Quick Question: Can a power require two rolls (e.g. Will and a skill roll)?

[Raekai]

Hey, all.

As the title says. Imagine a caster who has to know what she's doing, but she also needs to have enough will to bring that spell into effect. Can I tack on another -10% on a power for the additional roll? Specifically, it's for the Sorcery system.

Thanks!

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Raekai

Hey, all.

As the title says. Imagine a caster who has to know what she's doing, but she also needs to have enough will to bring that spell into effect. Can I tack on another -10% on a power for the additional roll? Specifically, it's for the Sorcery system.

Thanks!

I don't see why not. You'd need to specify which one is a priori . So if you need a Will roll and a DX roll and you specify that you need to roll DX then Will. Hmmm. That's a cool idea.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Raekai

Hey, all.

As the title says. Imagine a caster who has to know what she's doing, but she also needs to have enough will to bring that spell into effect. Can I tack on another -10% on a power for the additional roll? Specifically, it's for the Sorcery system.

Thanks!

You may require as many rolls as you think is appropriate, of course. Multiple rolls usually slow down the game. If you can, try and figure out a way to turn two rolls into one penalized one?

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

You may require as many rolls as you think is appropriate, of course. Multiple rolls usually slow down the game. If you can, try and figure out a way to turn two rolls into one penalized one?

I think part of why multiple rolls are called for in this situation is earning the discount from the Limitation and also for flavor/story purposes... so what would be a fair way of turning that into a single roll to keep things moving?

I mean, assuming this isn't something "big" where it makes sense to have multiple rolls because it is supposed to grind things to a halt. So for a penalized roll, should one just figure the approximate odds of success/failure for each separate roll and figure out what target number comes closest for a single check?

[Juca]

Maybe a roll with all penalties from the two skills, and based on the lower attribute AND lower skill level? Example:
If you have IQ 12 and Required IQ-Based skill at IQ+1, and DX 14 and Required DX-Based skill at DX-1, so you make only one test at IQ-1 (lower attribute and lower skill level).

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Otaku

So for a penalized roll, should one just figure the approximate odds of success/failure for each separate roll and figure out what target number comes closest for a single check?

If the two things don't jump around (you're always rolling vs Will 12 and DX 13) this will be pretty much bang on. 83% chance of success for DX, 75% chance for will, product is 62%, close enough to a net of 11. This can be precalculated on the character sheet, which means one-and-done for rolling.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

You may require as many rolls as you think is appropriate, of course. Multiple rolls usually slow down the game. If you can, try and figure out a way to turn two rolls into one penalized one?

I can see the case for this. Combining them into one roll saves time. On the other hand, it also removes a lot of the flavor.

Personally, I really like the idea of the sorceress having to roll twice, once to muster the necessary force of will to call up magical energy, and the other to control the energy. I would want to stipulate different consequences for success and failure on each of the rolls: a critical success on the Will roll might allow more energy to be put into the spell; a critical success on the Skill roll might allow more control in some way - a more detailed illusion, for an illusion spell, for instance. And so on.

That would make all sorts of fun situations possible: critically succeeding on the roll to gather power, and critically failing on the roll to control it, for instance.

[(E)]

Would there be any issues regarding margin of success?

That said looks fun

[PK]

Originally Posted by (E)

Would there be any issues regarding margin of success?
T
That said looks fun

My take would be to use the lowest MOS of the two rolls. Harsh but fair, as you're getting full limitation value for both.

[Maz]

You could let one of the rolls act as a Malfunction-number.

Explanation:
I like to keep the number of rolls down, whenever possible.

In a setting I run, psionic-based attack powers are a common "weapon of choice", but so are big guns.

Normally all psi-powers in my game have a skill-based IQ check requirement.

For these attack powers I have instead decided to treat IQ check as a malf number, on he attack roll. So say you have Psionic Bomb at skill:13 and use Innate Attack Projectile to attack with it, you roll your Attack roll but on a roll of 14 or more the power fails.

I know this is "less restrictive" than simply having to roll two rolls, and I also give less points for it. But it's a lot faster, and you still want to buy it up.