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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mysterious Hu" data-source="post: 4429490" data-attributes="member: 74851">AssumptionsI have based the odds in this system on the following assumptions (if these are wrong, could you please tell me so I can correct the numbers?):<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Using the standard array each 1st level character will have a total of ability modifier of +7.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non-human characters gain a further ability modifier of +2.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human characters gain a +1 ability modifier.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The average ability modifier therefore will be approximately +1.5.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non-human characters gain a +5 trained bonus to approximately four skills.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non- human characters gain a further +2 racial bonus to two skills.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human characters gain a +5 trained bonus to approximately five skills.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Therefore, the average 1st level character will have 24 to 25 skill points spread over 17 skills.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The average combined training and racial bonus therefore will be approximately +1.5.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The average 1st level Skill Bonus will be approximately +3.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">That Wizards of the Coast are correct in their assumption, that beyond 1st Level, a character’s modifiers increase by approximately +0.666 per level.</li> </ul>The above assumptions ignore the effects of armour. If a party contains a lot of character’s dressed in heavy armour, they will probably avoid situations requiring stealth; or simply ignore the option and wade straight in to combat.  Providing that the players do not select similar skills during character creation or training; a large party will probably have a better coverage of Skill Bonuses than a small party. This might increase the party’s average skill bonus and so increase their chances of succeeding in Skill Tests. However, players in a larger party will probably have less quality playing time than those in a smaller party. Any slight increase in the effectiveness of a larger party will help to gloss over the fact that each player probably gets to spend less time in the limelight. Skill TestsA Skill Test represents an opportunity for the player characters to gain an advantage or avoid an unwanted confrontation. During a Skill Test, each of the characters involved are required to make an appropriate Skill Roll. If a sufficient number of the Skill Rolls are successful, the Skill Test is a success and the party gains a reward. If the party do not succeed at the Skill Test, they suffer some sort of penalty or hardship. Rewards and penalties are determined by the GM. Each Skill Test has a Difficulty Class (DC). This is the target number for each individual character’s Skill Roll. The DC is based on a number of factors; including group size, the drama of the situation and the challenge the DM wants the Skill Test to pose. Averaging Skill Bonuses Some times a character will attempt an action that relies upon two or more skills. When this occurs, add the character’s relevant Skill Bonuses together and divide the total by the number of skills.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A rogue attempts to pass herself as a monk in a temple. The Bluff and Religion Skills are both relevant, so the rogue’s Skill Bonus would be equal to Bluff plus Religion divided by two.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A ranger has hidden himself in a copse of trees only to have a goblin raiding party come and camp right on top of him. He wants to use natural cover to remain hidden throughout the day until the goblins move on. The Endurance, Nature and Stealth Skills are all relevant, so the ranger’s Skill Bonus is equal to Endurance plus Nature plus Stealth, divided by three.</li> </ul>Group SizeGroup Size is a measure of the number of character’s attempting to achieve a goal. Characters may be using different skills and attempting different actions, but if they are all pursuing the same goal, they count towards the Group Size. Six characters are attempting to gain access to a watchtower without raising the alarm. Four of the characters (defenders and leaders) have heavy armour that would interfere with stealth and climbing. They also have poor Stealth Skills. The other two characters (a striker and a controller) have light armour and happen to be trained in Stealth.  The party discusses their options and arrives at a plan. The defenders and leaders will ride up to the watchtower after dark and will demand admittance in the threatening manner. When they are denied entry, they will make camp nearby and pretend to go to sleep. The striker and the controller will use the diversion to silently scale the rear wall of the tower and find somewhere to hide for an hour or two. They will then walk down to the entrance like they have every right in the world to be wandering around the tower at night. Finally, the will raise the portcullis to allow the defenders and leaders in.  The party’s objective is to get in to the watchtower unnoticed. As they are all contributing to the same goal, the Party Size is six. The striker and the controller will roll the average of their Athletics, Stealth and Bluff Skills. The defenders and controllers will roll the average of their Bluff and Intimidate Skills.  The same party might decided to split up instead. The striker and the controller could try to slip into the watchtower alone, while the defenders and leaders ride off to do something else. In this case, the striker and controller would have a Group Size of two. Note: Because of the way the odds work out, there is always a slight bias in favour of Groups that contain an even number of members.  DramaIf a player provides a particularly cunning plan or an especially dramatic or appropriate description of a character’s actions; the GM can award a +2 drama bonus to the character’s Skill Roll.  ChallengeThe DM selects the Challenge level of a Skill Test. For an easier Skill Test, reduce the DC by -2. For a more difficult Skill Test, increase the DC +2.  Difficulty ClassCross reference the Party’s level with the Group Size to determine the DC for each the character’s Skill Roll. If a character’s Skill Roll is equal to or greater than the DC, the character scores a success.   <img src="http://www.infodump.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/1218970638.GIF" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> Number of SuccessesIf the party are searching for a secret door in a chamber, realistically only one of them needs to succeed for the door to be found. If the party are attempting to sneak past a guard post without raising the alarm, realistically everyone one of them might need to succeed. However, for the sake of simplicity; these rules assume that at least half of the group need to succeed in order that the entire group succeeds. If the group contains an odd number of characters, round the fraction up; so a group of 5 characters would need to roll at least 3 successes. That's the end of the information about Skill Tests; though I may well expand and clarify if necessary. The following is a related snippet regarding that old standby of D&D; the Wandering Monsters. Safe Havens, Danger Zones & Wandering MonstersA Safe Haven is a place where the party can relax and unwind without threat of immanent attack. A party can take a Long Rest in a Safe Haven without fear of interruption. The DM can designate any area as a Safe Haven if it makes sense within the adventure:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A cave in the mountains might be a Safe Haven if the only threat in the area comes from the local lord’s thugs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A tavern in a city might not be a Safe Haven if the party are being hunted by the members of an assassin cult.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A chamber in the depths of a dungeon might be a Safe Haven if the inhabitants of the dungeon are constructs or undead and do not wander from room to room.</li> </ul>Any area that is not a Safe Haven can be assumed to be a Danger Zone. A Danger Zone is an area in which dangerous creatures patrol or wander about. If a party attempts to take a Long Rest in a Danger Zone, they will have to take a Skill Test. The skills tested will depend upon the environment and the characters’ actions:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the party is camping in the wilderness, they will have to make a Nature Skill Test.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the party is holed-up in a dungeon, the will have to make a Dungeoneering Skill Test.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the party is laying low in a town, the will have to make a Streetwise Skill Test.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the party requests the protection of a local dignitary, they will have to make a Bluff or Diplomacy Skill Test, modified by the patron’s background: Acrobatics to impress leader of a group of travelling players, Arcana for a wizard, History for a scholar, Religion for a Cleric, Streetwise for a crime lord, etc.</li> </ul>If the Skill Test is successful, the party will enjoy an uninterrupted Long Rest. If the Skill Test is failed, the party will rest for 1d6 hours before being attacked by a group of Wandering Monsters.  A Wandering Monster encounter is a balanced encounter against an enemy appropriate to the location. If the party defeats the Wandering Monsters, the characters can either abandon their Long Rest, or continue it from the point at which it was interrupted. If the party continues their Long Rest, they will have to make another Skill Test, with the possibility of encountering further Wandering Monsters. A particularly unfortunate party, that failed each skill test and rolled a ‘1’ each time they determined how many hours pass before their next Wandering Monster encounter, could face six groups of Wandering Monsters before finishing their Long Rest.</blockquote>

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