======================================================================= UNIFIED RESOLUTION MECHANIC (version 1.0: 2001-03-17) by Jason Verbitsky ======================================================================= One problem with the HERO System is that it lacks a "Unified Resolution Mechanic" (URM) -- i.e, there is one method for combat skills, another for non-combat skills, and yet another for the damage or the intensity of an effect. It would be quite useful to be able to compare the "roll x-" to the "+y CSL" to establish some NCM and ACM (Absolute Characteristic Maxima) benchmarks for skills, as I've already done with Characteristics. In addition to providing solid benchmarks, the goal of this "URM" house rule is to have the option of using any of the three resolution systems interchangeably (i.e., an attack roll like a characteristic or skill roll, or like a damage or an effect roll). E.G., any action could be resolved merely by using a highest roll of "xd6" vs "yd6" wins! Comparison is somewhat erratic between Characteristic ("roll x-"), Skill Rolls ("roll x-"), Attack Rolls ("+y CSL"), and Dice of Effect ("+xd6") simply because CV is derived as CHA/3 while all other resolutions are CHA/5: =========== ========== ============ =========== ===== CHA (BONUS) CV (BONUS) ROLL OR LESS DICE EFFECT Notes =========== ========== ============ =========== ===== 3 ( -7) 1 (-2) 10- (-1) ½d6 (-1½d6) 5 ( -5) 2 (-1) 10- (-1) 1d6 (-1d6) 8 ( -3) 3 (+0) 11- (+0) 1½d6 (-½d6) ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 10 ( +0) 3 (+0) 11- (+0) 2d6 (+0) Normal ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 13 ( +3) 4 (+1) 2½d6 (+½d6) 15 ( +5) 5 (+2) 12- (+1) 3d6 (+1d6) 18 ( +8) 6 (+3) 3½d6 (+1½d6) ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 20 (+10) 7 (+4) 13- (+2) 4d6 (+2d6) NCM ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 23 (+13) 8 (+5) 4½d6 (+2½d6) 25 (+15) 8 (+5) 14- (+3) 5d6 (+3d6) 28 (+18) 9 (+6) 5½d6 (+3½d6) ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 30 (+20) 10 (+7) 15- (+4) 6d6 (+4d6) ACM ----------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ----- 33 (+23) 11 (+8) 6½d6 (+4½d6) 35 (+25) 12 (+9) 16- (+5) 7d6 (+5d6) 38 (+28) 13 (+10) 7½d6 (+5½d6) 40 (+30) 13 (+10) 17- (+6) 8d6 (+6d6) 43 (+33) 14 (+11) 8½d6 (+6½d6) 45 (+35) 15 (+12) 18- (+7) 9d6 (+7d6) 48 (+38) 16 (+13) 9½d6 (+7½d6) 50 (+40) 17 (+14) 19- (+8) 10d6 (+8d6) ... ... ... ... =========== ========== ============ =========== ===== CHA (BONUS) CV (BONUS) ROLL OR LESS DICE EFFECT Notes =========== ========== ============ =========== ===== ------------ Normal Human ------------ The "Normal" (10 CHA), Unskilled human baseline is: 3 CV, 11- Roll, or 2d6 Dice. --------------------- Normal Human Maximums --------------------- A character with "Normal" CHA (10) and "NCM" Skills would have: 7 CV, or 13- Roll, or 4d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 20 CHA and no skill. A character with "NCM" CHA (20) and "NCM" Skills would have: 11 CV, or 15- Roll, or 6½d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 33 CHA and no skill. A character with "ACM CHA (30) and "NCM" Skills would have: 14 CV, or 17- Roll, or 8½d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 43 CHA and no skill. ----------------------- Absolute Human Maximums ----------------------- A character with "Normal" CHA (10) and "ACM" Skills would have: 10 CV, or 15- Roll, or 6d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 30 CHA and no skill. A character with "NCM" CHA (20) and "ACM" Skills would have: 14 CV, or 17- Roll, or 8½d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 43 CHA and no skill. A character with "ACM CHA (30) and "ACM" Skills would have: 17 CV, or 19- Roll, or 10d6 Dice This would be the same as a character with 50 CHA and no skill. ======================================================================= -- Jason Verbitsky mailto:hierax@hierax.com http://www.hierax.com/hero/house/urm.txt