I'm a big fan of MegaTraveller's game system, and I plan to use it the next time I run Traveller, but there are some aspects of Attribute DMs (and their relation to task resolution) that bother me.
I'd prefer if MT's task resolution system accounted more clearly for positive modifiers, and included negative modifiers for poor Attributes.
Attributes in the range of 4- (below average and worse) provide no modifier, which seems a little counterintuitive to the task process. (Something is deficient with your character physically or mentally, but it has no bearing on task resolution?). An Attribute of 5 (below average) gives a positive modifier as does the range between 6 and 9 (between Average and Above Average). Regardless of the "5 and 9 rule", it'd be nice if Attribute influence was along the lines of other game systems that provide penalties for low attributes and a more defined scale for higher attributes.
I don't know if it's cause serious damage to the target number scale, but I'd prefer to use a DM modifier progression like this:
2-3 Very Low - Low -2 DM
4-5 Low - Below Average -1 DM
6-8 Average 0 DM
9-A Above Average - Superior +1 DM
B-C Gifted - Very Gifted +2 DM
D-E Remarkable - Extraordinary +3 DM
F Superhuman +4 DM
The TN scale would probably have to be shifted down by 1 point to account for the fact that Characters probably won't have the standard +1 DM that the MT system currently offers for average attribute scores. Something like this:
Simple 3+ on 2d6
(I think some chance for failure should be retained even for simple tasks. Especially if characters had no modifying skill or attributes).
Routine 6+
Difficult 10+
Formidable 14+
Impossible 18+
Anyone think this would work? Thoughts?
I'd prefer if MT's task resolution system accounted more clearly for positive modifiers, and included negative modifiers for poor Attributes.
Attributes in the range of 4- (below average and worse) provide no modifier, which seems a little counterintuitive to the task process. (Something is deficient with your character physically or mentally, but it has no bearing on task resolution?). An Attribute of 5 (below average) gives a positive modifier as does the range between 6 and 9 (between Average and Above Average). Regardless of the "5 and 9 rule", it'd be nice if Attribute influence was along the lines of other game systems that provide penalties for low attributes and a more defined scale for higher attributes.
I don't know if it's cause serious damage to the target number scale, but I'd prefer to use a DM modifier progression like this:
2-3 Very Low - Low -2 DM
4-5 Low - Below Average -1 DM
6-8 Average 0 DM
9-A Above Average - Superior +1 DM
B-C Gifted - Very Gifted +2 DM
D-E Remarkable - Extraordinary +3 DM
F Superhuman +4 DM
The TN scale would probably have to be shifted down by 1 point to account for the fact that Characters probably won't have the standard +1 DM that the MT system currently offers for average attribute scores. Something like this:
Simple 3+ on 2d6
(I think some chance for failure should be retained even for simple tasks. Especially if characters had no modifying skill or attributes).
Routine 6+
Difficult 10+
Formidable 14+
Impossible 18+
Anyone think this would work? Thoughts?
