Oposed Skill Checks

[cjfodel]

Let me get this right, in an opposed skill check if both parties succeed in the check the character with the HIGHEST roll wins, so is a person with a higher score roles above a person with a lower skill, the one with the higher skill wins.

If the both lose the one with the lowest roll wins, Am I right.

So most of the time the person with the highest score is going to win, except when the both fail, then the one with the lowest skill wins.

The only exception I can possibly see is some crits on a skill roll.

Dose what I think make scene to you; let me know what you think.

Charles :twisted:

 

[King Amenjar]

Yes, this is correct. I'm not keen on this system, as at low skill levels, where the likeliest outcome is indeed that both contestants roll failures, it means whoever is worse will be more likely to win - like some kind of gaming geek (oh, wait...), I worked it out with Excel and found that in a contest between someone with 30% against someone with 15%, the 15% contestant, in spite of having only half his opponent's ability, actually has a slight advantage, winning just under 51% of the time.
I'd replace this rule with this one: if both succeed or both fail, then whoever's got the highest score wins. To those who might say that isn't really fair, I say: good. Don't try and take on someone who's better. If both have the same skill, then you can do the highest/lowest thing.

 

[Rurik]

Heh, I was just posting on a similar topic. There is a calculator BlueJay created that calculates both combat odds and opposed odds. I just bumped the thread so it should be at the top of the list.

There is even a link to the old calculator that still supports the 2 roll misconception for combat - useful as some on this board seem to prefer that method.

 

[Dr. Halflight]

The skill system does away with the old I'm sneaking, the Guard is trying to spot, WE both fail. Unfortunately it skews probabilities. But I think it does so give the underdog a chance. Its been pointed out in other thread, correctly IMHO, that PC's will benefit from this & when the PC's are the Big Dogs, even a guard shouldn't be completely overlooked.

I honestly believe, it was Mongoose's decision to use a percentile system in a similar way to Roll over TN systems.

Most of the changes they made, I always made in my other BRP games. So I'm in the Happy as a Clam camp.

I happen to think BRP is very good system, but the nuts & bolts of it are not very dynamic. I feel that MRQ has introduced that & still remaind on some level a BRP variant.

Doc

 

[King Amenjar]

The skill system does away with the old I'm sneaking, the Guard is trying to spot, WE both fail. Unfortunately it skews probabilities. But I think it does so give the underdog a chance. Its been pointed out in other thread, correctly IMHO, that PC's will benefit from this & when the PC's are the Big Dogs, even a guard shouldn't be completely overlooked.

As to giving the underdog a chance, this may be fine and dandy in a school sports day, but do you want the game to in any way resemble what would actually happen, or do you want the game as an end in itself? I also wonder how exactly it's possible to "overlook" the guard? You're sneaking about, therefore, you haven't overlooked him. As far as plot advancement goes, what happens if he sees you? You kill him or he kills you?