I have been mulling over how to do Ability Checks in White Box.
I have used Ability Checks for things forever. Like, forever. I do not remember a time when I did not use them. Welcome to the game there, 5e.
I tried the Saving-Throw-for-everything method. Hated it.
I went for the straight roll-under-your-score method and a player complained about rolling high to attack and low to succeed on ability checks. Too complex for him...though he loves 5e. Go figure.
So my next basic idea is simple:
If the task is something that an average person in this situation could do, then no check is required. However, if this is not the case, roll 2d6, add any Ability Modifiers from Table 7 and check below:
- If the task is where success is questionable, roll 8+ to succeed
- If the task is unlikely, get a 10+ to succeed
- If the task is something really zany, get a 12+ on the roll to succeed
That's it. In a nutshell:
Average: no roll
Iffy: 8+
Unlikely: 10+
Crazy: 12+
Not tried this in-game yet but I feel like it will work. Using the d6 hearkens back to the origins of the game. This gives me a warm and fuzzy. Also, allows me to use the modifiers from Table 7 in the book as is, with no changes, and the modifiers still have a noticeable effect on the checks (on a d20, a +1 is negligible).
Anyho, that is my latest idea. What do you think?
.
.
.
.
.
.
edit: I wrote this last night, then woke up this morning to +James V West dropping his fantastic zine Black Pudding #4 which totally, possibly, changed my mind. What a jerk.
Go buy it anyway, PWYW, chuck him a buck or two. He's still a jerk.
Go buy it anyway, PWYW, chuck him a buck or two. He's still a jerk.