Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Using 3d6 for skill checks
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Mercule" data-source="post: 6868370" data-attributes="member: 5100"><p>I'm actually not a fan, at all, of 3d6 in D&D. It works in Hero because the math is already set up that way. The dials turn a bit slower, such that a +1 can be a big deal for an experienced character, but it's about the same cost to go from marginally trained (8 DC) to well trained (11 DC).</p><p></p><p>The D&D math is set up to work better with linear progression. It's not really that uncommon for, say, a Fighter to have a +3 strength bonus, a +3 proficiency bonus, and a +1 magic bonus. In the standard D&D math, that's a swing of 35% chance of success. If you happen to hit the "sweet spot" on the 3d6 bell curve -- which is reasonable in a balanced adventure -- that bonus nearly doubles (+66%, back of napkin). The net result of 3d6 in D&D isn't more realism, smoother progression, or anything like that. It's increased swingyness, which almost always works against the PCs.</p><p></p><p>So, I'm not opposed to 3d6 as a resolution mechanic -- I love Hero. I just don't think it fits well with D&D (or "d20") and would be extremely hesitant to play in a game that used it. If I did play, it'd almost certainly be expressly to watch the math.</p><p></p><p>I wonder, if each player were given the choice between using d20 and 3d6, how many would choose each? If given the choice for each roll, I wonder how it'd evolve.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mercule, post: 6868370, member: 5100"] I'm actually not a fan, at all, of 3d6 in D&D. It works in Hero because the math is already set up that way. The dials turn a bit slower, such that a +1 can be a big deal for an experienced character, but it's about the same cost to go from marginally trained (8 DC) to well trained (11 DC). The D&D math is set up to work better with linear progression. It's not really that uncommon for, say, a Fighter to have a +3 strength bonus, a +3 proficiency bonus, and a +1 magic bonus. In the standard D&D math, that's a swing of 35% chance of success. If you happen to hit the "sweet spot" on the 3d6 bell curve -- which is reasonable in a balanced adventure -- that bonus nearly doubles (+66%, back of napkin). The net result of 3d6 in D&D isn't more realism, smoother progression, or anything like that. It's increased swingyness, which almost always works against the PCs. So, I'm not opposed to 3d6 as a resolution mechanic -- I love Hero. I just don't think it fits well with D&D (or "d20") and would be extremely hesitant to play in a game that used it. If I did play, it'd almost certainly be expressly to watch the math. I wonder, if each player were given the choice between using d20 and 3d6, how many would choose each? If given the choice for each roll, I wonder how it'd evolve. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Using 3d6 for skill checks
Top