Lacking Natural Simplicity (Posts about d6)https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/d6.atom2024-01-23T18:49:57ZT. Kurt BondNikolaMini Six Question: Why are Perdition’s Pilot and Mechanic Identical?https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2022/05/31/mini-six-question-why-are-perditions-pilot-and-mechanic-identical/2022-05-31T14:41:21-04:002022-05-31T14:41:21-04:00T. Kurt Bond<p>As part of my work making an <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/tkurtbond/Minimal-OpenD6">SRD for Mini
Six</a> I was reminded
that in the Perdition sample setting the character templates for the
Pilot and the Mechanic are identical, which seems odd. Here, take a
look:</p>
<figure>
<img alt="Mini Six’s Pilot and Mechanic, from the Perdition sample setting" src="https://tkurtbond.github.io/mini-six-perdition-pilot-and-mechanic.png">
<figcaption>
<p>Mini Six’s Pilot and Mechanic, from the Perdition sample setting</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Here’s a version of the original Mechanic in text format:</p>
<div class="line-block">
<div class="line"><strong>Mechanic</strong></div>
<div class="line"><strong>Might 2D+1</strong></div>
<div class="line"><strong>Agility 3D+2</strong> — Dodge 5D+1, Pilot 5D+2</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Wit 3D+1</strong> — Computer 4D, Navigation 5D+1, Repair 4D+1</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Charm 2D+2</strong> — Diplomacy 4D</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Static:</strong> Dodge 16, Block 7, Parry 7, Soak 7</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Perks & Comps:</strong> None</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Gear:</strong> Light Pistol</div>
</div>
<p>Anyway, I thought something like this might be better for the Mechanic:</p>
<div class="line-block">
<div class="line"><strong>Alternate Mechanic</strong></div>
<div class="line"><strong>Might 2D+1</strong></div>
<div class="line"><strong>Agility 3D+1</strong> — Dodge 5D, Pilot 4D</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Wit 3D+2</strong> — Computer 6D, Navigation 4D+1, Repair 6D+1</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Charm 2D+2</strong> — Diplomacy 3D</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Perks & Comps:</strong> None</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Gear:</strong> Light Pistol</div>
<div class="line"><strong>Static:</strong> Dodge 15; Block 7; Parry 7; Soak 7</div>
</div>
<p>Still has some skill at Pilot and Navigation, but not as good at those
as the Pilot. Better Computer and Repair skills. Probably willing to
pick up a pistol and shoot it if really necessary, but also probably no
better at it that default, so Pistol isn’t listed.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>Interestingly, the Pilot and the Mechanic templates are built on 12D
in attributes and 8D+2 in skills, instead of the standard 7D in
skills, so I made this alternate version with the same amount. I
haven’t checked the other templates. (I’ll probably do that at some
point. Rather than do the counting manually, I’ll probably type them
up as YAML and feed them through <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/tkurtbond/m6charcost/blob/main/sm6.scm">sm6</a>, a program I wrote that counts
the costs of all the dice and prints out a summary. I’ve got a couple
other programs, <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/tkurtbond/m6charcost/blob/main/sm6rst.scm">sm6rst</a> and <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/tkurtbond/m6charcost/blob/main/sm6troff-ms.scm">sm6troff-ms</a> that can read that same
YAML and produce output in <a class="reference external" href="https://docutils.sourceforge.io/rst.html">reStructuredText</a> or troff (<a class="reference external" href="https://troff.org/">T1</a>, <a class="reference external" href="https://www.gnu.org/software/groff/">G1</a>)
formats, for including in my documents.)</p>
<p>I've also posted this question at a few online forums: the
<a class="reference external" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenD6/comments/v1v572/mini_six_question_why_are_perditions_pilot_and/">/r/OpenD6</a> and <a class="reference external" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/v1va29/mini_six_question_why_are_perditions_pilot_and/">/r/rpg</a> subreddits, the <a class="reference external" href="https://www.rpgpub.com/threads/mini-six-question-why-are-perditions-pilot-and-mechanic-identical.7600/">RPG Pub</a>, and <a class="reference external" href="https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/mini-six-question-why-are-perditions-pilot-and-mechanic-identical.897842/">rpg.net</a>,
which I'm listing here so I can be reminded of them.</p>D6 System: The Universal Standard and Standard Difficultieshttps://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2021/05/09/d6-system-the-universal-standard-and-standard-difficulties/2021-05-09T01:21:23-04:002021-05-09T01:21:23-04:00T. Kurt Bond<p>When I'm preparing for a session using any of the D6 System RPGs
(<a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Roleplaying_Game">Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game</a>, <a class="reference external" href="http://opend6project.org/">OpenD6</a>, <em>Mini Six</em> (<a class="reference external" href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/144558/Mini-Six-Bare-Bones-Edition">MS1</a>, <a class="reference external" href="http://www.antipaladingames.com/p/mini-six.html">MS2</a>)
or any of the many others) I like to use the following two charts to
set the difficulties for tasks.</p>
<div class="smalltable boxedtable docutils container">
<table>
<caption>The Universal Standard</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th class="head"><p>Die Code</p></th>
<th class="head"><p>Average Roll</p></th>
<th class="head"><p>Description</p></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td><p>1D</p></td>
<td><p>3.5</p></td>
<td><p>Below Human average for an attribute.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>2D</p></td>
<td><p>7.0</p></td>
<td><p>Human average for an attribute and many skills.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>3D</p></td>
<td><p>10.5</p></td>
<td><p>Average level of training for a Human.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>4D</p></td>
<td><p>14.0</p></td>
<td><p>Professional level of training for a Human.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>5D</p></td>
<td><p>17.5</p></td>
<td><p>Above average expertise.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>6D</p></td>
<td><p>21.0</p></td>
<td><p>Considered about the best in a city or geographic
area. 1 in 100,000 people will have training to
this skill level.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>7D</p></td>
<td><p>24.5</p></td>
<td><p>Among the best on the continent. About 1 in
10,000,000 people will have training to this skill
level.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>8D</p></td>
<td><p>28.0</p></td>
<td><p>Among the best on a planet. About 1 in 100,000,000
people will have training to this skill level.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>9D</p></td>
<td><p>31.5</p></td>
<td><p>One of the best of several systems in the immediate
area. About 1 in a billion people have a skill at this
level.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>10D</p></td>
<td><p>35.0</p></td>
<td><p>One of the best in a sector.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>11D</p></td>
<td><p>38.5</p></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>12D</p></td>
<td><p>42.0</p></td>
<td><p>One of the best in a region.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>13D</p></td>
<td><p>45.5</p></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>14D+</p></td>
<td><p>49.0</p></td>
<td><p>Among the best in the galaxy.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The wild die adds 0.7 to the average result.</p>
<div class="smalltable boxedtable docutils container">
<table>
<caption>Standard Difficulties</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th class="head"><p>Difficulty</p></th>
<th class="head"><p>Target #</p></th>
<th class="head"><p>Description</p></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td><p>Very Easy</p></td>
<td><p>2−5</p></td>
<td><p>Nearly everyone can do it. These checks should
only be made if a success is critical to the
scenario at hand.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Easy</p></td>
<td><p>6−10</p></td>
<td><p>Player characters will seldom have trouble with
these tasks, but an untrained individual may
find them challenging.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Moderate</p></td>
<td><p>11−15</p></td>
<td><p>Average Characters have a reasonable chance of
failing at this level. Consistent success
often requires training in the skill or a high
level of natural ability.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Difficult</p></td>
<td><p>16−20</p></td>
<td><p>Tasks at this level are truly challenging. To
succeed, a character needs to be well skilled
or very lucky.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Very Difficult</p></td>
<td><p>21−30</p></td>
<td><p>Challenges of this level fall into the domain
of masters in the skill being used; few others
will succeed at them.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Heroic</p></td>
<td><p>31+</p></td>
<td><p>These challenges are almost impossible. Only
the very lucky or true masters can consistently
succeed at them.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>Here is a <a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/the-universal-standard.pdf">PDF</a> with a nicely formatted version of these tables (5½×8½
inches, suitable for adding to a booklet, or printing two up on on
8½x11 inch Letter paper) , and the <a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ConTeXt">ConTeXt</a> <a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/the-universal-standard.ctx">source</a>. You can always
look at the <a class="reference external" href="https://docutils.sourceforge.io/rst.html">ReStructuredText</a> source of this page if you want the
table in <a class="reference external" href="https://docutils.sourceforge.io/rst.html">ReStructuredText</a> format - there should be link named
"Source" at the beginning of this post if you are visiting the article
page (not the index page for the whole blog) what will let you
download it.</p>