Crossroads SF

Dice System

Crossroads System

Dice

			Example
A =	Advantage	Roll number more dice, remove least favourites.	2 / a2
D =	Disadvantage	Roll number more dice, remove favourites.	2 / d2
B =	Bonus	Add number to roll.	+2 / b2
N =	Negative	Remove number from roll. May not go below 0.	−1 / n1
P =	Piercing	May be used to ignore AV.	p2*

* This may be affected by the Health and Damage System that is used.

Modifiers

Modifiers are written as the letter followed by a number (a1, b2, p3, etc). These are grouped into Advantage/Disadvantage, Bonus/Negative, and Piercing. If a roll has both Advantage and Disadvantage, these values will cancel each other out until there is only one (or none). For example, a2 and d1 would become a1. This also applies to Bonus/Negative (b1 + n2 = n1, b2 + n2 = 0).

Bonus and Negative

Bonus Example:
A player is asked to roll 1d6 with b1, or 1d6 +1. They roll 1d6 and then they add 1 to the result of the die. This may go above the highest value of the die (7+).

Negative Example:
A player is asked to roll 1d3 with n2, or 1d3 −2. They roll 1d3 and then they subtract 2 from the result of the die. This may bring the result to 0 but not below 0.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Advantage Example:
A player is asked to roll 1d6 with a1, or 1d6 a1. They roll 1 extra die (2d6) and then they remove 1 of the dice. If they want to get a high result, they will remove low numbers, but if they want a low result, they will remove high numbers.

Disadvantage Example:
A player is asked to roll 1d3 with d2, or 1d3 d2. They roll 2 extra die (3d3) and then they remove 2 of the dice. If they want to get a high result, they will remove high numbers, but if they want a low result, they will remove low numbers.

Combining Advantage/Disadvantage and Bonus/Negative

It is possible to have both Advantage/Disadvantage and Bonus/Negative on a roll, such as a1 and b1 giving 1d6 a1b1. Modifiers will usually specify if they apply to Skill Rolls or Damage Rolls. Advantage/Disadvantage is resolved before Bonus/Negative.

Mixed Example:
A player is asked to roll 3d6 with a1 and n2, or 3d6 a1n2. They roll 1 extra die, so 4d6, and then they remove 1 of the dice. After this is done, the result is reduced by 2.

If a Player wishes, they may convert Advantage to Bonus, but not vice-versa. This may not exceed the Modifier Limit.

Convert Example:
A player is asked to roll 1d6 with a1, or 1d6 a1. They may convert the a1 to b1 to make the roll 1d6 b1.
Another player is asked to roll 1d6 with a1 and n1, or 1d6 a1n1. They may convert the a1 to b1 to cancel n1 and make the roll 1d6.

Damage Roll Modifiers in Narrative Health

Because Damage is static in Narrative Health, each Bonus adds a D. Advantage may instead let you turn a D into a D or DD into a D.

Similarly, Negative removes a D (Or a D if there are no D) and Disadvantage reduces damage by D or reduces a D into a D, etc.

Piercing

Piercing can only affect Damage Rolls. This is explained further in the Equipment Armour section.

Skill Rolls

The majority of conflicts will be resolved with Skill Rolls. This includes climbing walls or attacking foes. Anything that has an outcome that is unclear will probably be resolved with a Skill Roll. There are multiple possible outcomes with different effects.

Success Value

The Success Value is determined by rolling 3d6, applying any Modifiers, and then comparing the total result to the chart below:

Roll	Success	Value	Name
1 - 5	(−1)		Failure
6 - 10	(0)		Partial success/Compensating failure
11 - 15	(1)		Success
16+	(2)		Great Success

Result

If there is no opposing roll, then the Result is equal to your Success Value. However, sometimes there is an Opposing Roll. When this is the case, the Result is modified by the Success Value of the Opposing Roll. Results are usually limited to being between −1 and 2.

Opposing Roll

An Opposing Roll occurs when one character attempts to avoid the action of another character. This might be an attempt to dodge an attack or an attempt to resist the effects of a spell. The Success Value of the Opposing Roll is subtracted from the Success Value of the initial Skill Roll.

Examples:
Success	(1)	−	Enemy Success	(1)	=	Partial Success	(0)
Partial Success	(0)	−	Enemy Failure	(−1)	=	Success	(1)
Failure	(−1)	−	Enemy Great Success	(2)	=	Failure	(−1)

Results

(−1) Failure

The action fails. Whatever the character was trying to do, it’s unsuccessful. An attack misses or a spell fails to affect the target. The target isn’t spotted or the attempt at intimidation falls flat. When failing an Attack Avoidance Roll, the attempt at avoidance fails completely, possibly even making things worse. Sometimes a Failure results in damage taken, such as a Failure while climbing, which may result in a fall, or if attempting an Avoidance Roll, failing to avoid an attack. The GM will decide the outcome of Failure if it isn’t specified.

A Result of a Failure should not mean that nothing happens. It is highly recommended to have characters "Fail Forward" or have other complications arise upon a failure. The response to a Failure should not be an immediate "Try again".

(0) Compensating Failure

The task fails, but something is gained. When rolling for an offensive action, the action fails but an Advantage may be gained for future attempts or for another action. When rolling defensively, the enemy action might succeed, but an Advantage is gained for future avoidance attempts, or another opportunity presents itself.

Maybe an attack fails but grants an advantageous position, or an enemy attack gets through but leaves their defences open for a counter-attack. A spell might go off, but next time it won’t. A failure to climb a wall, but now the cause is clear and you have learned from your failure.

(0) Partial Success

Success, but at a cost. Maybe the attack is successful, but both parties took some damage. The spell might be successful, but took more effort and the caster is drained. It’s possible the jump is made, but something is dropped. The attack may hit, but only barely. Similar to Compensating Failure, this result has both a good and a bad. While Compensating Failure is a failure with an advantage, this is a success with a disadvantage. This may be damage taken, penalties to future rolls, or lost items. This is up to the GM.

Players usually choose between a Compensating Failure and a Partial Success. GMs can look at the Player Choices section within the Gamemastering Section for more information.

(1) Success

The action succeeds! The attack hits, the spell goes off, or the enemy is spotted. Whatever the Skill Roll was for, the result is good. Better than failure anyway.

(2) Great Success

The action doesn’t just succeed, it surpasses expectations. The attack doesn’t just hit, the enemy is also knocked backwards or disarmed. The diplomacy session went so well that they even threw in extra for free. This result is just like a Success, but there is an added bonus. Similar to Compensating Failure but without the failure, there is now an extra opportunity or advantage. This can be something as simple as a bonus to the attack roll, or on the next skill roll.

Sometimes this just means the action was performed so effortlessly that it impresses anybody nearby. A polite round of applause might be in order.

Group Roll

Sometimes an Action may be need to be performed by the entire Group, such as an attempt to hide or bluff or climb, where Characters may assist one another. When a Group roll is made, each Character makes a roll, but the average Success Value (rounded to the nearest number) is used for the entire Group.

Group Roll Example:
A party of Characters are asked to sneak past a Guardhouse. Each of the Characters roll, and the results are a Failure, two Partial Successes, and a Success.
This results in a Partial Success for the whole group. (1 + 0 + 0 + (−1) = 0)

Dice Multiples

If you roll multiples of the same value, consult the following tables (After Advantage/Disadvantage):

Double Table

d6	Name	Double Effect
1	Misstep	Reduce the Success Value of your roll by 1, to a minimum of −1.
2-5	Change	You may re-roll one of the 3 dice in this roll.
6	Fateful	Increase the Success Value of your roll by 1, to a maximum of 2.

Simple Triple

If you do not want to use the Triple Table, you may instead treat any Triple as a Double, but the Character also receives a Temporary Fate Die with a Short Duration.

Triple Table

d6	Name	Triple Effect
1	Doomed Portents	Reduce the Success Value of your roll by 1, possibly even reaching −2. However, you also gain a temporary Fate Die with a Short Duration.
2	Balanced Portents	The Result is 0 (Partial Success/Compensating Failure), regardless of your opponent’s roll or any other modifiers.
3-4	Change of Fate	Re-roll one die of your choice in any roll affecting you until the end of your next turn if you wish. If this is not used before the end of your next turn, it is lost.
5	Fate’s Blessing	Gain an additional a1 on all Skill Rolls until the end of your next turn.
6	Fate’s Child	Increase the Success Value of your roll by 1, possibly even reaching 3. In addition, you gain a temporary Fate Die with a Short Duration.

In the case of both players rolling Triples that affect one another, higher rolls’ effects have priority (eg. Triple 6 beats a Triple 2)

It is possible for a Change Double result to become a Triple, but not another Double. A Triple may not be treated as a Double.