Microlite20 : the smallest thing in gaming


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Jawar

First Post
E X C E L L E N T job you did with the d20Microlite!

The whole downsizing of numbers is very appealing to me (I don't handle very well massive amounts of numeric data... :heh: )

And the way you took off from vancian magic is a cool breeze!

My absolute congratulations!

PS: Now I need to evaluate all of it with ease, mainly the compatibility with SRD 3.5.
A Power Word Kill kills any character with 100 hp or less. So, is my character allowed a MIND bonus + his level save?
It's no fun if it's a straight death, since the conventional spell allows no save, right?
 

greywulf

First Post
Thanks for the kind words, Jawar. Glad you like it!

When it comes to spells like Power Word Kill I find that a better solution is for the GM to either keep them out of the hands of players, or (as I've done once) make "knowing their truename" a requirement for casting. That led to a huge quest/investigation for the group to remote libraries, dwarven loremasters and forgotten tombs just to piece together the syllables that formed their enemy's lineage. It made for a cool series of sessions that cumulated in the spell being cast successfully to their great relief. They did decide that the 3 months of research probably wasn't worth the effort though, and would just use long pointy metal in future.

Remember, there's always a role-playing solution to the problem before fiddling with extra rules.
 

Jawar

First Post
On the DC's:

Instead of rolling the D6 and adding them together, why not just to look at the highest die rolled?

Once I had a SF system that worked very well and we've played it for almost a year (pre 3.0) and the DC's were like:

3 - easy
4 - average
5 - difficult
6 - very difficult

Since we're talking low amounts of D6 here (I hope), cause there are D6 added for traits or circumstance penalties reducing dice, a balanced challenge should keep things to a 1 or 2 D6 rolled.

When making opposing rolls, the higher result wins.
On a tie, see the second best result.

As an added bonus, more than one die reaching the DC would make the action a FREE action.
Meaning, one could climb and STILL make an attack, make an extra attack, make an attack a make a full move, etc. A whole stunt cinematics thing at hand...
 

Jawar

First Post
greywulf said:
Thanks for the kind words, Jawar. Glad you like it!

When it comes to spells like Power Word Kill I find that a better solution is for the GM to either keep them out of the hands of players, or (as I've done once) make "knowing their truename" a requirement for casting. That led to a huge quest/investigation for the group to remote libraries, dwarven loremasters and forgotten tombs just to piece together the syllables that formed their enemy's lineage. It made for a cool series of sessions that cumulated in the spell being cast successfully to their great relief. They did decide that the 3 months of research probably wasn't worth the effort though, and would just use long pointy metal in future.

Remember, there's always a role-playing solution to the problem before fiddling with extra rules.

Those "kind words" were well deserved. I find it a hobby of sorts to create my own more or less compatible rules, so I believe that you went for it goooood.

I enjoyed your solution for heavy duty spells like powerwords: the mechanic of truenames as we've heard them since Earthsea suit them like a fine glove!
 

snikle

First Post
Jawar said:
On the DC's:
Instead of rolling the D6 and adding them together, why not just to look at the highest die rolled?

Only thing I see negative about that is it leaves very little room for numerical variations and growth. Now if you see this as a play and forget rather than a campaign, I think that it works, if you were thinking of allot of gaming using this, I think that limitation would cause problems.

greywulf, I like the MicroliteNot20. It's funny you made this, I was just thinking last night of working up another rules-lite system.
 

Jawar

First Post
snikle said:
Only thing I see negative about that is it leaves very little room for numerical variations and growth.

I see your point:
Seasoned characters may find it "easy" to get through "very difficult" tasks.
The ones that really were "very difficult" when they were rookies.

But that is what we see in movies, right?
Legolas rides a mamooths back on a Phys DEX roll with incredible ease WHILE shooting arrows (evidently, he rolled a couple of 6s to perform it like a free action, according to my little rule).

Still, I envision some epic tasks ahead, when two or MORE D6 are necessary to achieve success at a task.

I know, it's a brisk step, from a single 6 result needed to several 6s needed...
That's why they are epic tasks!
;)
 
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Larcen

Explorer
Here is a little something I threw together today after being inspired by the small and simple bonuses on the MicroliteNot20 character sheet. I've never seen anything like what I am about to propose, so someone let me know if it’s been done before.

Ratio Resolution System

Instead of using a D20, or a D6, or whatever, the bonuses being used determine the die type. As follows:

• Whenever you have a success roll to make add the two bonuses together. These bonuses are the two bonuses involved in a contest or your total bonus added to the target’s difficulty rating.
• Round up to the nearest die type and roll that die.
• If the number rolled is equal to or less than the lower bonus, low bonus wins and you are done.
• If the number rolled is equal to or less than the total of both bonuses, high bonus wins.
• If it’s neither of the above, roll again.

Example: Player A has a bonus of +5 and is in a contest with player B who has a bonus of +6. That’s 5 + 6 = 11, so use a D12. On a roll of 1 thru 5, player A wins. On a roll of 6 thru 11, player B wins. On a roll of 12, roll again.

Example: +2 bonus vs. +3 bonus. That’s 2 + 3 = 5, so use a D6. On a roll of 1 or 2, lower bonus wins. On a roll of 3 thru 5, higher bonus wins. On a roll of a six, roll again.

Example: Your Open Locks is +4 and the lock is DC 6. That’s 4 + 6 = 10. Use a D10. On a roll of 1 thru 4, you open the lock. On a roll of 5 thru 10, the lock stays closed.

Example: Your total to-hit bonus is 5 and the opponents AC is 3. 5 + 3 = 8, use a D8. On a roll of 1 thru 3, you missed (AC wins). On a roll of 4 thru 8, you hit.

Example: Your total to-hit bonus is 3, the opponents AC is 6. 3 + 6 = 9, use a D10. On a roll of 1 thru 3, you hit. On a roll of 4 thru 9, you missed. On a roll of 10, roll again.

• Negative bonuses add their base number to the higher score and are then considered a +1 themselves.

Example: Your total to-hit is -2 and the opponent’s AC is 6. That is 1 + (6 + 2) = 9, so use a D10. On a roll of 1, you hit. On a roll of 2 thru 9, you miss. Reroll 10s.

• If both bonuses are negative, use them like positive numbers but then the winners are reversed.

Example: a bonus of -2 vs. a bonus of -5. That is 2 + 5 = 7, so a D8 is used. However, -5 wins on 1 thru 2, and -2 wins on 3 thru 7. Reroll 8 in this example.

This system works best for games with low total bonuses. Otherwise something like +18 vs. a +21 would have you rolling percentile dice until you get 39 and under, for instance. Plus the math would take a second or two longer. I think any system where the usual bonuses and target numbers are no more than +15 is good. +15 should be extremely godlike talented , or extremely godawful difficult. That way a D30 is the largest die you will need most of the time. Along the same lines, systems where negative bonuses come up a lot is extra work for this as well. Luckily these should be rare.

Note that this system always provides a proportional chance for success no what what the bonuses involved are. Systems that use a set die type have the possibility of certain rolls being impossible to make. This is both good and bad of course. But I suppose if this system is used and the GM doesn’t want a chance of success he can just inform the player of his decision (maybe) and no roll is made. Still, I am a softie GM and I would still have that +1 juggler try to juggle the 8 flaming pickaxes at a DC 29 and roll that D30. :]

Questions? Comments? Tomatoes? :uhoh:
 
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snikle

First Post
Very interesting system and not one I have seen before either. I think it has real promise. a few comments:

Example: Player A has a bonus of +5 and is in a contest with player B who has a bonus of +6. That’s 5 + 6 = 11, so use a D12. On a roll of 1 thru 5, player A wins. On a roll of 6 thru 11, player B wins. On a roll of 12, roll again.
I would suggest making this a draw, rather than a reroll. Attack was parried, or you almost got the lock picked, etc, try again next round. Or you could always say the extra numbers on the die are to the defender (or lock, etc), sort of the old defender always gets the benefit of the doubt thing. This would speed up the process.

Example: Your total to-hit bonus is 5 and the opponents AC is 3. 5 + 3 = 8, use a D8. On a roll of 1 thru 3, you missed (AC wins). On a roll of 4 thru 8, you hit.
I would the person taking the action always the same. So 1-5 is a hit, 6-8 a miss. If it was the same person attacking an AC of 6, then roll a d12, 1-5 a hit, 6-12 a miss. Hmm might have to think about that more. If you kept the mechanic relatively the same it would also speed up the process.

Tomatoes are slimey.
 

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