DICE (also known as D20) is a roleplaying tool which facilitates an arbitrary system that un-biasedly decides the severity of success or failure regarding the consequences of a character’s actions. Note that this tool also grants the sense of suspense through the capricious whim of random chance which could either be a boon or bane to a player.
How does DICE work?
DICE relates to the common method, practiced in most table top roleplaying games, in which the outcome of a situation is decided by the rolling of dice to overcome a projected target (difficulty) number. When a situation or an event arises in roleplaying which could have negative impact on a character (ex. a character jumping off the side of a cliff), the Narrator, a player selected to be the arbiter, enacts DICE, and therein interprets the results of the dice roll and defines what occurs to the character.
Please note that physical dice isn’t required and there are many free or inexpensive dice generating applications which can be found with a hasty Google search.
DICE Rules
Narrator:
1) Narrator’s should be adhering to a neutral stance when interpreting the results. Any indvidual can take upon themselves the role of Narrator, if one does please keep a fair and reasonable mindset.
2) The Narrator is the arbiter for DICE. During roleplaying sessions whatever decision is declared by the Narrator, due to the result of DICE, should be adhered to without question from the current players. Any objections or discussion to the rulings should be brought up to the Narrator’s attention after the RP session is over and resolved thereafter.
Character’s Resolve and Yield to Exhaustion:
1) Resolve: Characters are given an amount of “health” to portray their overall well-being. This does not solely represent physical injuries but rather an amalgamation of various afflictions which when endured can exhaust a character into submission.
-Player Characters (PC) are bestowed 3 points of Resolve.
2) Exhaustion: If a character exhaust’s all 3 of their Resolve then they are incapacitated. The loss of Resolve should NEVER equate to the death of a character. Character death is designated only by the player who created the character.
3) All Resolve is recovered at the start of a new session, after a character rests (no certain amount of time is required), and from some mechanic which can be explained via the setting (such as magical healing).
Target Numbers
1) Target Numbers (TN) are what the DICE results need to overcome in order to be successful. A DICE result needs only to reflect the TN or surpass it.
Average TN Numbers for various dice:
•1d6 – 4
• 1d8- 5
•1d10- 6
•1d12- 7
•1d20- 11
Etc.
2) Target Numbers (TN) can be varied. This is taking into consideration several situational indicators which can include: the PCs overall suitability to address the current challenge, the trappings of what the scene includes and the resistance/weaknesses of adversaries. In this the Narrator is encouraged to bestow bonuses and penalties to DICE rolls reflecting the current characteristics of what is occuring within play.
-For Example: A Nord struggling across the mountain heights of the the Jerall would be granted to bonuses to withstand the bitter drops in temperature as Nords are known to be resistant to cold weather.
-For Example: A Breton Scholar adorning himself in heavy armor and running across a battlefield would suffer penalties as this would be uncharacteristic of this character.
Adversaries and Combat
1) Adversaries, just as PCs, have Resolve, although unlike PCs, their Resolve isn’t restrained to only 3 Resolve but rather is varied depending on the adversary itself.
-For Example: Whereas a goblin can have two Resolve an Ogre could have five (or more) Resolve.
2) The issuance of Resolve should be contemplated by the Narrator as follows: Weaker adversaries (as compared to the player characters) or in scenarios where the Narrator desires to make the PCs feel far more heroic should bestow less Resolve for each participating Adversary. Difficult adversaries (such as bosses) or when a situation requires the fight to seem particularly difficult, adversaries should have increased Resolve.
3) In Combat situations Adversaries do not attack. Rather they are dependent on the PC’s DICE result to “attack” a PC.
•PC’s declares their attack and describes their action.
•Narrator decides a TN to hit the adversary.
•Narrator rolls DICE and compares it to TN:
-Successful: The Narrator describes the PC’s actions and makes a note that the adversary takes a point of damage to it’s resolve.
-Failure: The Narrator describes the PC’s actions as well as that of the adversary’s. The Narrator and Player both make a note that the PC has taken a point of damage to resolve.
4)Adversaries who lose all of their resolve are defeated and killed.
•Any special actions (such as capturing a defeated adversary as opposed to killing the adversary outright) is at the discretion of the Narrator.
DICE: Non-Combative Encounters
1) When an encounter occurs outside of combat which can have negative consequences for the PC then DICE can (and should) be utilized to determine the outcome.
Example: Attempting to barter a better deal with a clever merchant.
Exampe: Searching a room for clues which could reveal who committed the murder.
2) In these types of encounters the Resolve is not exhausted, but rather the PCs simply did (if successfu) or did not (if failed) surmount the obstacle.
Edited by jarnkoldur on 19 May 2016 19:17 "And when the truth finally dawns, it shall dawn in fire!"