Perfect 20 = "Real" Experience for a Player

[Derrick Reeves]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to start off something like:

"IMC, when someone rolls a natural 20 on an attack roll, I give them a carving knife and let them stab one of the other players..."

 

[Al]

Problem is that natural 20s are, statistically, really rather common.

On average, you have a roughly 50/50 chance to roll a natural 20 every thirteen rolls (1- .95^13=0.487). If an average, vanilla combat low-level is four rounds, you roll one every three combats on average.

But it gets worse. Consider a high level battle, again, of four rounds. Hasted, using Rapid Fire, the archer can get six attacks per round- so every *two* rounds, he has a 50/50 chance to get a natural 20. Over the course of one battle, therefore, he has a 50/50 chance to getting two natural 20s on his attack rolls alone. If a level takes thirteen battles (as per standard), he gets no less than 26 'real world experience' bonuses. A tad too much, no?

Then add in skill checks, ability checks and saving throws, and a high level character will probably ratchet up around 40 'real world experience' bonuses per level. Book-keeping becomes a nightmare, and balance a forgotten dream.

Perhaps, if you're insistent on doing this, go for a natural 20 confirmed by another natural 20 (make a 'learning roll' perhaps?). It's a nice perk, then, that happens rare enough to make it a genuinely nice touch; rare enough to make them reasonably unique; rare even to maintain balance; and rare enough to keep book-keeping to a minimum.

 

[Al]

[double post]

 

[Stalker0]

Perhaps, if you're insistent on doing this, go for a natural 20 confirmed by another natural 20 (make a 'learning roll' perhaps?).

That's exactly what I'm doing. When I threw out the 50%, I was just using a number as an example, I didn't mean to imply that's what I would actually use- that's WAY too high!! So yeah, it would be more like two 20's in a row, and then for higher numbers maybe even 3 20's in a row, making the bonus a rare and special one.

As for the randomness of it, that's what "real" experience is in a lot of ways, you don't get to always choose the lessons you learn, but you try to apply those lessons as best you can.

 

[Endur]

Perfect 20's and Abysmal 1's

We didn't do extra rules, but we added story elements when you rolled a 20 or a 1. (20 was a critical threat, 1 is a fumble or a broken weapon).

For example, I had a Paladin (level 7?) who was fighting a pair of Minotaurs. The first Minotaur rolled a 1 to hit me, broke his axe on my armor. The second Minotaur also rolled a 1 to hit me, he also broke his axe.

Henceforth, my Paladin Tommen, was known as Tommen Axebane. One of the minotaurs was so impressed by this that he viewed me as a Divine Being, surrendered, served me as a squire and changed his alignment.

 

[EvilGM]

Why not just give them a +1 on their next roll?
If the next roll is a similar task make it a +2.

 

[Stalker0]

Why not just give them a +1 on their next roll?
If the next roll is a similar task make it a +2.

Because the mechanic is not designed to be a simple quick bonus, its designed to expand on the character's experience as the character evolves, not just with xp, but with tangible results that make the character unique among others. While there are plenty of ways to do this within the system, I'm trying to expand on it with additional options.

 

[Coredump]

For those that have seen me post, I *really* don't like things that just arbitrarily give players more power/bonuses/whatever. But I *really* like this idea. It gives them a neat bonus, that ties in with the story line, so it feels 'real'; yet doesn't necessarily mean anything. So I have a +1 against Sauhgin... who cares? I may not ever fight them again, but it is *cool* that I got that from actually fighting them.

Now yeah, the DM will have to make sure you don't get a ton of pluses, especially for really common things, but balance is a DM's job anyway. As long as it is not an exact rule, it is fine; as long as the DM has the flexibility to adjust the 'knowledge' roll, it should be fine.

As for the commonality, yeah, it can be a problem. So the 'knowledge roll' number may have to be playtested, but remember, you will get more 20's at high level, but a +1 isn't as useful at high level.

One of the minotaurs was so impressed by this that he viewed me as a Divine Being, surrendered, served me as a squire and changed his alignment.

This is Totally fricken' cool. Tell you DM he gets big bonus Kudos from me.

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