I know dice mechanics for task resolution are the RPG equivalent of stupid pet tricks, but...

Just thought of a new dice mechanic...if it works I might use it in octaNe.

Roll your six-sided dice (usually a number of dice between 4 and :cool:...

You're looking for a "straight" (consective numbers) -- the hitch is that the straight must start with 1. The highest die in the straight is your number for that roll.

1 = 1
1, 2 = 2
1, 2, 3= 3

Etc.

If you roll doubles, you can count the doubles as two numbers in the sequence but only to link to a higher die.

So, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5 is 1, 2, 3, (4), 5 for a total of 5. But 1, 2, 3, 3, 6 would still be 1, 2, 3, (4) so its total is 3.

Does this make sense?
Is it simpler than what I have already?

What happens if you don't roll any 1's ?

Brutal, bitter failure. That's a big 0.

That's a lot of dice.

How does the mechanic fit into a system?

Oh, I dunno. You roll dice, you try and score the highest number in a 1-x straight. It's kinda meaningless...probably set it aside.

Here's a wacky thought:

The "scene" starts. Based on some set of factors, each "side" (perhaps more than 2?) gets a number of dice, and rolls 'em.

Highest strait (as Jared described) goes first, starts describing the scene.

Others can "spend" some aspect of character currency (if I understand what Ron means there) to reroll some of their dice, in the hopes of achieving a "higher" strait.

If succesful, they can modify what the previous "top man" was claiming.

hmm. . . this is starting to sound like Hero Wars bidding with a different mechanic . . .

Anyway, just a thought.

Gordon C. Landis