Skill base chances. What do you prefer ?

[weasel fierce]

Throughout BRP and related games, there's a few ways to handle the skill base chance. What do you prefer for a BRP game or inspired homebrew ?

Flat chance (ala Stormbringer 5) - Example: Mechanic 30
Flat chance modified by stats (Runequest 3) - Example: Mechanic 30 and I get a +4 bonus from my Manipulation skill bonus.
Completely stat based (Elfquest did this I believe ?, the Dodge skill in Call of Cthulhu is a good example too) - Example: Mechanic is INT x3 or INT+DEX or whatnot.

Or something else altogether ?

[Simlasa]

A mix of all of those... depending on the skill.

[Atgxtg]

I've been leaning towards a hybrid.

What I'd like to do it take the old category modfiers, but instead of baseing them around zero, have then use to full stat vale.

For instance, the old Maniplution Category Modfier was ITN & DEX priamry, STR secondary.
So make in DEX+INT+(STR/2).

And use that for starting percentage for Manipulation skills. (So an average RQ character would start off with around 29% with manipulation skills.

[RMS]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

I've been leaning towards a hybrid.

What I'd like to do it take the old category modfiers, but instead of baseing them around zero, have then use to full stat vale.

For instance, the old Maniplution Category Modfier was ITN & DEX priamry, STR secondary.
So make in DEX+INT+(STR/2).

And use that for starting percentage for Manipulation skills. (So an average RQ character would start off with around 29% with manipulation skills.

I like this, with one possible caveat. I like how skill category modifiers add to skill checks in RQIII and want to keep that. With the above system, I don't see how to easily do that without having huge bonuses. I don't mind decent size ones, so maybe just using Start Skill /2 or /3 would work...

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by RMS

I like this, with one possible caveat. I like how skill category modifiers add to skill checks in RQIII and want to keep that. With the above system, I don't see how to easily do that without having huge bonuses. I don't mind decent size ones, so maybe just using Start Skill /2 or /3 would work...

What I did for my BRP variant was to add Skill CAT/5 to improvment rolls. So a person with a 30% Manipulation Skill Category would add 6% to improvement rolls.

[AikiGhost]

Originally Posted by weasel fierce

Completely stat based (Elfquest did this I believe ?, the Dodge skill in Call of Cthulhu is a good example too) - Example: Mechanic is INT x3 or INT+DEX or whatnot.

Definitely this one.

[NickMiddleton]

Originally Posted by weasel fierce

Throughout BRP and related games, there's a few ways to handle the skill base chance. What do you prefer for a BRP game or inspired homebrew ?

Flat chance (ala Stormbringer 5) - Example: Mechanic 30

SB5 and CoC have some skills (Dodge, Speak Own Langauge IIRC) at a multiple of a stat.

Flat chance modified by stats (Runequest 3) - Example: Mechanic 30 and I get a +4 bonus from my Manipulation skill bonus.
Completely stat based (Elfquest did this I believe ?, the Dodge skill in Call of Cthulhu is a good example too) - Example: Mechanic is INT x3 or INT+DEX or whatnot.

Don't like the all stats method - characteristics only play a roll at creation, and then base chances are all about the individuals capabilties (and can vary wildly between mebers of teh same species).

I prefer base chances plus skill categories, as stats remain relevant (and visibly contribute to skills) and base scores can then be set for a species or culture.

Cheers,

Nick Middleton

[Trifletraxor]

Completely stat based starting chances for me. Then stats are involved, but there's much less calculating and hassle later.

SGL.

[Charles Green]

I'd have to go with stat-based too.

It's one of the things I like about MRQ, as it makes stats mean something.

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by Charles Green

I'd have to go with stat-based too.

It's one of the things I like about MRQ, as it makes stats mean something.

It one of the thing I didn't like about MRQ because it makes stats mean nothing. Once you character is written up it doesn't matter what your stat is.

With a skill plus modifier system or even my category modifier variant, and improvement to a stat is reflected in skills. So if you get stronger or faster you skills go up a point.