I'll just keep replying to the same thing here. Clearly I need a drink.
Anyway, you're right - they changed things, but made them wacky in different ways. The chances are now much higher, with a 90% if it's a skill you have in your best stat, 50% for unskilled in your worst. Cutting down the number of allowable failures likely makes the longer skill challenges too challenging, as getting 9 straight successes - almost a requirement for a 12 out of 14 challenge - has a 39% chance for the 90% skilled+high stat character but drops to 13% for an 80% skilled + mid stat one. I'd rather see the number of failures allowed go up because it a) more closely approximates the length of combat and 2) draws out the test a bit to increase the potential drama.
However, I am considering altering the DC of the rolls based on the test length to keep the percent chances of overall succcess somewhat comperable. Plus, having higher DCs for the shorter tests gives them a minimum bar - the best in the party has to tbe the one to do this short test, while the longer tests can get more people involved.
I appreciate the limiting of Aid Another to one or two per roll to get everyone involved, but how about just allowing the non-skilled people to sit the test out and let the specialist shine? Why is my taciturn, sullen dwarvish fighter even talking to the Baron?
At least they stopped advocating that finding clever ways to play to your strengths should net you no bonus mathmatically. That was truly irksome.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-09-26 11:22 pm (UTC)Anyway, you're right - they changed things, but made them wacky in different ways. The chances are now much higher, with a 90% if it's a skill you have in your best stat, 50% for unskilled in your worst. Cutting down the number of allowable failures likely makes the longer skill challenges too challenging, as getting 9 straight successes - almost a requirement for a 12 out of 14 challenge - has a 39% chance for the 90% skilled+high stat character but drops to 13% for an 80% skilled + mid stat one. I'd rather see the number of failures allowed go up because it a) more closely approximates the length of combat and 2) draws out the test a bit to increase the potential drama.
However, I am considering altering the DC of the rolls based on the test length to keep the percent chances of overall succcess somewhat comperable. Plus, having higher DCs for the shorter tests gives them a minimum bar - the best in the party has to tbe the one to do this short test, while the longer tests can get more people involved.
I appreciate the limiting of Aid Another to one or two per roll to get everyone involved, but how about just allowing the non-skilled people to sit the test out and let the specialist shine? Why is my taciturn, sullen dwarvish fighter even talking to the Baron?
At least they stopped advocating that finding clever ways to play to your strengths should net you no bonus mathmatically. That was truly irksome.