(TFT) Contests between characters.

["rsmith" <rsmith@lightspeed.ca>]

Hello everyone,
	I have some new rules and I invite
comments.  I have long wished for a system to
allow two characters to directly compete with
each other.  This is another attempt at
creating some nice fast rules on the subject.



	Contests Between Characters
	(c) 2002 Richard Smith

  There are times when you wish to have two
characters directly compete against each
other.  I tried to handle this with my X:Xvs
Attribute rolls (the system is described in
my article on Wishes on Ty's website) but tho
they worked well in theory, in practice the
rules rewarded players who spent a long time
analyzing probabilities.  Not something that
I want in a fast paced game like TFT.

  GURPS tried to do this with 3 die rolls with
the higher person's skill being reduced to a 14,
and the weaker person being reduced by a like
amount but the system was not elegant.  (In my
opinion...)  In addition, if you had 6 point
lead in an attribute, you would pretty much
always win.  We would like the player with the
higher attribute total to have an advantage
but not an auto victory.  (Otherwise we could
just directly compare attribute scores.)

  After reading the Sorcerer RPG by Ron Edwards
I suggest the following rules based on the
system used in his game.  This is faster than
my system since the number of dice requires no
choices on the PC's part.


  Contests:
  A contest is always between characters.  Use
the normal saving throw rules for handling the
PC responding to traps and other hazards.

  In a contest the participants will roll 6 sided
dice; the more the better.  The number of dice
will be based on the character's attributes.  The
GM will say which attributes are rolled against.
(This may be against different attributes, e.g.
once character rolls vs. ST while the other must
roll against DX.)

  The number of dice rolled is equal to the
appropriate attribute divided by 3 (round down).
If a talent possessed by a character should
obviously help in the contest then you may roll
one extra die.

 	  Example:
	  Roth is a Master Thief and wishes to pick
	Sheena's pocket.  To pick the pocket requires
	that Roth make a DX roll as per the normal
	rules.  However to avoid being noticed by
	Sheena requires a contest between the two
	characters.  The GM rules that this a DX vs.
	IQ contest.  Roth has a DX of 16.  Sheena
	has an IQ of 12.  Both Thief and Master
	Thief will help the roll.  Roth will roll
	7 dice in the contest.  Sheena will roll
	4 dice.

  Resolving Contests:
  Each player rolls their several dice with high
rolls being good.  If one player's highest die is
higher than the highest die of the other player
then they have won the contest.  If the highest
die on each side is tied they are discarded and
the next highest dice are compared.  If they are
tied they are likewise discarded.

  If all dice are tied or if one person runs out
of dice after the discard of all high ties, then
the contest does not have a victor.  Generally
in the case of a tie, the GM should allow the
players a chance to change options before
continuing the contest.


  Optional Rule:
  If the GM wishes, the number of dice that are
higher than any dice of the opponent can be an
indication of the size of the victory.  For each
die that is higher than ANY of the opponents
dice is (after discarding the high ties) one
level of victory is gained.

	  Example:
	  Player A rolls 7 dice and gets 6, 5, 5,
	4, 2, 2 & 1.  Player B rolls 5 dice and
	gets 5, 4, 4, 4 and 1.  Player A gets a
	victory.

	  Example:
	  Player A rolls 4 dice and gets 6, 4, 4
	and a 3.  Player B rolls 5 dice and gets
	6, 4, 4, 3 & 2.  Since all of player A's
	dice are tied with the four highest dice
	of B it is a tie.  The GM should describe
	some tie result.  If appropriate, the
	contest may be broken off or could be
	continued with another pair of rolls.

	  Example:
	  Player A rolls 4 dice and gets a 6, 4,
	3 and 1.  Player B rolls 3 dice and gets
	a 6, 1 & 1.  After discarding the high
	pair, player A wins.  If the optional
	rules are being used player A wins with
	a level 2 victory.


	Rick
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