant ability score (you can change it according to the task..) and by equipment/magic that makes it possible for you to do more difficult things (or achieve narrow, 1 success, tasks easier). Now for the levels of expertise:Untrained - You roll 1 die and cannot aid anotherTrained - You roll 2 dice, aid another 1Expert - You roll 3 dice, aid another 2Master - You roll 4 dice, aid another 3(You can only give 1 dice to the person you are aiding, however many you roll)The breadth of a skill check needn't be limited to these levels, just decide how many successes are needed (even 5 is reasonable, a Master must take longer or get help). Don't make it require fewer successes for a Master to complete an easy check, that makes each advance too great and breaks the 'breadth' argument I've tried to fit the system with. Excess successes can be used for skill tricks (or indeed, perhaps you use some as tricks if you're not going to make the check).I can even imagine this working for something 'mundane' like a jump check. The depth is (hah) the length of the gap, modified by taking a run up etc., and breadth, if you want one, could be for crazy wall-running moves, the desire to make an attack after the jump and so on.Anyway, there are some thoughts!</blockquote>

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