In O.L.D. and N.E.W., a successful attribute check is used to hit a difficulty benchmark. A success means that an activity has been successfully completed. Breaking down a door, climbing a wall, picking a lock, bandaging a wound. You're probably familiar with the standard benchmarks by now.
Easy [7]
Routine [10]
Challenging [13]
Difficult [16]
Demanding [21]
Strenuous [25]
Severe [29]
Herculean [33]
Superhuman [37]
Impossible [40]
Mythical [45]
So, as you already know, it's easy for a GM to call for a Difficult attribute check, and a starting character limited to 5d6 dice pools will not normally be able to exceed a Severe check. You'll generally only use the bolded benchmarks unless you need more granularity for something.
But what happens if you greatly exceed a benchmark when making an attribute check? Well, that's where degrees of success come into play. For every benchmark above the target, the task is completed with greater aplomb.
Less than benchmark - task failed*
+0 benchmark - marginal success; the task is completed, but something might have gone slightly awry
+1 benchmark - clear success; the task is completed with no setbacks or other issues
+2 benchmarks - perfect success; the task is completed with expertise and some kind of small added benefit is achieved
+3 benchmarks - critical success; not only is the task completed, but a additional major benefit is gained
For example, hacking into a computer system to remotely unlock a cell door might be a Difficult [16] task. Holmes sits down and starts hacking away, rolling a rather impressive 26 on his 6d6 - a strenuous result. As that's two benchmarks higher than difficult, he's gotten a perfect success. He gets some kind of small added benefit; the GM rules than he has also managed to avoid setting off any alarms systems. If he'd gotten a critical success (by rolling 29 or more), he'd have an additional major benefit; perhaps he not only unlocked the cell door but also managed to lock the security guards in their office!
[TABLE="class: outer_border, width: 500"] [TR] [TD]*Optional Rule: Failing Forward
Sometimes having the characters fail to navigate to the next star system, or open the door to Moria, can stop or slow down play. After all, the drama is what's in the next star system, or what happened in Moria; the drama isn't inherent in the door or the tedious navigation. For that reason, the fail forward rule should be used.
What that means is that when the character does not succeed with the die roll the character does not fail at the task. The next star system is reached, or the door is opened. The story continues.
However, a major setback occurs at the same time. Perhaps the starship engines are burnt out upon arrival (requiring the PC to locate spare parts and repair them) or a large monster is awoken in the pool outside the door.
This never applies to attack rolls.
[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Easy [7]
Routine [10]
Challenging [13]
Difficult [16]
Demanding [21]
Strenuous [25]
Severe [29]
Herculean [33]
Superhuman [37]
Impossible [40]
Mythical [45]
So, as you already know, it's easy for a GM to call for a Difficult attribute check, and a starting character limited to 5d6 dice pools will not normally be able to exceed a Severe check. You'll generally only use the bolded benchmarks unless you need more granularity for something.
But what happens if you greatly exceed a benchmark when making an attribute check? Well, that's where degrees of success come into play. For every benchmark above the target, the task is completed with greater aplomb.
Less than benchmark - task failed*
+0 benchmark - marginal success; the task is completed, but something might have gone slightly awry
+1 benchmark - clear success; the task is completed with no setbacks or other issues
+2 benchmarks - perfect success; the task is completed with expertise and some kind of small added benefit is achieved
+3 benchmarks - critical success; not only is the task completed, but a additional major benefit is gained
For example, hacking into a computer system to remotely unlock a cell door might be a Difficult [16] task. Holmes sits down and starts hacking away, rolling a rather impressive 26 on his 6d6 - a strenuous result. As that's two benchmarks higher than difficult, he's gotten a perfect success. He gets some kind of small added benefit; the GM rules than he has also managed to avoid setting off any alarms systems. If he'd gotten a critical success (by rolling 29 or more), he'd have an additional major benefit; perhaps he not only unlocked the cell door but also managed to lock the security guards in their office!
[TABLE="class: outer_border, width: 500"] [TR] [TD]*Optional Rule: Failing Forward
Sometimes having the characters fail to navigate to the next star system, or open the door to Moria, can stop or slow down play. After all, the drama is what's in the next star system, or what happened in Moria; the drama isn't inherent in the door or the tedious navigation. For that reason, the fail forward rule should be used.
What that means is that when the character does not succeed with the die roll the character does not fail at the task. The next star system is reached, or the door is opened. The story continues.
However, a major setback occurs at the same time. Perhaps the starship engines are burnt out upon arrival (requiring the PC to locate spare parts and repair them) or a large monster is awoken in the pool outside the door.
This never applies to attack rolls.
[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
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