Automatic successes and failures

[EKB]

Automatic & critical success rolls, and automatic failure & fumble rolls?

I don't use them. If you have adjDx 18+, you will succeed on a 3-die roll even if you roll an '18', and if you have adjDx 2 or less, you will fail even if you roll a '3.' And those very high or low rolls are in no way special.

The closest I come is my rule for "cheap and shoddy" weapons: These break on a roll of '3.' Which means that when they break, it's usually on a successful hit (but not a hit for extra damage - a '3' still doesn't give you that) rather than a wild swing & miss.

Improvised weapons usually - but not always - count as "cheap and shoddy."

(Now let the cries of "Anathema!" and "Burn the heretic!" begin.)

[hcobb]

If you don't want to worry about drop and break weapon results then cast Staff II. If you can't then well Muggle lives matter a fifth as much.

[TippetsTX]

I use them, but modified and adjusted for significant penalties or bonuses.

My baseline thresholds are these...

On 2 dice:
3 or less = auto success
12 = auto failure

On 3 dice:
3 = superior success (double damage/effect plus critical effect)
4 = critical success (double damage/effect)
5 or less = auto success
17 or more = auto failure
18 = critical failure (fumble effect)

On 4 dice:
4 = superior success
5 = critical success
7 or less = auto success
21 or more = auto failure
22 or 23 = critical failure
24 = superior failure

On 5 dice:
5 = superior success
6 or 7 = critical success
9 or less = auto success
25 or more = auto failure
27 or 28 = critical failure
29 or 30 = superior failure

On 6 dice:
6 or 7 = superior success
8 or 9 = critical success
11 or less = auto success
29 or more = auto failure
31 to 33 = critical failure
34 to 36 = superior failure

On 7 dice:
7 or 8 = superior success
9, 10 or 11 = critical success
13 or less = auto success
33 or more = auto failure
35 to 38 = critical failure
39 to 42 = superior failure

On 8 dice:
8, 9 or 10 = superior success
11, 12 or 13 = critical success
15 or less = auto success
36 or more = auto failure
39 to 43 = critical failure
44 to 48 = superior failure

The number of dice represent a task's inherent 'degree of difficulty' in my system while modifiers (positive or negative) are associated with non-inherent factors that impact one's ability to perform the task. These modifiers will also effect the application of critical and superior die results.

For example...
-1 to -3 = Somewhat Hard (no adjustment)
-4 to -6 = Moderately Hard (adjust by one step so on 3-dice auto success on a 4 and a normal critical success is on a 3)
-7 to -9 = Very Hard (adjust by two steps so on 3-dice both critical and superior success drop off and auto success only happens on a 3).

A total penalty of -10 (or higher) represents something that is 'nigh impossible' IMO so there won't be any chance of even auto success.

P.S.
This also effectively kills the 'blob' archetype which I have long disliked.

[hcobb]

I'm a bit less generous about critical successes on high dice rolls and simply continue the pattern established from 3d -> 4d

https://www.hcobb.com/tft/TFT_Saving...rcentages.html