Hello Forge, my Name is Nicholas Graziade and I'm working on an RPG system I call the 3/10s system (because in the dice pools used - d10s- only 30% of the faces are successes).  The name is tentative, until I come up with something cooler.  Anywho, I've been writing up some stuff for my game, which is set in a world of my devising that is based on Slavic and Russian Folklore.  But before I delve deeper into the game, I would like to see what people think of my core mechanic.  I've never played a dice pool game until recently (played Shadowrun in college a couple of times).  I wanted to place my take on a dice pool system here to see what people think.  My main questions are as follows:
1) Does it look like a good system (i.e. usable, fun, etc.)
2) Would it be worth experimenting with a 33% based system that still incorporates key elements of this existing system? (this would serve to cause successes to increase and also increase the chance of failure with some modifications)
3) Does it look too much like something else out there?  (this is not a legal question, but since most of my RPG experience came with D&D, I don't want to rip someone else off.  So, if anyone thinks of something really similar to what I've created, let me know so I can investigate further)

Okay, after that lengthy, throat-clearing intro, here is a brief look at my system.  Many things are tentative, but enough of my talking...

Attributes and Skills

Each attribute (Vigor/Dexterity/Mind/Wisdom/Harmony) is rated on a standard level of -3 to +3.  These modifiers affect a variety of gauges.  When used with the core dice mechanic of the 3/10 system, they are modifiers that are directly related to the dice in the dice pool.  Skills are rated at levels.  Having a level in a skill represents the number of dice available for the dice pool.

Core Mechanic

The core mechanic of the 3/10 system involves rolling d10s in what is known as a dice pool - an group of dice rolled to create suspense and fortune in an action.  Generally, the more skilled a character is, the more dice will be added to a pool.  The 3/10 system derives its name from this mechanic.  Each time an 8, 9, or 10 is rolled (i.e., 30% or three-tenths of the die's faces), it counts as a success.  Additional successes are granted when matching successes appear on the dice.  For example, if out of a dice pool of 4d10, the results are 2, 3, 8, and 8, the matching 8s provide the opportunity to do one of two things:  remove any cancels (covered below) or gamble and add another die to the pool in hopes of gaining more successes and possibly more matches.  This is known as double matching, or simply doubles.  It is important to note that matched successes are
only counted if the dice show double 8s, 9s, or 10s.    If triple matches occur (e.g.  9, 9 and 9), the character is granted additional bonuses. Rolling a 1 any time will cancel out any successes. 

Rolling matched 1s, however, cancels out 3 successes. If the number of cancels ever outweighs the number of successes, the action is considered an automatic failure and, if possible, must be attempted again.

Penalties for Triple 1s (Dismal Failures)

The GM is given the right to make the appropriate narrative decisions regarding how triple 1s are dealt with.  Though they occur rarely (0.10% chance on 3 dice with slightly greater probabilities on 4 or more dice), they tend to represent twists of fate that can truly impede a character's progress.  For example, say Anya is attempting to lie to her father, the Count of Sardan, in order to hide that Grigory, the lowly castle guard, is secretly her lover.  She rolls a pool of 6 dice (Wisdom +3 and Persuasion Level 3) and gets 1, 1, 1, 6, 7, and 10.  That's a set of triple 1s!  Regardless of her one success, the weight of this
failed roll counters any chance she may have had of convincing her father to look the other way.  The GM decides that because of this, Grigory has also admitted to the affair!  Anya is really in trouble now...

Standard Skill Checks

A dice pool is assembled based on the level of the skill employed.  This pool is modified by the related aspect rating (typically -3 to +3).  Each die that comes up with an 8 or higher on a d10 is considered a success.  The number of successes is weighed against a threshold (typically 1 for standard tasks to 5 for extraordinary tasks.  Thresholds above 5 are rare, but can occur based on modifiers to the difficulty rating).

Contested Checks

When contested checks take place, each player rolls (or GM) rolls in a dice pool to accumulate successes.  Whichever person has the most successes wins the contest.

Durational Checks

Sometimes actions require a total number of successes to be attained before a task is completed.  In these situations, the dice pool is rolled each interval of time required (determined by the GM).  When the total number of successes needed is achieved, the character has completed the task.

For example, Nikolai the Sail maker needs to finish repairs sail that was ruined in a storm.  Though a skilled craftsmen, the GM decides that Nikolai still needs ten successes to finish the task.  Each roll of the dice pool will represent half an hour of work.  Nikolai (Intelligence +1 and Artifice at Level 4) rolls 5 dice, scoring 4, 4, 8, 9, and 10 -- three successes.  He now needs to roll a total of seven successes to finish the task at hand.  After half an hour of work, he gets to roll again.  This time, he scores extremely well: 2, 6, 9, 10, and 10.  Because of the matched success, he opts to roll another die, scoring an 8.  Nikolai adds 4 more successes to his total.  Now, with only three remaining successes, it looks like the sail will be done within the hour.

Durational checks can also be used as contested checks.  Say, for example, Ivan and Fyodor are racing to climb ropes.  Climbing ropes in this fashion usually allows for a check every round (every three seconds).  The GM decides that because the ropes aren't too long, only a total of 5 successes are needed to get to the top.  Ivan (Vigor +2 and Athletics at Level 3) rolls 5 dice, scoring 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10.  Fyodor (Vigor +1 and Athletics at Level 2) rolls 3 dice, scoring 3, 6, and 8.  This creates a score between the two characters of 2 to 1 respectively.  Ivan is therefore climbing faster than Fyodor for the duration of the first round. The second round, however, Ivan rolls 1, 3, 3, 4, and 9 (resulting in 0 net successes because of the cancel roll) while Fyodor is extremely lucky and rolls 8, 8, and 10.  Fyodor opts to add another die to the pool, and rolls a 9, adding
another success.  Now, the score is 1 to 5 in Fyodor's favor.  In fact, because of  his remarkable fortune, Fyodor has surpassed the more athletic Ivan and has made it to the top of the rope faster than anyone expected!

Fortune Check

If for some reason the number of the dice pool is reduced below zero, a fortune check is made.  A fortune check only succeeds on a 10.  Otherwise, the action is a considered a failure.  For example, Ekaterina's horse, who was foolishly not tied down, ran off during a thunderstorm, spooked by the lightning.  The rain is coming down so heavily, that the GM decides that there will be a -3 penalty to the dice pool.  She needs to roll a perception check to see if she can spot it (Mind +0 and Perception at Level 2).  This produces -1 dice because of the penalty.  Still, Ekaterina gets to roll a fortune check.  She succeeds, rolling a 10!  Lo and behold, her missing horse is in the trees behind the tavern.

Hi,

I'm not deeply aware of the exact probabilities, but what is the value of having cancels in your mechanics?  The more dice you roll, the more likely you are to get cancels, and, since a single cancel match knocks out 3 successes, it could get really ugly.  And if triple one's make a super failure, I think it would be really hard to do well with extra dice at all.  The earlier versions of the White Wolf system had a similar thing- rolling 1's in a dice pool canceled out successes and made it actually harder to succeed and more likely to botch as you got more and more dice.

What's the larger scale idea for this system?  Are you going to put it into a specific setting?  Is it supposed to be generic?  If so, what kinds of action or play should it support? Gritty realistic? Cinematic?  Are PCs running around doing investigations, fighting, romance? 

Chris

thegreatigster wrote:
1) Does it look like a good system (i.e. usable, fun, etc.)

2) Would it be worth experimenting with a 33% based system that still incorporates key elements of this existing system? (this would serve to cause successes to increase and also increase the chance of failure with some modifications)

3) Does it look too much like something else out there?  (this is not a legal question, but since most of my RPG experience came with D&D, I don't want to rip someone else off.  So, if anyone thinks of something really similar to what I've created, let me know so I can investigate further)

Thanks for the replies so far, everyone, it's helped me sort through some ideas.  I was unaware of all the similarities with the White Wolf system, but now that they've been pointed out to me, I'll try not to be too similar.

After much musing, I think I probably will switch to a 33% based system using d6s.  I did the math on the probabilities and the chart allows for a slightly better success rate but doesn't stray too far from my original 30% idea.  I believe that if I do switch to a 33% system, though, I'll remove the cancels from a single roll of one and have only matched 1s and triple 1s equal nastiness on the player's end (though not as nasty as I may have intended in the first place).

As for the system of matched successes, I think it will contribute positively to game play, but I'm not sure the best way to work this into the game.  The option to remove cancels will probably go away, making the gamble with another role the only benefit (and the player may opt not to gamble if he or she chooses).  Regardless, any advice on how to incorporate matched successes and failures into a dice pool system would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you again for the advice already, I REALLY appreciate it.
~Nick

Hi Nick,

Don't worry about similarities or not- focus on what you need the game to do.  My question about the cancels still stands, which doesn't mean they can't be useful for your game, it's just a matter of what role do they play and what your game is supposed to be about in the big picture.

For example, you might have rules that involve canceling cancels ("If your skill level is X, you can ignore the first 1 you roll"), or maybe trade them around as characters help each other, or maybe even double your opponent's cancels...  Maybe some powers or options don't work unless you've rolled at least one cancel.

But again, even that is hard to say without a larger context of what the system is and what it's supposed to do.  What kind of game experience do you want to give the folks playing it?  What kind of choices can they make?  When you answer those questions, then all the fun dice tricks start to have context and you can actually judge if it's good or bad (for what you're trying to do).  Without that, there's no real input anyone can give.

Chris

But again, even that is hard to say without a larger context of what the system is and what it's supposed to do.  What kind of game experience do you want to give the folks playing it?  What kind of choices can they make?  When you answer those questions, then all the fun dice tricks start to have context and you can actually judge if it's good or bad (for what you're trying to do).  Without that, there's no real input anyone can give.

Awesome!

That's very helpful and very cool!  First, is there a Christian church or equivalent to your setting?  I'm asking since the bit of Russian folklore I saw seemed influenced  by Christian theology, albeit in a messy way.

Second, the conflict scale is probably going to be a focal point for your game as a whole- something that if not the central part of play, at least is a pivot upon which games rest.  What happens if a character goes too far one way or another?  How does it shift?  How often does it shift (on the average)?  Like, is it once a session or can it shift multiple times in a single session, etc?  And are there any mechanical bonuses/penalties if it does?

See, the interesting thing about that, is that it could simply represent the characters wrestling with their own issues and conflict, but depending on the effects, it could also be about preventing someone else from going too far the wrong way, or trying to nudge them the correct direction.

Third, you mention that characters are driven by motivations- are these just background and setup, or do they have mechanical effects in play?  (Bonuses, penalties, get experience points, whatever).  And how do they interact, or are affected by the conflict scale, or the skill system?

Chris

First, is there a Christian church or equivalent to your setting?  I'm asking since the bit of Russian folklore I saw seemed influenced  by Christian theology, albeit in a messy way.

Second, the conflict scale is probably going to be a focal point for your game as a whole- something that if not the central part of play, at least is a pivot upon which games rest.  What happens if a character goes too far one way or another?  How does it shift?  How often does it shift (on the average)?  Like, is it once a session or can it shift multiple times in a single session, etc?  And are there any mechanical bonuses/penalties if it does?

Third, you mention that characters are driven by motivations- are these just background and setup, or do they have mechanical effects in play?  (Bonuses, penalties, get experience points, whatever).  And how do they interact, or are affected by the conflict scale, or the skill system?