Jump Question

[jayouzts]

On page 354, it says you make a Basic check against DC21 to see if a jump occurs.

* What exactly is a basic check? If I just roll a D20 with no mods I cant get a 21.

* Is this roll in addition to a T/Astrogration check to plot the course? Meaning you have to pass two checks to avoid a misjump?

* Page 354 says you add +2 to the roll for using unrefined fuel. Thats a typo right? It should be +2 to the DC? (Or should you subtract two for using refined fuel)

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Jay Ouzts:
On page 354, it says you make a Basic check against DC21 to see if a jump occurs.

* What exactly is a basic check? If I just roll a D20 with no mods I cant get a 21.

* Is this roll in addition to a T/Astrogration check to plot the course? Meaning you have to pass two checks to avoid a misjump?

* Page 354 says you add +2 to the roll for using unrefined fuel. Thats a typo right? It should be +2 to the DC? (Or should you subtract two for using refined fuel)

It's a straight d20 roll - so you shouldn't get a 21. If you read it more closely you'll see it's the roll for a misjump. IOW, you won't get a misjump on this roll unless you have modifiers.

 

[Ellros]

If you make the Astrogation roll, then you are fine "unless" you have one of those other modifiers (unrefined fuel, jumping inside safe limit, etc). If you fail the astrogation roll, then yes, you are auto misjumping (by the rules anyway) and roll on the misjump table.

IMTU, I don't worry too much about the astrogation roll, unless there is a positive DC modifier from the table on page 92. If the players have the charts and it's a known system, I don't have them make the astrogation roll unless there are special circumstances.

 

[jayouzts]

>It's a straight d20 roll - so you shouldn't get >a 21. If you read it more closely you'll see >it's the roll for a misjump. IOW, you won't get >a misjump on this roll unless you have modifiers.

Ok. That isnt very well worded. In D20, high is good. Low is Bad. In the case of misjumps rolling high appears to be bad. Very inconsistent with d20.

If its just a roll d20 and consult a table, thats fine, but the roll should not be assigned a DC.

 

[MichaelL65]

Originally posted by Jay Ouzts:
Ok. That isnt very well worded. In D20, high is good. Low is Bad. In the case of misjumps rolling high appears to be bad. Very inconsistent with d20.

Not exactly. You roll to see if something happens. It just usually turns out that for you the player rolling high = good.

The idea is if you have followed all the proper procedures and have equipment in working order, a mis-jump simply isn't going to occur. You have to be rushed or not following the proper procedures for a mis-jump to happen. That's why it has to be a DC for the mis-jump to happen (and a rare case when rolling high = bad).

If you were to turn it the other way arround (where you made a DC to avoid a mis-jump), you have to follow d20 conventions and would always mis-jump on a natural 1 - that's 1 in every 20 jumps. Add in any modifiers and it increases very dangerously. Space travel is not supposed to be that dangerous in Traveller.

 

[Vanguard]

Critical failures only apply for to-hit rolls and saves. Since the roll for misjump is a "check" then rolling a 1 won't cause a critical failure.

 

[MichaelL65]

Originally posted by Ellros:
IMTU, I don't worry too much about the astrogation roll, unless there is a positive DC modifier from the table on page 92. If the players have the charts and it's a known system, I don't have them make the astrogation roll unless there are special circumstances.

Generally there is plenty of time for a player to "take 20" on their astrogation roll when plotting the course. Only if they are rushed or under fire is this going to be an issue.

 

[jayouzts]

I would not allow PC's to take 20 on an astrogation roll since there is a consequence of failure. I do allow taking 10.

However, I have a house rule that even if you take 10 you roll to see if there is a critical failure (which would indicate equipment malfunction or some other hardship)

 

[Gaming Glen]

Originally posted by Jay Ouzts:
I would not allow PC's to take 20 on an astrogation roll since there is a consequence of failure. I do allow taking 10.

However, I have a house rule that even if you take 10 you roll to see if there is a critical failure (which would indicate equipment malfunction or some other hardship)

I wouldn't bother with die rolls if everything is "done by the book" and there is no rush. Unless you want them to misjump, then the die roll doesn't matter anyway.

Why is energy needed for jump drives?

Is that while in jump space? If so, what happens if that power is cut off? A misjmp?

Or to warm the drive up before initiating the jump?

(fyi: working on my spreadsheet, looking pretty crude. Anyone finish theirs yet so I don't have to? )

Glen

 

[Ellros]

Why is energy needed for jump drives?

Is that while in jump space? If so, what happens if that power is cut off? A misjmp?

Or to warm the drive up before initiating the jump?

Energy is used to open the "jump hole" so to speak, and to maintain the jump field around the ship while in jumpspace. If power is cut off, common perception is that the ship is destroyed. But enterprising GM's can have all sorts of things happen... misjump, arrival in a different dimension, etc.