You Don’t Have To Leave Wolfy Behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' Your Companions Level Up With You!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stalker0" data-source="post: 4296787" data-attributes="member: 5889">The easy column actually isn't a typo, I changed the easy progression at each tier, and that happens to be when it happened. I do think I'm going to change it though, as people are going to get confused by it.And no, I plan one more version (which I'm currently working on) before I sit back and let the fur fly.As for benefits/drawbacks comparison, here are a few:Benefits:1) More interactive, more player input2) Better balance overall, more consistent results.3) Higher complexity = High difficulty, this is not always the case in WOTC's system.Drawbacks:1) Higher complexities are shorter than WOTC's2) Reliance on aid another to compensate for weaker skill users (see below). This is actually a problem that WOTC system has as well, even worse in many cases, but I count it as a drawback because I still feel I should have something better.The Problem with AidYou asked for the real deal, and here it is, naked for all the world to see. The biggest flaw in my system is that it doesn't handle well parties that have a low skill user who doesn't use aid another.Basically your win rate will drop pretty drastically (on the order of 15-20%) if you low skill guy isn't aiding, and by low I mean a difference of 3 or more from the average skill people.It is a flaw I have worked countless hours to correct, and ultimately found no way to solve it. Here's the problem:1) You can't take out aid another. Basically that low skill user has to do SOMETHING, or the fun factor of the system fails. But there's no good way to balance the system if the low skill guy is actively participating in the normal mechanics of the system, the variance is too high in an already variable system. This is one of the roadblocks between the math and the fact that the system has to be easy for people to use. If I didn't care about the human element, I could throw in lots of little conditions and requirements that would smooth everything out. But I can't. Further, if I had a system where players were needing 2001 successes before 2000 failures, then it wouldn't be as big a deal. But I can't.2) I can't force aid another. No one likes being told what to do with their character. Again, the fun factor fails if I do that. But on the other hand, I want the DM to be REALLY encouraging with aid another.I have made sure in the system that a normal party will always have have higher than 50% win rate even without aiding and an absolute garbage skill guy in there who doesn't aid.Further, I am working on the next version now, and I will incorporate some corrections that dms can use for players that don't choose to aid. But that's the best I can do right....wait a minute. I've just had an idea that may help!! Hmmm, back to the spreadsheets!!</blockquote>

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