ffilz
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- Dec 17, 2018
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I'm thinking specifically about Cold Iron, but I open this for discussion of perception vs. stealth in any game system. There are definitely some things that work well and some things that don't work well in various systems.
So last night we had our first real run of Cold Iron, and we wound up immediately with a Perception vs. Stealth check. This makes it clear to me that I need to look at this more closely to come up with good ratings.
Historically perception has been handled using the Alertness (ALT) attribute as the primary factor with arbitrary target numbers. Now since ALT is potentially improvable with level gain (Expertise Levels), there is a factor of level. So the way I ran the ALT check last night was:
CA = Chance Adjustment produced by rolling on the normal distribution "Chance Adjustment" chart.
ALT + CA vs DEX + Stealth Level.
I don't think that's right. Currently I don't have a Perception skill, and I'm not sure I want to add it. I could just use highest class level.
Also, combat ratings normally use the attribute modifier (adjustment) so ALTadj for example.
On the other hand I also need to consider the perception and stealth affecting spells. Obscurity and Silence allow for up to a -10 modifier. Enhance Vision/Hearing/Smell (there isn't a stealth odor spell) grant a +6 modifier if applicable.
I think given the magnitude of the spell modifiers, I should stick with ALT rather than ALTadj, but do:
ALT + Class Level (depending) + Skill Level (if applicable) vs. DEX, INT, or WIS (depending on type of stealth) + Class Level (depending) + Skill (if applicable)
Fighter Level should apply to ALT checks for combat stuff, an appropriate combat skill might apply
Expertise Level should apply to most ALT checks
Magic Level (Magic User, Cleric, or even Passive Magic) would apply to ALT checks for magical effects and maybe certain searches (and maybe some of those would use INT or even WIS instead of ALT).
Some skills that would apply to perceiving:
Survival (Tracking and general wilderness perception), Shadowing, Research (finding stuff in a library), Devise (finding traps or secret compartments), Engineering (finding secret doors), Naturalist (finding specific plants or even animals).
Some skills that would apply to not being perceived:
Stealth, Disguise, Forgery, Devise (making a trap), Survival (making a deadfall or trip wire), Sleight of Hand.
On the not-being-perceived side, usually Expertise Level but sometimes Magic Level or Fighter Level.
Situational modifiers should be used to adjust things away from the nominal 50-50 chance. Like hiding in a particularly good or bad place.
I also need to think about the numbers game for number of people perceiving vs. number of people trying not to be perceived.
So last night we had our first real run of Cold Iron, and we wound up immediately with a Perception vs. Stealth check. This makes it clear to me that I need to look at this more closely to come up with good ratings.
Historically perception has been handled using the Alertness (ALT) attribute as the primary factor with arbitrary target numbers. Now since ALT is potentially improvable with level gain (Expertise Levels), there is a factor of level. So the way I ran the ALT check last night was:
CA = Chance Adjustment produced by rolling on the normal distribution "Chance Adjustment" chart.
ALT + CA vs DEX + Stealth Level.
I don't think that's right. Currently I don't have a Perception skill, and I'm not sure I want to add it. I could just use highest class level.
Also, combat ratings normally use the attribute modifier (adjustment) so ALTadj for example.
On the other hand I also need to consider the perception and stealth affecting spells. Obscurity and Silence allow for up to a -10 modifier. Enhance Vision/Hearing/Smell (there isn't a stealth odor spell) grant a +6 modifier if applicable.
I think given the magnitude of the spell modifiers, I should stick with ALT rather than ALTadj, but do:
ALT + Class Level (depending) + Skill Level (if applicable) vs. DEX, INT, or WIS (depending on type of stealth) + Class Level (depending) + Skill (if applicable)
Fighter Level should apply to ALT checks for combat stuff, an appropriate combat skill might apply
Expertise Level should apply to most ALT checks
Magic Level (Magic User, Cleric, or even Passive Magic) would apply to ALT checks for magical effects and maybe certain searches (and maybe some of those would use INT or even WIS instead of ALT).
Some skills that would apply to perceiving:
Survival (Tracking and general wilderness perception), Shadowing, Research (finding stuff in a library), Devise (finding traps or secret compartments), Engineering (finding secret doors), Naturalist (finding specific plants or even animals).
Some skills that would apply to not being perceived:
Stealth, Disguise, Forgery, Devise (making a trap), Survival (making a deadfall or trip wire), Sleight of Hand.
On the not-being-perceived side, usually Expertise Level but sometimes Magic Level or Fighter Level.
Situational modifiers should be used to adjust things away from the nominal 50-50 chance. Like hiding in a particularly good or bad place.
I also need to think about the numbers game for number of people perceiving vs. number of people trying not to be perceived.