Rolling for Success

There is only one dice-roll mechanic in CCARPS: a base Target Number is assigned, all modifiers are applied to the base Target Number, and dice are rolled in an attempt to roll lower than the Modified Target Number. This is achieved by using the two lowest dice in any dice roll set. This applies to all rolls made by a Player, or Game Master. The Game Master makes rolls for game environment conditions, and all NPCs in an encounter. A Target Number is the base difficulty for performing an action under the current situational conditions. Modifiers do not affect dice rolls only target numbers. All modifiers from weapons, armor, and skills must be accounted for and the target number adjusted before the player rolls any dice for the given action.

Your character is sneaking around (base target number 3) in a dark (situational modifier +1) and unfamiliar place (situational modifier -2). Your character has a “Stealth” skill with a modifier of 3 and quiet shoes with a Modifier of 1. The base Target Number to sneak undetected is a 3 the Game Master will add in the situational modifiers +1 for dark -2 for unfamiliar and call out a Simple Target Number of 2. You add your character’s modifiers, Stealth 3 and Quiet Shoes 1 to the Simple Target Number 2 for Skilled Target Number of 6; you must roll under a 6. Your novice level for Stealth gives you 3 dice. you roll 3d and get a 3, 2, and 4. Adding up the two lowest dice, the result is 5. Your character is successfully stealthy. A patrolman walks nearby, which contests your active “Stealth” skill. The Simple Target Number is equal to your success roll of 5. The patrolman has a “Detect” skill modifier of 3, which makes the Modified Target Number an 8. You call out your defensive action and make your character stop moving to push the target number down by 1 making the Opposed Target Number a 7. The Game Master rolls 3d for the patrolman and gets a 5, 6 and a 2. Remembering that the lowest two dice are the only ones that matter, they are added (2 + 5) for a total of 7. The patrolman fails to detect your character as he walks by and moves out of sight.

CCARPS has three types of Target Number modification:

• • Simple Target Number: Base Target Number + situational modifiers.
• • Skilled Target Number: Simple Target Number + your character’s applicable Modifiers
• • Opposed Target Number: Skilled Target Number - opposition’s applicable Modifiers

Last - Rolling for Success - Next