Sometimes, the Ref may ask for a roll of the dice.
The most common type of roll is a d20 roll.
The \gm sets a difficulty class (DC) and whoever is making the choice rolls the die and adds a modifier.
If the total is at least equal to the DC, the actor gets what they want.
Otherwise, they may fail or need to pay some price to succeed.
If a roll is a contest between two characters, the DC is equal 9+ the total modifier of the target. Otherwise, see below for guidelines on setting DCs.
What is this?
Basically I'm pretty set on a lot of the specific mechanics for my 3e-derived game. Here I'm trying to stretch myself and present only the stuff that's not about character creation, on account of that being the section of the ruleset I have a tendency to work too hard on without drawing the rest of the owl.
The form of what follows, presenting DCs by task rather than by skill (haven't included a skill list in here, but it will be much less granular than these categories) follows the first D&D Next playtest packet. The actual numbers are largely based on a d20ification of this analysis of the hidden d6 skill system of OSE/BX.
Modifiers on Rolls
There are five types of modifiers on rolls. In each category, only the worst applicable penalty and best applicable bonus are used (added together, if necessary).
- Condition modifiers represent the actor's status
- Gear modifiers represent the actor's equipment
- Nature modifiers represent qualities of the actor
- Situation modifiers represent positioning
- Skill modifiers represent awareness and practice
Condition Modifiers
Conditions are temporary. A harmful condition typically means that either a character can't do something (for example, find something by sight when blinded) or applies a penalty on rolls to do so. A helpful condition usually applies a bonus to rolls, or allows a character to do something they couldn't ordinarily.
Fatigue and injury are a special type of condition. A fatigued or injured character takes a penalty on rolls equal to the number of levels of fatigue or injury they have. If this total is greater than the character's Limit, they may not take any actions.
Gear modifiers
In general, poor quality or ill-suited equipment applies a -2 penalty, and lacking appropriate equipment entirely a -4 one (if the roll can even be attempted). Very fine tools add +1, especially potent items +2 and legendary artifacts +3.
Protective gear follows a different scale:
| Armor | Situation modifier (Base DC) |
| Unarmored | -4 (7) |
| Helm or jack | -2 (9) |
| Helm + jack | 0 (11) |
| Helm + mail | +2 (13) |
| Helm + plate | +4 (15) |
Jack is poor protection (as noted above) against striking but adequate against cold or heat (+0, Base DC 11). Recall that size modifiers apply to DCs to strike or burn a character.
Nature Modifiers
Nature modifiers are inherent to a character. The most common are attributes and size modifiers.
Attributes indicate a character is extraordinary in some characteristic, for better or worse.
- Strength is used when a short burst uses one's whole body.
Apply it to attack rolls with medium and large weapons, and to all physical damage dealt. - Constitution is used to resist exhaustion or injury.
Add it to a character's allowed movement. - Dexterity is used for coordination and fine motor skills.
Apply it to attack rolls with small or medium hand weapons. - Intelligence is used to find or notice things.
Apply it to all ranged attack rolls. - Wisdom is used to put together or recall useful information.
Apply it to rolls for a quick reaction. - Charisma is used to make an impression or resist magic.
Size modifiers apply to physical attack and defense and attempts to hide or notice a creature:
| Size | Limit | Mod | Example |
| 1 | 1 | +2 | cat |
| 2 | 2 | +1 | fox, hawk, monkey |
| 3 | 3 | +1 | child, dog, eagle, hoblin |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | elf, wolf, youth |
| 5 | 6 | 0 | deer, donkey, man |
| 6 | 8 | 0 | gnole, light horse, pterosaur, thark |
| 7 | 12 | -1 | heavy horse, pachychephalosaur, troll |
| 8 | 16 | -1 | elephant, megatherium, ogre |
| 9 | 24 | -2 | giant, iguanodon, triceratops |
| 10 | 32 | -3 | plesiosaur, tyranosaur, young dragon |
| 11 | 48 | -4 | adult dragon, mosasaur |
| 12 | 64 | -6 | ancient dragon |
| 13+ | 96 | -8 | sauropod |
Situation Modifiers
The purpose of situational modifiers is to encourage players to seek out advantage and minimize disadvantage within the situation. The Ref is encouraged to apply anything from -6 to +2 depending on the circumstances.
Situational modifiers appropriate for most attack rolls:
- -6 if no more than a limb of the target is exposed.
- -4 if the head and a limb or only two limbs are exposed.
- -2 if two limbs or the torso and one limb are covered.
- +2 if the target is unaware of the attack or outflanked.
Skill Modifiers
An unskilled character applies a -2 penalty. Otherwise, a skilled character's bonus is twice the number of skill ranks they have in that skill.
Difficulty Classes
The following guidelines are for a variety of common tasks. The Ref is free to alter them if they seem inappropriate. If there is no other guide for setting the DC of a roll, consider whether it is routine or simply impossible; do not ask for a roll in that case.
If not, default to a difficulty of 9, plus 3 for each of the following:
- a lack of appropriate tools or supplies.
- a lack of adequete time or space.
- a lack of a specific important piece of information.
A lack of training does not affect difficulty; this is represented by a skill penalty on the roll.
Handling animals
DC 9: domestic, 12: tame, 15: feral, 18: wild. Raise by 3 if the animal is injured or frightened.
Climbing
DC 9: scaffolding, 12: rough walls, 15: smooth walls. Raise by 3 when slick or there are gaps to jump.
Fatigue
DC: 6. Raise the difficulty by 3 for every roll made since the last time fatigue was recovered.
Failure adds a level of fatigue; failure by 5 or more adds two, and by 10 or more adds three.
People generally roll against exhaustion once every
- few minutes of climbing or swimming
- half-hour of running
- hour of cutting, digging, dragging or similar work
- two hours of bearing burdens
- four hours of marching
- eight hours of walking
A rest of half the interval or an hour (whichever is less) avoids a roll. Reduce these intervals by a third in hot or cold conditions, or by two thirds in extreme heat or cold. Appropriate clothing for the work (and extra food in the cold and water in the heat) reduces the severity of weather conditions one step.
People generally roll against deprivation once every:
- round without air
- four hours without water
- eight hours without food
- twelve hours without rest
When only partially deprived (bad air, half rations, interrupted sleep), these increments of time are tripled. No fatigue may be recovered by ordinary means until the deprivation (partial or otherwise) is dealt with.
Discerning concealed creatures
DC 9: presence, 12: number, 15: positions.
Raise by 3 through a door or similar. Apply the largest of the concealed creatures' size bonuses to the DC to discern them (as well as the scout's size bonus to their roll).
When parties meet, their scouts make rolls to discern the others' presence. Parties that fail their rolls are surprised. If necessary, the sum of the scouts' rolls is the distance (in yards) between the parties at the beginning of the encounter.
Establish a working language
DC 9: across different dialects, 12: across sister or daughter languages, 15: across unrelated languages.
Once established, it can only be used for simple sentences and communication takes longer than normal.
Using locks
DC 12: to jam, 15: to open without a key. Raise by 3 for an expensive lock.
If a roll to open fails by 5 or more, the lock is jammed.
Recovering from Illness
When a character contracts an infection or curse, it will specify a DC.
After a few days with food, a character with no fatigue may make a Charisma roll against it. There is no penalty for being unskilled on this roll. Success lowers the DC by 3 and failure raises it by 3.
If the DC reaches 0, the character is cured. If the DC reaches 21, the character dies.
Recovering from Injury
DC is three times their current number of injuries.
After a few days with food, a character with no fatigue may make a Constitution roll. There is no penalty for being unskilled on this roll. Success changes half their injuries (rounded up) to fatigue. Failure changes one to a permanent scar and half of the rest to fatigue. Failure by 5 or more indicates infection at DC 9 (or raises their infection DC by 3).
Scars are treated as injury that cannot be healed by ordinary means.
Magic
To be saved from the worst of a magic power has a DC of 9 plus twice the rank of the magic.
There is no penalty for being unskilled on such a roll.
Medicine
The DC to treat a patient is the same as their DC to recover, but wounds only scar or diseases worsen on a failure by 5 or more. Treated wounds only become infected on a failure by 10 or more.
Parley
DC 12: to improve an initial reaction. Raise by 3 if the characters bear weapons openly, belong to or work with a distrusted or rival group, or if the strangers have suffered violence recently.
If the roll fails by 5 or more, the reaction worsens instead.
Scouting
DC 9: for a path, 12: for shelter, 15: for supplies. Raise difficulty by 3 in a desert or permafrost.
Stealth
15: to surprise a sentry or scout. As with discernment, apply the target's size modifier to the DC to surprise them.
Traps
DC 9: to find a simple trap or hidden fall, 12: one operated by a switch or lever, 15: a more complicated mechanism. Once found, raise the difficulty by 3 to arm or disarm it.
If the roll to arm or disarm fails by 5 or more, the character sets off the trap.
To evade a known trap or fall, use DC 9: if one has room enough to stand, 12: if one has room to set one foot, 15: if not. Raise by 3 for slick or swaying footing.
There is no penalty for being unskilled on such a roll.
Swimming
DC 9: a narrow body of water, 12: one or two furlongs, 15: up to a mile. Raise by 3 for cold water, rough waves or a strong current.
Unconsciousness
DC of twice the character's Size.
When a character's condition penalty is more than their Limit, they must make a roll to remain conscious. On a failure they may make another roll after a number of minutes equal to the total rolled (minimum of 1). On a second failure, they remain unsconscious for a number of hours equal to half the total rolled (minimum of 1).
When a character regains consciousness, they must make another roll or change one levels of fatigue to an injury.
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