Tetsubo 57
2011-04-09, 12:25 PM
I am currently reading Sorcery & Super Science! by Expeditious Retreat Press. It uses a mechanic called the Floating Dice System. In short it does the following:
"Conflicts in Sorcery & Super Science are resolved using the floating dice
system. In this system there are no defined difficulties - the success or
failure of any action is based upon the relationship between the PC and the
task. Sorcery & Super Science uses a multitude of dice when rolling these
conflicts- 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20-sided. If you don’t have a d16 handy, 2d8
will work in pinch.
Most conflicts are ability conflicts: tasks that are successfully performed
based upon a primary ability of a PC measured against the primary ability
of an NPC or against the difficulty of an action. There are seven primary
abilities ranging in value from -4 to 20. A rank of 0 is considered the lowest
human rank and a rank of 8 is considered human maximum. The majority of
people fall within the 1 to 3 range. Such is considered average, with 2 being
the most typical rank.
In a primary ability conflict, the PC’s ability rank is added to the NPC’s
ability rank. This addition determines what die is rolled to resolve the conflict
and determines the target number for success. For example a PC with a rank
4 ability is in conflict with an NPC who also has a rank 4 ability. Adding the
rank values (4+4) results in an 8. Thus, 8 is the die rolled (a d8) and the target
number for success is also 8. The player would then roll a d8 and add the
PC’s rank 4 ability to the roll and any result of 8 or better is a success or even
a greater success.
The terms greater success and success are used throughout Sorcery &
Super Science. When rolling conflicts, a result that is equal to the number
needed or 1 point greater is termed a success while a result that is 2 or more
points higher than the highest number on the die is termed a greater success.
A 10-11 is a success on a d10, while a 12 or above is a greater success. On a
d8, a success is 8-9, and a greater success is a 10 or higher and so on.
Dice determination is always rounded down if the sum of both
numbers is not equal to 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, or 20. For example, a d12 is rolled
for a conflict between a rank 8 and a rank 5, a d6 is rolled for a conflict
between a rank 4 and a rank 3, a d16 is rolled for a conflict between a rank
9 and a rank 10 and so forth. The d4 is the lowest die that can be rolled and
any totals resulting in less than 4 result in rolling a d4."
Now, I have just read this, I have not played it. But only after a few lines I began to ask questions and make observations. In the primary example, "a PC with a rank 4 ability is in conflict with an NPC who also has a rank 4 ability. Adding the rank values (4+4) results in an 8. Thus, 8 is the die rolled (a d8) and the target number for success is also 8. The player would then roll a d8 and add the PC’s rank 4 ability to the roll and any result of 8 or better is a success or even a greater success" the GM *has* to reveal to the player what level of skill his opponent has. By saying, 'use a d8' the GM is telling the player that his enemy is a skill rank 4 challenge. I don't like that. I don't want my players to have hard data on what skill level their opponents have. That should be revealed through actual play.
My second observation is: Why? Why use this mechanic? What does it bring to the table? How is it superior to a static target number that must be bested by a die roll? One that would not require the GM to divulge information that they might not wish to reveal. Is it just to be different? My math skills are abysmal, does this mechanic bring anything different to how the statistic pan out? Like the difference between a d20 roll and a 3d6 roll for example.
The point spread between each die type is 2, 2, 2, 2, 4 & 4. That seems odd to me.
This just strikes me as being different for the sake of being different. I don't really see the point. And I really don't like that the GM has to tell the players a whole lot about the world around them whether they want to or not.
Can anyone shed some light on this system for me? Am I just missing some key feature? Is there actually some elegant and beautiful bit of mechanical subtly that I am not grasping?
Thanks in advance.
"Conflicts in Sorcery & Super Science are resolved using the floating dice
system. In this system there are no defined difficulties - the success or
failure of any action is based upon the relationship between the PC and the
task. Sorcery & Super Science uses a multitude of dice when rolling these
conflicts- 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20-sided. If you don’t have a d16 handy, 2d8
will work in pinch.
Most conflicts are ability conflicts: tasks that are successfully performed
based upon a primary ability of a PC measured against the primary ability
of an NPC or against the difficulty of an action. There are seven primary
abilities ranging in value from -4 to 20. A rank of 0 is considered the lowest
human rank and a rank of 8 is considered human maximum. The majority of
people fall within the 1 to 3 range. Such is considered average, with 2 being
the most typical rank.
In a primary ability conflict, the PC’s ability rank is added to the NPC’s
ability rank. This addition determines what die is rolled to resolve the conflict
and determines the target number for success. For example a PC with a rank
4 ability is in conflict with an NPC who also has a rank 4 ability. Adding the
rank values (4+4) results in an 8. Thus, 8 is the die rolled (a d8) and the target
number for success is also 8. The player would then roll a d8 and add the
PC’s rank 4 ability to the roll and any result of 8 or better is a success or even
a greater success.
The terms greater success and success are used throughout Sorcery &
Super Science. When rolling conflicts, a result that is equal to the number
needed or 1 point greater is termed a success while a result that is 2 or more
points higher than the highest number on the die is termed a greater success.
A 10-11 is a success on a d10, while a 12 or above is a greater success. On a
d8, a success is 8-9, and a greater success is a 10 or higher and so on.
Dice determination is always rounded down if the sum of both
numbers is not equal to 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, or 20. For example, a d12 is rolled
for a conflict between a rank 8 and a rank 5, a d6 is rolled for a conflict
between a rank 4 and a rank 3, a d16 is rolled for a conflict between a rank
9 and a rank 10 and so forth. The d4 is the lowest die that can be rolled and
any totals resulting in less than 4 result in rolling a d4."
Now, I have just read this, I have not played it. But only after a few lines I began to ask questions and make observations. In the primary example, "a PC with a rank 4 ability is in conflict with an NPC who also has a rank 4 ability. Adding the rank values (4+4) results in an 8. Thus, 8 is the die rolled (a d8) and the target number for success is also 8. The player would then roll a d8 and add the PC’s rank 4 ability to the roll and any result of 8 or better is a success or even a greater success" the GM *has* to reveal to the player what level of skill his opponent has. By saying, 'use a d8' the GM is telling the player that his enemy is a skill rank 4 challenge. I don't like that. I don't want my players to have hard data on what skill level their opponents have. That should be revealed through actual play.
My second observation is: Why? Why use this mechanic? What does it bring to the table? How is it superior to a static target number that must be bested by a die roll? One that would not require the GM to divulge information that they might not wish to reveal. Is it just to be different? My math skills are abysmal, does this mechanic bring anything different to how the statistic pan out? Like the difference between a d20 roll and a 3d6 roll for example.
The point spread between each die type is 2, 2, 2, 2, 4 & 4. That seems odd to me.
This just strikes me as being different for the sake of being different. I don't really see the point. And I really don't like that the GM has to tell the players a whole lot about the world around them whether they want to or not.
Can anyone shed some light on this system for me? Am I just missing some key feature? Is there actually some elegant and beautiful bit of mechanical subtly that I am not grasping?
Thanks in advance.