How do you make rolls and checks in CWoD?

[MonkeySage]

For example, how would you:

Tell a lie?
Pick a lock?
Use a discipline?
Make a self control check?
Make an attack?
Make a damage roll?


I'm generally not fond of the way these books are written since the rules do seem fairly complex at times.

[Nerd-o-rama]

You generally do all of these things by determining the relevant Attribute, Ability, and if applicable supernatural power rank (Discipline, etc.), adding up your ratings, and rolling that number of d10s. Each die result is a failure or a success based on the difficulty of the roll (default 6, modified by circumstances). In earlier editions, 1s cancel successes, but they wisely dropped that. 10s are counted as successes and rolled again if I am not mistaken.

Normally, you are trying to roll either x number of successes or beat the result of an opponent's roll. The number of excess successes you get tells you HOW well you succeeded. Attack and damage is a little complex but follows the same form - roll (usually) Dex plus related weapon ability and compare your total to the target's (usually) Dex plus dodge roll (if he can make one). If you roll more successes, you then roll your damage (either Strength plus weapon or justthe weapon rating, eith your attack successes as bonus dice) and compare to the target's Soak (usually Stamina plus armor, armor, or nothing depending on damage type).

Needlessly complex? Yes. But not hard onceyou get the hang of it.

[Chen]

Usually the Storyteller decides what rolls are needed for an action unless its one that explicitly called out in the book. Even that it's usually at the storyteller's discretion anyways. They tell you what pools to roll and you roll them.

For the list you gave I'd say:

Tell a lie? - Manipulation + Subterfuge, usually. Maybe Charisma + Subterfuge depending on circumstance.

Pick a lock? - Dex + Security. Or maybe Int + Larceny. Or maybe some combination thereof, depending on the lock. Maybe perception if you're trying to feel the tumblers lock into place of a combination lock.

Use a discipline? - Each Discipline will say what skills to roll.

Make a self control check? - uh self-control? One roll per round, need to accumulate 5 successes. You need at least one success per round, but you can carry successes over from previous rounds.

Make an attack? - Dex + brawl, melee, firearms, martial arts etc. Specific attacks are listed in the book and have different difficulties and possibly die rolls. One success hits. Further successes add to damage (see below). An appropriate dodge/parry/block roll from the opponent can negate these sucesses one for one.

Make a damage roll? - Melee weapons usually specify (Str + X). Firearms have fixed damage values. Any successes past your first in the attack roll are added to this roll. Potence grants automatic extra successes equal to its rating on melee damage rolls.

[Andreaz]

If you want the book reference, look for the chapter called "Systems and Drama". That's where almost all example rolls go.

The setup is as explained by the others... it's a sum of relevant traits (most often attribute+ability) in the form of D10s. Difficulty is represented in the target number each d10 has to match or beat to be considered a success.
1 or 2 successes usually get the job done. 3 or 4 are great. 5+ are astounding.
The standard difficulty for something challenging, but not hard is 6. Something trivial is usually 3. 8 and 9 are for the nigh impossible tasks. It's rare, but if you need an even higher difficulty you can get each number over 9 to be an extra success before you let the action succeed. (statistically, difficulties of 10 will net zero successes regardless how good the actor is, and botch nearly every damn roll. Just don't use difficulty 10...)

[comicshorse]

And if the sneaky git gets 8 successes on 10's you know something is off (Yes that happened in a game I was in)