Skill Checks
Most important actions in Shadows of the Unknown are resolved using the roll of a die. Each such action is expressed as a specific task, and the die roll determines whether the player attempting the task was successful or unsuccessful, and if an extraordinary success or failure occurred.
Dice: To play the game you will need a lO-sided die (D 10), a 20-sided die (D20) and one or more six-sided dice (D6). A DID is read from 1 to 10 (with 0 meaning 10). A 1 before the die notation (l D6, 1 D 10) means roll one die of that type, a 2 (2D6, 2D 10) means roll two of that type and add them, and so on.
Die Roll Modifiers: Sometimes die roll results must be modified. For example, 2D6-2 means roll two six-sided dice and add the number together, then subtract 2. Conversely, 3D6+2 means roll three six-sided dice, add them together, then add 2. (For example, a 3D6-1 roll that resulted in rolls of 3, 5, and 2 would total 9: 3+5+2-1.)
Rolling vs. an Attribute or Skill: Sometimes, in order for your character to perform an action, your referee may instruct you to roll ID20 versus the total of one of your character's attributes and skills. (Attributes represent a character's innate abilities, while skills represent learned abilities. The character generation rules explain these two in more depth.) Such an attempt is called a task, or sometimes an attribute check or skill check. Generally, for your character to succeed at the task being attempted, the die roll you make must be less than or equal to the numerical value of the attribute, or the sum of the skill rating and its controlling attribute. Sometimes, instead, your target number will be doubled or halved, or even a quartered. Obviously, the smaller the fraction, the more difficult the task is to perform.
Usually tasks are attempted at one of five levels of difficulty. A roll versus twice your attribute or your attribute and skill rating is called an Routine Task Check. An Simplistic Task check is rolled versus 4x your attribute or (in case of skill use) skill rating plus controlling attribute. If the referee considers the check to be Difficult, the check would be rolled at Standard Task Difficulty. In special circumstances your skill or attribute will be divided further, such as tasks that are Formidable (one-half) or Near Impossible Difficulty (one-quarter). Dealing with Fractions: If you are instructed to halve (or quarter, or whatever) a rating, any fractional values are to be rounded down. For example, if you are instructed to roll an Impossible test (one-quarter) of your character's Stealth skill, and the full rating is 7, the quarter rating will be 1.75, rounded down to 1.
Success Quality: If, when making a task success check, you manage to roll better ' than necessary to succeed, your character may have achieved an outstanding success at the task. Anytime you roll at least 10 points below a task's target number, you achieve an outstanding success. An outstanding success may decrease the amount of time spent at the task, increase the amount of information gained, or have some other beneficial effect. The exact effect will be determined by your referee, based upon the specific task and the situation at the time (although players are free to make suggestions!).
Automatic Success/Failure: A natural roll of 1 on ID20 always succeeds, and a natural roll of 20 always fails, regardless of skill level. This gives character a small chance of success even at the absolute worst of times, and of failure even at the absolute best of times. Both these are intellectually satisfying, and bring an element of tension to the simplest of situations.
Almost all of Shadows of the Unknown rules build upon the basic concepts explained above. As you read through later chapters, such as Combat & Damage, you will discover specifically how the basic mechanics are applied in specific circumstances.
Automatic Success: An everyday task should be an Automatic Success for characters with any level expertise in the appropriate skill. This is what makes a skill level of 1 valuable. It can guarantee success at such tasks without costing a character a lot of points, thereby representing a basic knowledge in the area.
Simplistic Tasks: The next step up from Automatic Success is an Simplistic task roll. As such, it should be used for situations in which there is very little legitimate risk. Most occupational tasks fall into this category: installing wiring, diagnosing a viral flu, stalking an unwitting prey through typical city streets at mid-day, etc.
Routine Tasks: A Routine task does not represent the run-of-the-mill variety, but rather one at which there is an average amount of difficulty. This why detonating an explosion by radio is considered an Average task-with a bit of caution it can be carried out without extensive trouble, but it requires more than a beginner's skill to accomplish. Standard Difficulty Tasks: If a task is truly difficult to complete, not many people will be able to do so. The Standard Difficultly level task represents that situation. Even fairly high-ranked characters will fail a Standard Difficultly task frequently. Formidable Tasks: Tasks at this level of difficulty are troublesome for all but the most skilled of characters. They are the sorts of things that should be attempted only by an expert.
Near Impossible Tasks: Near Impossible tasks are attempted only by the truly desperate, orthe truly heroic. Even the fittest, best trained characters have trouble accomplishing deeds of this level.
Dice: To play the game you will need a lO-sided die (D 10), a 20-sided die (D20) and one or more six-sided dice (D6). A DID is read from 1 to 10 (with 0 meaning 10). A 1 before the die notation (l D6, 1 D 10) means roll one die of that type, a 2 (2D6, 2D 10) means roll two of that type and add them, and so on.
Die Roll Modifiers: Sometimes die roll results must be modified. For example, 2D6-2 means roll two six-sided dice and add the number together, then subtract 2. Conversely, 3D6+2 means roll three six-sided dice, add them together, then add 2. (For example, a 3D6-1 roll that resulted in rolls of 3, 5, and 2 would total 9: 3+5+2-1.)
Rolling vs. an Attribute or Skill: Sometimes, in order for your character to perform an action, your referee may instruct you to roll ID20 versus the total of one of your character's attributes and skills. (Attributes represent a character's innate abilities, while skills represent learned abilities. The character generation rules explain these two in more depth.) Such an attempt is called a task, or sometimes an attribute check or skill check. Generally, for your character to succeed at the task being attempted, the die roll you make must be less than or equal to the numerical value of the attribute, or the sum of the skill rating and its controlling attribute. Sometimes, instead, your target number will be doubled or halved, or even a quartered. Obviously, the smaller the fraction, the more difficult the task is to perform.
Usually tasks are attempted at one of five levels of difficulty. A roll versus twice your attribute or your attribute and skill rating is called an Routine Task Check. An Simplistic Task check is rolled versus 4x your attribute or (in case of skill use) skill rating plus controlling attribute. If the referee considers the check to be Difficult, the check would be rolled at Standard Task Difficulty. In special circumstances your skill or attribute will be divided further, such as tasks that are Formidable (one-half) or Near Impossible Difficulty (one-quarter). Dealing with Fractions: If you are instructed to halve (or quarter, or whatever) a rating, any fractional values are to be rounded down. For example, if you are instructed to roll an Impossible test (one-quarter) of your character's Stealth skill, and the full rating is 7, the quarter rating will be 1.75, rounded down to 1.
Success Quality: If, when making a task success check, you manage to roll better ' than necessary to succeed, your character may have achieved an outstanding success at the task. Anytime you roll at least 10 points below a task's target number, you achieve an outstanding success. An outstanding success may decrease the amount of time spent at the task, increase the amount of information gained, or have some other beneficial effect. The exact effect will be determined by your referee, based upon the specific task and the situation at the time (although players are free to make suggestions!).
Automatic Success/Failure: A natural roll of 1 on ID20 always succeeds, and a natural roll of 20 always fails, regardless of skill level. This gives character a small chance of success even at the absolute worst of times, and of failure even at the absolute best of times. Both these are intellectually satisfying, and bring an element of tension to the simplest of situations.
Almost all of Shadows of the Unknown rules build upon the basic concepts explained above. As you read through later chapters, such as Combat & Damage, you will discover specifically how the basic mechanics are applied in specific circumstances.
TASK DIFFICULTY
Each task is assigned a difficulty to reflect how simple or hard it is to accomplish the feat. There are five difficulty levels, plus one for automatic success. Referees should be careful to not make task difficulty levels too difficult for the PCs.Automatic Success: An everyday task should be an Automatic Success for characters with any level expertise in the appropriate skill. This is what makes a skill level of 1 valuable. It can guarantee success at such tasks without costing a character a lot of points, thereby representing a basic knowledge in the area.
Simplistic Tasks: The next step up from Automatic Success is an Simplistic task roll. As such, it should be used for situations in which there is very little legitimate risk. Most occupational tasks fall into this category: installing wiring, diagnosing a viral flu, stalking an unwitting prey through typical city streets at mid-day, etc.
Routine Tasks: A Routine task does not represent the run-of-the-mill variety, but rather one at which there is an average amount of difficulty. This why detonating an explosion by radio is considered an Average task-with a bit of caution it can be carried out without extensive trouble, but it requires more than a beginner's skill to accomplish. Standard Difficulty Tasks: If a task is truly difficult to complete, not many people will be able to do so. The Standard Difficultly level task represents that situation. Even fairly high-ranked characters will fail a Standard Difficultly task frequently. Formidable Tasks: Tasks at this level of difficulty are troublesome for all but the most skilled of characters. They are the sorts of things that should be attempted only by an expert.
Near Impossible Tasks: Near Impossible tasks are attempted only by the truly desperate, orthe truly heroic. Even the fittest, best trained characters have trouble accomplishing deeds of this level.
| Level | Roll (1D20) |
|---|---|
| Automatic | None |
| Simplistic | <4 x (Skill or Attribute) |
| Routine | <2 x (Skill or Attribute) |
| Standard | < Skill or Attribute |
| Formidable | < 1/2 x (Skill or Attribute) |
| Near Impossible | < 1/4 x (Skill or Attribute) |
Comments