attribute modifier vs/or xd6 rolls

[hcobb]

Subtracting dice reduces the chance for a critical failure and makes some tasks automatic.

Adding dice greatly increases the chance of a critical failure.

For example:

DX 13 quarterstaff user attempts to disarm DX 12 swordsperson: DX 13 -4 = 9, a 37.5% chance to hit the weapon followed by a 26% chance to fail to retain: Final success ratio 9.75% and if you fail thou shall be run through. While the same swordsperson attacking a mere dagger expert doing a defend has adjDX 12 -1 / 5d for a 5.88% chance to hit and a 9.8% chance of disarming themselves. So the dagger is slightly better at disarming and much better at defense.

If a task only has a big attribute adjustment then you can hope to brute force it by taking an extremely high attribute level (DX 15 Flinger, or IQ 17 goblin wizard say), while if multiple dice are added then you really need a helper with that talent.