Modifying Poker Dice Mechanics

[Klaus Graziade]

Hello Forge,

     I've been working on game on and off all summer, and I constantly fall back to the drawing board.  Because the game is primarily being designed for my friends and me, I've come to heed some suggestions they have made about what they like in games.  One of the keys, I've discovered from my group, is that regardless of the setting, they like rolling small numbers of dice.  My original system, which was influenced by games that use dice pool systems.  However, these provided to be overly cumbersome every time I came across an idea that worked; essentially, I would always end up using large numbers of dice.

     After a great deal of thinking catalyzed by a long, boring stay in the hospital (I'm healthy now), I think I'd like to try a poker based dice mechanic where the player rolls five dice and tries to create the best "hand" out of the results.  The problem is, this is a very chance based system, so I'm trying to incorporate elements of skill and narration into it.  Herein is where my problem lies: I can't figure out the best way to integrate these elements.  I'll give a run down of what I have so far, what I want, and what main questions I have.

What I Have so Far/What I Want:
1) d6s: I want to use d6s (no math wizard myself, I wanted something where I could find the probabilities already worked out.  Thank you Wikipedia).
2) Hits: Each combination (pair, 2 pair, straight, etc.) produces a set number of hits that are weighed against thresholds.  The pool of hits is split into offensive (weighed directly against the threshold) and defensive hits (that resist damage that could be generated from conflicts).
3) Conflict Resolution: I LOVE the idea of saying what you are gonna do and then using the dice to determine how well it went.  Rather than TRYING to jump the chasm and rolling to see if you make, just jump the chasm and let the dice tell you what "resources" you have so you can do it as well (or as poorly) as possible. (I hope I got the whole conflict res. thing down...that's always been my understanding of it).
4) Setting and Elemental Spheres: The setting is inspired mainly by a fusion of Western and Eastern classical elemental myths.  Thus, each character in the game (Godai...named for the tree of Japanese elements) is defined by elemental spheres that don't relate to specific attributes, but rather how things are used (for example, if I want to stab you with a knife, I use a different element than if I want to threaten you with the same weapon).

Okay, that mouthful out of the way, here is my BIG questions:
What are some options/ideas/systems I might have for making poker dice rolls less chance-based and more player attribute influenced?

Additionally, I'm curious if it all sounds like it could work?  I've read about things that use poker based system, but have yet to play them (aside from, well, poker itself).

Anywho, thanks ahead of time for the help.  I'm at an impasse and really want to get the ball rolling again.

~Klaus

[Marshall Burns]

Are you familiar with the dice game Yacht?  Also sold with a trademark on it as Yahtzee?  It has score values assigned to various outcomes on a 5d6 roll, which you could use as your "hits" ratings.  It could be interesting to skew these score values based on attributes--for instance, if you've got an average level of Attribute X, and you roll five of a kind, that's worth 50; but let's say your Attribute X is 50% higher than normal, so five of a kind is worth 75 instead.  You could do the math for all of these ahead of time, and make out cheat sheets for each character based on their attributes.

Also, your #3 is Fortune in the Middle, and may or may not be Conflict Resolution based on other stuff that's hard for me to explain (so I'll let someone else do it).

-Marshall

[Will]

One of the things that keeps card games from being pure chance is the ability to manipulate your hand. The roll X number and discard Y number is a start on that,

How about adding in "draws." Basically allowing a reroll of a certain amount of dice (based on skill level perhaps).

Another idea would be to roll a somewhat larger hand but only use some of the dice in a given action, allowing for strategic play of the hand from scene to scene?

[Klaus Graziade]

Thanks for the replies all.

To Marshall:
I checked out Yacht, and it looks like a good system from which I can derive combinations.  The number values were a bit high, but the combinations were just right.

To Will:
I definitely like the idea of having "draws" as it were.  I wonder if it might be worthwhile to add some kind resource to the game that you have to spend to be able to make those draws.

Any more suggestions that anyone has would definitely be helpful too.

Thanks all,
~Klaus

[Falc]

Just in case you didn't know, actual poker dice do exist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker_dice