Re: (TFT) d20 TFT Battle Report --> Rick's comments.

["Ty Beard" <tbeard@tyler.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "rsmith" <rsmith@lightspeed.ca>
To: <tft@brainiac.com>


> So my advice is do everything you can to
> limit the DX modifiers to a small set of easy
> to remember ones, and punch them up with good
> descriptions as much as possible.
>
> Thoughts?

Oh I agree completely, especially for combat. I'd want to equip the GM with
some additional tools (such as a scale of modifiers -- hard = -6; very hard
= -12, etc). But for combat, I think that 3 or 4 modifiers are tops (though
each cam apply in a number of situations). For instance, the chart below
limits combat modifiers to -2, -4, -6 and -8. You could change the missile
modifier to -1 per 3 hexes if you wish and have 5 modifiers. I think that
this list should go on the Character Sheet...

Combat DX Modifiers

Missile or Thrown Weapons:
 Missile Weapons: -2 per 6 hexes after the first 6 hexes
 Thrown Weapons: -2 per hex
 Opponent dodging: -6 (or should it be -4??)

Position (only one applies):
 Opponent is higher than you: -4
 Opponent is lower than you: +4
 Hitting opponent in the side: +4
 Hitting opponent in the rear: +8
 Opponent is on the ground: +8

Tactics:
 Opponent defending or dodging: -6 (or should it be -4??)

Your Status
 You are stunned (just took 5-7 hits): -4

I note that using a 2:1 ratio for modifiers will also reduce the temptation
for players to run characters with absurdely low AdjDX, like 3 or 4.

Now, regarding difficulty levels. TFT adds dice if a task gets harder. The
problem is that this affects the character's chance of success differently,
depending on where he falls on the bell curve. I see no particular advantage
to this system personally other than its ease of use as you noted. My
question is how best to implement it in d20 TFT. Consider some points:

1. a. In TFT, A DX 10 character makes 3D rolls 50% of the time.
   b. He makes 4D rolls ~16% of the time.
   c. He makes 5D rolls ~3% of the time.
   d. He makes 6D rolls ~0.45% of the time.
   So, 1 die difficulty reduces his success chance by ~35% and 2 dice by
~47%.

2. a. A DX 12 character makes 3D rolls ~74% of the time.
   b. He makes 4D rolls ~34% of the time.
   c. He makes 5D rolls ~10% of the time.
   d. He makes 6D rolls ~2% of the time.
   So 1 die difficulty reduces his success chance by ~40% and 2 dice by
~64%.

3. As noted earlier, the average reduction across a DX range of 6-14 is:

  DX Range 6-14
  4D rolls: 29%
  5D rolls: 46%

  DX Range 4-17
  4D rolls: 23%
  5D rolls: 40%

So, the $50 question is -- what is the appropriate d20 modifier for a 4D
roll and a 5D roll. Here are the issues that I am working with:

1. I assume all would agree that a linear progression is best (i.e., +1 die
= -6, +2 dice = -12 and so on). A strict interpolation of the TFT averages
might be -6 for 4D rolls, -9 for 5D rolls. This feels funny to me, though
you could simply insert a nominal 3.5D roll and define it as -3 in the d20
system. What do you guys think would be the best approach?

2. What is the appropriate degree of difficulty? I've always thought that
50% for average tasks (3D in TFT), 25% for hard tasks (4D in TFT) and 5% for
very hard tasks (5D in TFT) was correct. This is a -5 and -10 in a d20
system. But TFT has a 4D roll only being successful by an average person
about 15% of the time. So do I keep the TFT difficulty scale or change it to
my ideal scale? Note that a compromise is possible -- you can keep the TFT
scale in combat and keep my scale in the GM rules.

--Ty
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