Extra information from 3d6

[Sean Waters]

Here’s an idea ripped, at least in part from a great game called Unknown Armies.

 

I like the idea of extracting a lot of information from a single die roll. Now normally a 3d6 roll to hit simply uses the roll total, but there is a lot of other information there that you can use. The total can be used as part of the damage roll (we’ve discussed that one before), but here’s an idea I haven’t seen prevented. A very similar idea is used in the game ‘Unknown Armies’

 

When the dice roll comes up with a double or triple number, you get a bonus of some sort:

 

+1 OCV on attacks next phase

+1 DCV next phase

+1DC on this attack

Free attempt to disarm the target of this attack

Free attempt to grab the target for this attack

+1” knockback on this attack

 

I’m sure you can think of more.

 

Basically the idea is that you assign an effect to doubles and triples. Triples get double a double effect or two effects, as appropriate. Low triples are much more likely than high ones, and 6,6,6 can’t be assigned a bonus, so triples only come up 1 time in (about) 43 rolls, whereas doubles come up (if my maths is right) about 41% of rolls.

 

EG

 

Roll of 1,1,x = +1DC damage

Roll of 111 = +2DC damage

Roll of 2,2,x = +1 OCV next phase

Roll of 2,2,2 = +2 OCV next phase

Etc.

 

The bonuses are assigned by the player at character creation and are never changed except with GM permission.

 

I mean it is completely unnecessary and does not fill any particular need, but may add a little savour to combat for those who like the idea.

 

Thoughts?

[radioKAOS]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Here’s an idea ripped, at least in part from a great game called Unknown Armies.

 

I like the idea of extracting a lot of information from a single die roll. Now normally a 3d6 roll to hit simply uses the roll total, but there is a lot of other information there that you can use. The total can be used as part of the damage roll (we’ve discussed that one before), but here’s an idea I haven’t seen prevented. A very similar idea is used in the game ‘Unknown Armies’

 

When the dice roll comes up with a double or triple number, you get a bonus of some sort:

 

+1 OCV on attacks next phase

+1 DCV next phase

+1DC on this attack

Free attempt to disarm the target of this attack

Free attempt to grab the target for this attack

+1” knockback on this attack

 

I’m sure you can think of more.

 

Basically the idea is that you assign an effect to doubles and triples. Triples get double a double effect or two effects, as appropriate. Low triples are much more likely than high ones, and 6,6,6 can’t be assigned a bonus, so triples only come up 1 time in (about) 43 rolls, whereas doubles come up (if my maths is right) about 41% of rolls.

 

EG

 

Roll of 1,1,x = +1DC damage

Roll of 111 = +2DC damage

Roll of 2,2,x = +1 OCV next phase

Roll of 2,2,2 = +2 OCV next phase

Etc.

 

The bonuses are assigned by the player at character creation and are never changed except with GM permission.

 

I mean it is completely unnecessary and does not fill any particular need, but may add a little savour to combat for those who like the idea.

 

Thoughts?

 

I like the idea, but am a little confused as to your math.

 

Do you mean "Low triples are much more likely [to be successful] than high ones"?

[Frenchman]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Sounds a little bit like what I did here, except that I counted 1's and 6's instead of doubles and triples.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

The bonuses are assigned by the player at character creation and are never changed except with GM permission.

 

I mean it is completely unnecessary and does not fill any particular need, but may add a little savour to combat for those who like the idea.

 

Thoughts?

 

I think that it does fulfill a need, especially if your group is like mine and have memorized the "chance of x or less" table for 3D6. And that is that it returns an element of randomness that is harder to predict (until they crunch the math again and so on).

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

OooOOOoooOOOhhh!

 

I like it! I like it muchly! Rep to Sean!

 

I think that it does fulfill a need' date=' especially if your group is like mine and have memorized the "chance of x or less" table for 3D6. And that is that it returns an element of randomness that is harder to predict (until they crunch the math again and so on).[/quote']

 

Quite true. But unlike "odds of x or lower," where the players can affect success by upping CV, Skill Levels, etc to improve their odds of success, there's not much they can do to alter their odds of getting doubles or triples.

 

Finally! Some angst back in the 'roll to hit' aspect!

 

 

Though I might suggest not allowing bonuses for triple ones on those occasions that a 3 is actually required for success.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Actually, I like this. A few thoughts.

 

TANSTAFL.

 

There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. By which I mean, I think this is a great idea, and since we use bell curves and percentage chances around here, it would be good to know what the final odds of certain combinations are going to be -- double or triple as necessary, and so on.

 

THEN we build powers for purchasing and allow the expansion up to a certain multiplier. So you could purchase "Auto Disarm Attempt" if you roll any pair on the dice, but it would cost a fortune since you have (X) percent chance on any roll of 3d6 for TWO dice to come up the same number. I don't know how to do the math off the top of my head, but figure that there are 36 combinations of 2 dice, and six ways (and only six ways) for them to come up doubled, it stands to reason in the quick and dirty way I do math that there are 36 possible combinations of doubles on 3d6.

 

In other words, a one in six chance on any die roll, which means this "critical hit" variant will come up often, unless you push down the options by WHICH doubles are rolled.

 

I like the idea, but make sure its thought through all the way all you'll have all sorts of battlefield chaos.

 

Unless you like that sort of thing. My players eschew d20 for that reason - there's always a 5% chance the die will pull your fat out of the fire; bell curve does away with that problem.

[StGrimblefig]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Just a quick statistical reference:

 

There are 216 permutations of 3d6. Of these:

 

There are exactly 6 triples, or approximately 2.78%

There are 90 strict doubles (that is, doubles that are not also triples), or approximately 41.67%

 

I was a little surprised at the large percentage of doubles. Because of that, I would tend to assign a lesser effect to the doubles, and more to the triples.

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Here’s an idea ripped, at least in part from a great game called Unknown Armies.

 

I like the idea of extracting a lot of information from a single die roll. Now normally a 3d6 roll to hit simply uses the roll total, but there is a lot of other information there that you can use. The total can be used as part of the damage roll (we’ve discussed that one before), but here’s an idea I haven’t seen prevented. A very similar idea is used in the game ‘Unknown Armies’

 

When the dice roll comes up with a double or triple number, you get a bonus of some sort:

 

+1 OCV on attacks next phase

+1 DCV next phase

+1DC on this attack

Free attempt to disarm the target of this attack

Free attempt to grab the target for this attack

+1” knockback on this attack

 

I’m sure you can think of more.

 

Basically the idea is that you assign an effect to doubles and triples. Triples get double a double effect or two effects, as appropriate. Low triples are much more likely than high ones, and 6,6,6 can’t be assigned a bonus, so triples only come up 1 time in (about) 43 rolls, whereas doubles come up (if my maths is right) about 41% of rolls.

 

EG

 

Roll of 1,1,x = +1DC damage

Roll of 111 = +2DC damage

Roll of 2,2,x = +1 OCV next phase

Roll of 2,2,2 = +2 OCV next phase

Etc.

 

The bonuses are assigned by the player at character creation and are never changed except with GM permission.

 

I mean it is completely unnecessary and does not fill any particular need, but may add a little savour to combat for those who like the idea.

 

Thoughts?

 

I'm not crazy about this idea. For one thing, I'm not sure how it affects play balance - and just because it's the same for everyone doesn't mean it is balanced, especially if you get a roll like 5,5,5 which doesn't hit very often. And 6,6,6, is already an automatic failure.

 

I was never a fan of the wild die in Star Wars because it was 1/3 rolls and had a major effect overall. This is capable of affecting almost 1/2 of all rolls. Even if you keep the "bonuses" to a minimum, it could have a major effect on play balance. A +1 OCV can affect your hit chances by as much as 1 in 8. On the other hand, if you already have a big advantage, that extra +1 OCV might only get you a 1 in 25 bonus. If you do DCs, it may not translate into enough extra damage to matter. In short, the bonuses won't necessarily affect everyone equally. If I've got a martial artist and I'm fighting a brick, I don't care about extra OCV, it probably doesn't make much difference for me. The extra DC might be nice, but it may not be enough to hurt the brick, and if I'm using somethng like and NND to hurt him, it's only about 1pip. Big deal. If I'm the brick, I don't care about DC; I'm gonna squash the little pipsqueak if I can hit him. But that extra OCV might come in real handy since the difference between 9- and 10- is quite significant. Of course, if the martial artist realizes the brick just got a bonus(how do you tell if someone just a bonus on you?), the little squirt is liable to just declare a dodge and my CV bonus is pretty irreleveant.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

I'm not crazy about this idea. For one thing' date=' I'm not sure how it affects play balance - and just because it's the same for everyone doesn't mean it is balanced, especially if you get a roll like 5,5,5 which doesn't hit very often. And 6,6,6, is already an automatic failure. [/quote']

 

Maybe high doubles and triples should create an advantage to the defender, rather than the attacker. Perhaps 6 6 6 means the target gets a free retaliatory strike, and double six means the attacker is at -1 DCV until his next phase, or some such.

 

I also don't care that much for such a totally random and uncontrollable event.It's one thing for someone to get "hot" but that requires more than one roll. But then' date=' I didn't like the wild die in Star Wars either. But part of that is that it came up way too often and had a major effect on outcomes. This has that same potential. Triple damage could kill a lot of characters just because of one totally fluky roll on something that wouldn't normally do any body.[/quote']

 

Triple damage is a lot better that Sean's maximum of +2 DC's, isn't it? I think Sean's examples are much more low-impact. My bigger concern would be the fact that doubles come up over 40% of the time, so these extra bonuses would be very common. That's OK, however, if you want these minor variations to show up regularly.

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Maybe high doubles and triples should create an advantage to the defender, rather than the attacker. Perhaps 6 6 6 means the target gets a free retaliatory strike, and double six means the attacker is at -1 DCV until his next phase, or some such.

 

 

 

Triple damage is a lot better that Sean's maximum of +2 DC's, isn't it? I think Sean's examples are much more low-impact. My bigger concern would be the fact that doubles come up over 40% of the time, so these extra bonuses would be very common. That's OK, however, if you want these minor variations to show up regularly.

 

By the time,you posted this, I'd already rewritten that section of my post because I had somewhat misread the first post. I still don't like it though.

 

And for double 6s, what if I still hit? I could roll 6,6,1 for 13. IF I have a high OCV character like a martial artist then I could hit a lot of people with that roll.

[kjamma4]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Here’s an idea ripped, at least in part from a great game called Unknown Armies.

 

When the dice roll comes up with a double or triple number, you get a bonus of some sort:

 

+1 OCV on attacks next phase

+1 DCV next phase

+1DC on this attack

Free attempt to disarm the target of this attack

Free attempt to grab the target for this attack

+1” knockback on this attack

 

 

What about when your roll triples and you miss? If you roll three fives and you miss, shouldn't you get some sort of penalty (since you are modeling this off of Unknown Armies)?

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

And for double 6s' date=' what if I still hit? I could roll 6,6,1 for 13. IF I have a high OCV character like a martial artist then I could hit a lot of people with that roll.[/quote']

 

Sure, you can still hit. Why can't you hit and take a -1 DCV penalty until your next phase?

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Sure' date=' you can still hit. Why can't you hit and take a -1 DCV penalty until your next phase?[/quote']

 

On the other hand, why should I? Theoretically, I can explain how it happens, but we have to work out details like that, if we were going to do it. And we're going to have to have an even number of bonuses and penalties aren't we?

 

But again, even if we do, I think it tends to affect people differently because not everyone has similar CVs and DCs. They fit in a range, but even a small range for 4 CVs or 4DCs, a + or - 1 can have a major effect. In fact, the more unbalanced the game is to start(the wider the range of CVs and DCs involved to start) the less effect this has. I don't like the idea of a random event that affects characters(or even campaigns) differently.

 

And on one other related point, how do we rewrite Analyze: Style to compensate since it basically does deliberately what this is apparently attempting to do randomly.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

On the other hand' date=' why should I? Theoretically, I can explain how it happens, but we have to work out details like that, if we were going to do it.[/quote']

 

Why do we need all those details? Do you stop and worry about the reason your last hit was 30 STUN, but this one rolled 40? These are also random elements.

 

And we're going to have to have an even number of bonuses and penalties aren't we?

 

There's no magic to making it even, is there?

 

But again' date=' even if we do, I think it tends to affect people differently because not everyone has similar CVs and DCs. They fit in a range, but even a small range for 4 CVs or 4DCs, a + or - 1 can have a major effect. In fact, the more unbalanced the game is to start(the wider the range of CVs and DCs involved to start) the less effect this has. I don't like the idea of a random event that affects characters(or even campaigns) differently.[/quote']

 

Like damage rolls? A great damage roll affects the character with high defenses and STUN very differently from the low defense/stun character who would have been KO'd anyway if the roll was 15 lower.

 

Or maybe rolls to hit? A roll of 5 when you need a 6 or less to hit that high DCV opponent has a lot more meaning than when you were attacking a much slower target, and could have hit with a 14.

 

The bigger concern I would have is that all these bonuses and penalties are going to complicate combat, and slow it down.

 

And on one other related point' date=' how do we rewrite Analyze: Style to compensate since it basically does deliberately what this is apparently attempting to do randomly.[/quote']

 

We don't. Analyze Style grants bonuses on your skill in analyzing the target's style. Having analyzed that style, you can still step wrong on a slick spot on the floor and stumble while executing your attack.

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

 

Or maybe rolls to hit? A roll of 5 when you need a 6 or less to hit that high DCV opponent has a lot more meaning than when you were attacking a much slower target, and could have hit with a 14.

 

QUOTE]

 

Except that in neither case is the random element unaccounted for. A roll of 5 is always a 5. And needing a 6 is the same hit % regardless of whether you roll 4,1,1 or 3,1,1. But it may have more symbolic meaning to roll 5 when you need 6 as opposed to 14, but the mechanical effect has been factored in already. And so have unusual damage rolls. Sure, sometimes you get 30 and sometimes 40, but 10d6 is 10d6 and, overall, it evens out pretty quick and the amount of change/randomness affects everyone equally. Putting bonuses/penalties for rolling doubles or triples won't affect everyone equally. Ever. It's the nature of the mechanic.

 

And again, how do you perceive/defend against someone getting a bonus against you? In every other case, I can generally tell if someone is getting is getting a bonus against me because they have to take some action that at least lets me know they MIGHT have such a bonus(above and beyond their reputation as a skilled/unskilled fighter). If someone is aiming at me, I can tell. If someone tries to haymaker, it is obvious. But in this case, you have no real way of knowing whether someone has a bonus against you. And even if it isn't perfectly realistic, given how the system works(and the fact that it portrays a lot of things that AREN'T realistic) there should be some way to know if someone just a bonus by rolling 2,2,2.

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Just a quick statistical reference:

 

There are 216 permutations of 3d6. Of these:

 

There are exactly 6 triples, or approximately 2.78%

There are 90 strict doubles (that is, doubles that are not also triples), or approximately 41.67%

 

I was a little surprised at the large percentage of doubles. Because of that, I would tend to assign a lesser effect to the doubles, and more to the triples.

 

And rep to you for doing all that number work so I don't have to

 

Seriously:

 

thank you. I was wondering about that, and haven't had time to figure it myself. Thanks; heaps!

 

 

On the other hand' date=' why should I?[/quote']

 

You don't have to; simply don't use it.

 

But your reasoning is interesting. Please continue.

 

 

we're going to have to have an even number of bonuses and penalties aren't we?

 

Do we need to? I was under the impression that the original idea, as presented, was essentially a set of Easter eggs for lucky rolls. Does it necessarily follow that there should be penalties for bad rolls? For that matter, do we even need to insist that the Bad Guys get to use this system as well? Sure, it's 'more equal,' but does more equal automatically mean better?

 

 

 

But again' date=' even if we do, I think it tends to affect people differently because not everyone has similar CVs and DCs. They fit in a range, but even a small range for 4 CVs or 4DCs, a + or - 1 can have a major effect.[/quote']

 

I agree completely. But doesn't that also provide the potential for these Random Goodnesses to serve as a sort of one-shot 'bonus equalizer?'

 

Would this idea appeal to you more if it were, say-- an effect of the power Combat Luck? Or maybe saved for the 'big climax' of the story? I ask because that is actually where I myself find it to be the most likely to excite my players, and, if I opt to implement it, that is where I will probably limit it, if only to keep the novelty intact.

 

 

In fact' date=' the more unbalanced the game is to start(the wider the range of CVs and DCs involved to start) the less effect this has.[/quote']

 

I'm not sure I follow you here. I mean, if two opponents have a difference of say, 4 CV, then the higher needs a 15 to hit. If he nets a +1 bonus he needs a 16. The odds aren't changed much here, but the Lower needs a 9. Getting up to a 10 will help him considerably.

 

I understand that 'disadvantaged' characters may well get the most benefit, but that seems easy enough to temper simply by not allowing any bonus from a roll that would not have made a successful anyway. Not the way I intend to do it (though I don't intend to allow bonuses for Nat 18 as that's generally accepted as a Bad Thing in our games, and I am not going to allow bonuses for Nat 3 if you need a Nat 3 to hit in the first place).

 

 

I don't like the idea of a random event that affects characters(or even campaigns) differently.

 

Agreed. Random is bad. We should quit using dice. :D

 

No; seriously-- that was just a joke; not a slight. It's just that the phasing there, in a conversation about dice rolls, struck me as kind of funny. But I really do get your point.

 

 

And on one other related point' date=' how do we rewrite Analyze: Style to compensate since it basically does deliberately what this is apparently attempting to do randomly.[/quote']

 

Well, we don't.

 

Analyze Style takes the random out these things. If nothing else, make it cheaper, or easier, or allow for different or 'more special' perks for Analyze:Style. Or make the perks for the Random Goodnesses smaller. Or harder to get-- do away with bonuses for Doubles, and use only small pay-offs for Triples.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Except that in neither case is the random element unaccounted for. A roll of 5 is always a 5.

 

And a roll of 1,1,3 is always a 5 with a double 1 in it. Sean's proposal wouold add some more randomness, but it doesn't start from a non-random system - it expands on it.

 

And needing a 6 is the same hit % regardless of whether you roll 4' date='1,1 or 3,1,1.[/quote']

 

And the likelihood of rolling a 6 or under with 2 1's in your roll is the same opercentage chance for each toss of the dice as well.

 

Sure' date=' sometimes you get 30 and sometimes 40, but 10d6 is 10d6 and, overall, it evens out pretty quick and the amount of change/randomness affects everyone equally. Putting bonuses/penalties for rolling doubles or triples won't affect everyone equally. Ever. It's the nature of the mechanic.[/quote']

 

I fail to understand how rolling damage enough times will eventually even out, but rolling enough 3d6 rolls won't, over time, even out the doubles and triples. The fact that a 4d6 KA will even out over time is of no benefit for the poor sucker who just got hit with 21 BOD and 105 STUN.

 

And again' date=' how do you perceive/defend against someone getting a bonus against you? In every other case, I can generally tell if someone is getting is getting a bonus against me because they have to take some action that at least lets me know they MIGHT have such a bonus(above and beyond their reputation as a skilled/unskilled fighter). If someone is aiming at me, I can tell. If someone tries to haymaker, it is obvious. But in this case, you have no real way of knowing whether someone has a bonus against you.[/quote']

 

Can you tell from looking at anb opponent that he has four skill levels in HTH combat and has allocated 2 to OCV and 2 to DCV? Those are bonuses.

 

And even if it isn't perfectly realistic' date=' given how the system works(and the fact that it portrays a lot of things that AREN'T realistic) there should be some way to know if someone just a bonus by rolling 2,2,2.[/quote']

 

Why? I don't know when that first attack inflicts 55 STUN and 17 BOD whether he hit me with a slightly below average 18d6 attack, or a great roll on a 12d6 attack. I don't know whether the opponent managed to connect with my 13 DCV because he has a 14 OCV, or an 8 OCV and a lucky roll. Why would I know that he got a bonus from rolling three 2's? All thre, of course, might become known because the GM tells me he got a lucky roll, but that's game style, not some rule that says you "know" someone got a bonus. If, for whatever reason, you want those bonuses known, all you need to do is announce them.

[StGrimblefig]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

And rep to you for doing all that number work so I don't have to

 

Seriously:

 

thank you. I was wondering about that, and haven't had time to figure it myself. Thanks; heaps!

Spreadsheets are great for generating brute force statistical analysis with minimal effort.

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

And a roll of 1,1,3 is always a 5 with a double 1 in it. Sean's proposal wouold add some more randomness, but it doesn't start from a non-random system - it expands on it.

 

 

 

And the likelihood of rolling a 6 or under with 2 1's in your roll is the same opercentage chance for each toss of the dice as well.

 

 

 

I fail to understand how rolling damage enough times will eventually even out, but rolling enough 3d6 rolls won't, over time, even out the doubles and triples. The fact that a 4d6 KA will even out over time is of no benefit for the poor sucker who just got hit with 21 BOD and 105 STUN.

 

 

 

Can you tell from looking at anb opponent that he has four skill levels in HTH combat and has allocated 2 to OCV and 2 to DCV? Those are bonuses.

 

 

 

Why? I don't know when that first attack inflicts 55 STUN and 17 BOD whether he hit me with a slightly below average 18d6 attack, or a great roll on a 12d6 attack. I don't know whether the opponent managed to connect with my 13 DCV because he has a 14 OCV, or an 8 OCV and a lucky roll. Why would I know that he got a bonus from rolling three 2's? All thre, of course, might become known because the GM tells me he got a lucky roll, but that's game style, not some rule that says you "know" someone got a bonus. If, for whatever reason, you want those bonuses known, all you need to do is announce them.

 

Ok, to break this up:

 

1. I think that the average character "knows" a lot more about his opponent and how well that character is fighting than you give them credit for. Part of this is based on reputation. Everyone knows that Grond is insanely strong. If he hits me for only 45 STUN, I know I got lucky - just because I'm still standing. Same thing for other big name baddies like Mechanon and Dr. Destroyer. By reputation, we know they're a lot tougher than that last hit just indicated. Similarly, it usually doesn't take long to figure out someone's "usual" CVs just by paying attention to what they attempt to do and what hits and misses. If they shift a lot of levels around, you can figure out they did it based on them fighting more defensively, or the fact that a roll that hit before just missed. Plus, on a more "theorectical" level, shouldn't something have to happen to create the bonus? And therefore, shouldn't someone who knew what to look for be able to notice that their relative position has gotten better or worse?

 

2. It's not that rolling enough 3d6s won't even out the doubles and triples, the problem is that A) It has less chance of evening out in a given fight and even if two characters roll the exact same number and type of doubles or triples, they may not gain equivalent benefit because a +1 OCV, for instance, doesn't have the same percentage effect on everyone's hit roll. If I have a 7 OCV, that +1 will do a lot more to increase my chances that if I have an 11 OCV trying to hit the same DCV. Same thing with damage rolls, +1DC of damage affects each attack differently. If I'm using an NND nerve Strike, I get +1 pip of damage. If I'm using a fist, I get +1D6 normal damage(about 1 BODY and 3.5 STUN) If I'm using a HKA sword I get 1 pip of BODY AND extra STUN(let's say 3). If I have left over STR and get to add that behind the new HKA total, say, from 1D6(2D6 total), to 1D6+1(2 1/2D6 total) then the guy with the sword gets a lot more. And so on as you get into other types of attacks(Mental Blast, Drains and such) it gets even more varied. And there is a very good chance that it won't even out. Again, who needs a +1OCV more - a martial artist hitting a brick or a brick hitting a martial artist?

 

3. As you get closer to the extreme ends of the spectrum, the liklihood of a bonus is going to increase. For example, in order to roll a three, four, or five, you MUST roll doubles or triples(either 1,1,3 or 2,2,1 no other combination can give you 5, the only combination for 4 is 1,1,2 and the only combination for 3 is 1,1,1), so you're essentially making it so that whenever something unlikely happens, you AUTOMATICALLY have a bonus or penalty applied to the next action. So this isn't quite as random as it first seems. Sure, the overall odds of rolling a "bonus" combination don't change every time you pick up 3d6, BUT there are some tasks that are so difficult that you would ALWAYS score a "bonus" when you succeeded. You have to get to the middle numbers(around 8 or 9 I think) before it reaches a point where scoring a "bonus" during success is unlikely.

 

To return to the martial artist vs. brick fight one more time. Let's say they each roll an eight and get 6,1,1 on their first hit rolls and this gives them a +1 to hit on their next attack. The martial artist just got hosed, even though they rolled the same thing. The martial artist gets a + 1 OCV which improves his chance to hit from 14- to 15-. Big deal, that's about 4% if I remember right. If the brick just went from 8- to 9- then his percentage increased by about twice as much from the same bonus. So the effect is NOT equal even though the rolls were.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

What, because there arent already enough things to keep track of in a HERO System combat?

 

Im with Thia; If I were to allow something along these lines it would be as a custom Power, probably modeled off of a reduced version of "Requires a Luck Roll" conflating the Luck Roll into a normal to hit roll.

[Cancer]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

If you really want to get arbitrary and atomic, use dice of three different colors (calling them "ones digit", "tens digit", and "hundreds digit"), and assign a different special effect to each 3-digit-number. Use the I Ching as a pattern for this.

 

EDIT: I ought to add here to make my intent more obvious.

[Mike W]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

If you really want to get arbitrary and atomic, use dice of three different colors (calling them "ones digit", "tens digit", and "hundreds digit"), and assign a different special effect to each 3-digit-number. Use the I Ching as a pattern for this.

 

EDIT: I ought to add here to make my intent more obvious.

 

You realize that I just shuddered by the very similarity of that proposal to the Star Wars "wild die", which I HATED.

[archermoo]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

I can see giving a bennie for rolling three of a kind. I can't really see giving one for rolling "doubles", since almost half of all rolls will have doubles.

 

Personally, I'm not interested in it though. I'm more likely to give bennies for succeeding by good amounts (make by 1/2 or by 10 or something like that) than by patterns on the dice.

 

How about bonuses for rolling a straight?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

Yahtzee!!!!!!

[Sean Waters]

Re: Extra information from 3d6

 

If you really want to get arbitrary and atomic, use dice of three different colors (calling them "ones digit", "tens digit", and "hundreds digit"), and assign a different special effect to each 3-digit-number. Use the I Ching as a pattern for this.

 

EDIT: I ought to add here to make my intent more obvious.

 

So you meant that, right?

 

(er.... )