Helping on skill checks?

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Lamech

Just square everything add it and square root it, if you want combined strength without fiddling with basic lifts. You need an Excel, but its pretty easy if you have that.

I'd think it would be faster to do that kind of simple arithmetic in your head. . . .

Bill Stoddard

[Langy]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'd think it would be faster to do that kind of simple arithmetic in your head. . . .

Bill Stoddard

Depends on the numbers - square-rooting 13258 isn't something I can do in my head all that easy, and it's much easier to just use a calculator. I do agree that I don't see the need for Excel specifically, though - any calculator should do just fine.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Langy

Depends on the numbers - square-rooting 13258 isn't something I can do in my head all that easy, and it's much easier to just use a calculator. I do agree that I don't see the need for Excel specifically, though - any calculator should do just fine.

For any reasonable number of ST scores, though, you won't get anywhere near 13,258. With 10 average-strength humans (a large party!), you'd square 10 to get 100, add up 100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100 to get 1000, and since 31^2 = 961 and 32^2 = 1024, and 1000 is closer to 1024, you'd take 32 as the combined ST. I admit I haven't memorized the squares of integers larger than 32. . . .

Bill Stoddard

[Langy]

Originally Posted by whswhs

For any reasonable number of ST scores, though, you won't get anywhere near 13,258. With 10 average-strength humans (a large party!), you'd square 10 to get 100, add up 100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100 to get 1000, and since 31^2 = 961 and 32^2 = 1024, and 1000 is closer to 1024, you'd take 32 as the combined ST. I admit I haven't memorized the squares of integers larger than 32. . . .

Bill Stoddard

I don't think many people have memorized the squares of integers much higher than 15 or so, except possibly 20, 25, 30, etc.

[Dorin Thorha]

Computer programmers know 16x16.

I haven't memorized any squares above 12 but the teens can all be worked quickly in your head by the formula (number * 10) + (last digit * 10) + (last digit squared).


So 14*14 = 140 + 40 + 16 = 196, which I can work almost as fast as I can type it.

[buzz]

Thanks for the helpful responses, folks.

So, am I correct in understanding that the helping and/or complementary skills rules only formally appear in the first Action PDF?

I saw someone in another thread mention something called "A Little Help From My Friends", but my Google-fu wasn't strong enough to figure out what they were referring to.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Dorin Thorha

Computer programmers know 16x16.

I haven't memorized any squares above 12 but the teens can all be worked quickly in your head by the formula (number * 10) + (first digit * 10) + (last digit squared).


So 14*14 = 140 + 40 + 16 = 196, which I can work almost as fast as I can type it.

I assume that's meant to be "last digit" in the second part of the formula.

[Dorin Thorha]

Originally Posted by lexington

I assume that's meant to be "last digit" in the second part of the formula.

Yes, that's right.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by buzz

Thanks for the helpful responses, folks.

So, am I correct in understanding that the helping and/or complementary skills rules only formally appear in the first Action PDF?

I saw someone in another thread mention something called "A Little Help From My Friends", but my Google-fu wasn't strong enough to figure out what they were referring to.

"A Little Help From My Friends" is in (DF2:Dungeons, pg 11), inside a box labeled "No "I" in "Teamwork" (No Profit Without It)".

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

"A Little Help From My Friends" is in (DF2:Dungeons, pg 11), inside a box labeled "No "I" in "Teamwork" (No Profit Without It)".

There's also a presentation in Social Engineering.

Bill Stoddard