What is flux?

[SpaceBadger]

What is flux in T5?

I don't have T5, have not even ordered it yet, planning to wait until I can get PDF from DriveThruRPg. (Hmm, often as I explain that, maybe I should put it in my ssig? )

I still like reading about T5 and getting ideas for what I can borrow right now to use in my CT game. I have heard this "flux" mentioned a lot, and it sounds like some sort of standard variation from the norm on different rolls, but I haven't seen any real explanation.

Please explain?

Thanks.

 

[Midgardsormr]

Roll two differently colored d6, designating one as positive and one as negative before the roll. Add the dice together. This results in a range of -5 (1,6) to +5 (6,1), with 0 being the most likely result.

"Good flux" means always treating the highest die as the positive one, and "bad flux" means always treating the highest die as the negative one. This results in ranges of 0 to +5 or 0 to -5, respectively.

 

[Jazzlvraz]

What is flux in T5?

Roll two dice. Subtract one die's result from the other. This'll give you a roll in the range of -5 to +5, and it's often used as a modifier for a calculation or another die roll.

 

[mike wightman]

It's the result of rolling 1d-1d, results of -5 to +5 are generated.

Exactly the same probability as if you rolled 2d-7

The idea fascinates me though - I've been looking at the probability distribution of 2d-2d...

 

[Supplement Four]

What is flux in T5?

Others have shown the mechanics of Flux above.

According to the T5 definition, Flux is Traveller's quick and easy dice-rolling mechanism for creating a reasonable range of variation between -5 and +5. Interestingly enough, the most probable result is the status quo: zero; no change.

There is also Bad Flux, which produces only results in the negative range.

Flux pops up in a variety of ways in the rules. You might see a Flux Table where you roll a result on the table and use it with the situation.

There is an example where a PC is running back to his ATV while a volcano is exploding. A Flux table is used to determine how much damage the PC took while running, where the result is skewed to no damage (Flux 0) to other damage categories, progressively worse.

 

[SpaceBadger]

Thanks, y'all.

 

[aramis]

Flux has a specific methodology, but the same range and probabilities can be expressed simply as 2d6-7