Best Resolution System?

[Warden]

I'm sure most of us have played more than just D&D out there (especially us older players that remember colour pages as a sign of wealth in our books), and I'm looking for some thoughts on some of the best resolution systems out there. Like Difficulty Numbers for D&D.

Personally, I always did have a fondness for 2nd Edition's THAC0 roll - the success was listed on your own character sheet, and you didn't have to wait for the DM to tell you if you did it or not. You could just roll the dice and keep it a secret if you really failed (unless you're attacking someone, then you need to say it out loud). Our group never could remember if you needed to roll higher or lower on some things thought, but I guess that was part of the charm.

 

[GlassJaw]

I always did have a fondness for 2nd Edition's THAC0 roll

You actually liked THAC0?

Yikes.

 

[Psion]

I think MegaTraveller has the best resolution system. Slick, easy to use, nets in lots of details, robust.

d20 is a close second.

Personally, I always did have a fondness for 2nd Edition's THAC0 roll - the success was listed on your own character sheet, and you didn't have to wait for the DM to tell you if you did it or not.

How do you figure? Does your GM give you ACs? AFAIAC, the true target number never leaves the GM side of the screen unless the players have enough info to figure it out.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

THAC0 was an okay, but generally not-good mechanic. I mean, it was fundamentally flawed ... "To hit the best AC out there, you will need to roll this ..." is okay, but then AC was "better" than 0, at -1 etc and you consistently had to figure out the math in your head ... okay, I hit 0 on a 5 or better, his AC is -10 so I need ... etc. Attack Bonus is the same goat painted a better color pattern.

My gut tells me that a very solid resolution mechanic, say like "roll 1d20 + modifiers to hit a Difficulty Class" would be a system based on rolling 3dX and comparing them to difficulty numbers. This would have less variation than a 1dX system, where we have roughly a 5% chance, currently, of missing or hitting regardless of bonuses or penalties AND once modifiers have reached the +/- 20 point the actual roll becomes inconsequential for most things.

But, for me, in the end, I think 1d20 +/- Modifiers to reach a DC is a fine fine system. It's EASY but the d20 allows enough variance to keep things interesting.

--fje

 

[Warden]

You actually liked THAC0?

Yikes.

Well, not liked. Fond. In a nostagic kind of way. Like remembering old episodes of Leave It To Beaver, only to watch them after being hooked on the Sopranos and wondering what the hell you were thinking in the first place, but still having fond memories of it when you did watch.

 

[nothing to see here]

Well, not liked. Fond. In a nostagic kind of way. Like remembering old episodes of Leave It To Beaver, only to watch them after being hooked on the Sopranos and wondering what the hell you were thinking in the first place, but still having fond memories of it when you did watch.

That's the way I feel about those old Gama World Colour-coded success charts. Damn, they were complicated, seemed to follow an arbitrary pattern and were counter-intuitive to the extreme. Yet I still have fond memories as a young 'un playing the game and consulting them.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Interlock

 

[Rasyr]

I think MegaTraveller has the best resolution system. Slick, easy to use, nets in lots of details, robust.

Can you give more details about? I have (gasp!) never played MegaTraveller (or Traveller even), so have no idea what the mechanic is like.

d20 is a close second.

Well, it is basically the same resolution system as is used for many games (roll + mods >= TN equals success).

Personally, I prefer the HARP resolution system. It also uses a mechanic similair to the one used by d20 and many other games, but it doesn't limit itself solely to all-or-nothing resolution methods. The single maneuver table includes methods for percentage resolution, bonus resolution, and even skill versus skill resolutions. Those three, combined with a basic all-or-nothing method allows for just about any situation to be easily resolved.

 

[Hjorimir]

RuneQuest has an awesome system of resolution. I hope that is carried forward with the new version coming out.

 

[Warden]

I've recently tried Blood of Heroes as well, borrowing from the old DC Heroes rules. Interesting use of resolution, but consulting a chart to determine your success can bog things down.