+sinfo +taskroll

From Serenity : The Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

+sinfo +taskroll

Syntax: +taskroll <skill/attribute> at <difficulty>

Attributes and skills are tested in the same way. The system randomly picks a number between zero and the difficulty. If your adjusted attribute or skill is greater than that number, you succeed. Otherwise you fail. In either case, a number will be displayed showing how well you succeeded or failed. This number is computed by subtracting the random number from your adjusted attribute or skill level. This command will perform a roll for the specified skill or attribute, and announce the results to everyone at your location.

NEW AS OF 02/02/08: Your current health level also affects your skills. The amount of damage taken (as a percentage of your total health) is applied as an equal penalty to ALL skill rolls you make. For instance, if you've taken 25% of your total health in damage, you will also suffer a 25% penalty to your skill levels.

+attack works differently than +taskroll.

When you +taskroll, a random number is chosen between 0 and whatever difficulty number you designate (+taskroll skill at #). If your adjusted attribute/skill is greater than the results of the random number, you succeed. For this reason, if you choose a difficulty that is below your adjusted attribute/skill, you will most likely succeed. However, there is always a chance for a critical failure regardless of skill level & difficulty. The general default for +taskroll is around 50. It can be lower or higher depending on the task you are trying to accomplish and the conditions under which you're trying to accomplish it. (Example: Climbing a ladder vs climbing a ladder in a windstorm.)

+attack is more complicated. The *simplest* way of explaining it is to say that the difficulty you choose for +attack is your chance of failure assuming attack and defense skills are equal. So, if you have Firearms: Sidearms at 40 and you shoot someone with Dodge 40 and roll +attack <target> at 50, you have a 50% chance of failure. For this reason, we recommend that difficulties for +attack start around 30. Otherwise, statistically speaking, you're going to miss every other shot unless there is a HUGE skill level gap in your favor.

Now, of course, that isn't quite the full picture and those of you who are really into game mechanics will want to know more. Here is how it works:

When you +attack, the code generates a random number between 1 and 100. If the number is 1-4, you fail. If it is 96-100, you succeed. If it is 5-95, it applies a calculation:

(roll - difficulty) + (attack/2 - dodge/2)

If the result of the above calculation is negative, you fail. If it is 0 or a positive number, you succeed.

Basically, your roll must meet or exceed your difficulty after adjustments for skill disparity are applied. Because the roll is a 1-100 roll, we can say that the difficulty is approximately your percentage chance of failure.

Example #1:

    Joy (Firearms: Sidearms 60) attacks Rapture (Dodge 50) at difficulty 30.
    A random number is generated: 75
    This number is not 1-4 or 96-100, so the calculation is applied.
    (75 - 30) + (60/2 - 50/2) = 50 (success)

Example #2:

    Joy (Firearms: Sidearms 60) attacks Rapture (Dodge 50) at difficulty 30.
    A random number is generated: 20
    This number is not 1-4 or 96-100, so the calculation is applied.
    (20 - 30) + (60/2 - 50/2) = -5 (failure)

Now, in the above example if the difficulty were 25 rather than 30:

    (20 - 25) + (60/2 - 50/2) = 0 (success)

Even though a 20 was rolled, the +5 bonus due to skill disparity comes to the rescue!

TL;DR -- Use 50 as your starting difficulty for +taskroll, but 30 for +attack. Difficulties can and should be scaled up and down as appropriate for the situation and action being taken.

See also