Alpha Dawn - Star Frontiersman

11 Simplified
Skills
Some people don’t like having to reference a list of
percentages and subskills when trying to do
something skill-related with their character. Other
players may dislike the fact that skills are
completely detached from ability scores (why does
my DEX help me shoot a foe with my Beam
Weapons skill, but it doesn’t make any difference
when trying to defuse a demolitions charge?). If
you fall in one of these categories, this rule is for
you.
Instead of using the list of subskills, players use the
same rules as they do for combat. Simply take half
your appropriate ability score then add ten times
your skill level in the skill in question. Which ability
score to use depends on the circumstances, and the
type of skill roll you’re trying to make.
For example, your character is looking at a robot at
an auction, and deciding whether or not it would be
a good purchase. In this case, he would use half his
Intuition as his base score, plus ten times his
Robotics skill. Later, he gets it home and starts
working on repairing its broken track wheel, using
his Logic as his base score.
Modifiers. Just like combat (both ranged and
melee) has a list of modifiers, so too should the
referee impose penalties and bonuses based on how
complex the action is. This is left up to the
discretion of the referee, but situational modifiers of
+30 to -30 should be a general guideline.
Using Skills
Skills are used differently.
Previously, abilities had nothing to
do with skill success rates. Thus,
a dexterous character had no
better chance to move silently
than a clumsy one - skill level was
all that mattered. In this system,
abilities DO matter. Depending on
your character’s relevant ability
score, you’ll receive a modifier to
your chance of success based on
the table shown here.
Ability Mod
01-10 -20
11-20 -15
21-30 -10
31-40 -5
41-50 +0
51-60 +5
61-70 +10
71-80 +15
81-90 +20
91-100 +25
>100 +30
Note: Combat skills do not receive this bonus. Their
chance to succeed is already based on your ability
score.
Unskilled Skill Checks
If your character doesn’t have a necessary skill, he can
still take a stab at using it. Normally, this simply
means not receiving a level bonus (do the math but
assume his level is zero). Some subskills, however,
cannot be used unskilled; they simply require too much
training or specialized equipment. Your referee has the
final say on whether or not a skill can be attempted.
For example, your character wants to sneak past a
guard. The referee tells him to make a Stealth roll
(that’s a subskill of the Environmentalist skill, which
your character has no levels in) with Dexterity as a
modifier. Your character has a DEX score of 75, so you
get to add +15 to the base chance. The base chance
of Stealth is listed as “20% + level” so your chance of
success is 20+0+15=35%.
12
Increased
Punching
As it stands, having a punching score of +2 isn’t
that different from having a score of +4. Opponents
have an average of 45 Stamina, and that makes
strength have very little effect on melee combat.
This rule increases the impact of Strength on melee
damage.
PS: Punching score is calculated in a different
manner. Divide your character’s Strength score by
ten, rounding up, then subtract five. This results in
a number between -2 and +2, with rare occurrences
of -3 or +3.
Application. Instead of adding to the damage roll,
it adds to each die of the damage roll. Thus, if you
get to roll 5d10 for melee damage, and your
punching score is +3, you get to roll 5d10+15 (that
is, +3 per die). This allows Strength to play a more
significant role on melee damage, and weapons
designed to amplify Strength do so in a more
pronounced manner.
13
Lethal
Combat
Some players and referees complain that the game
as it currently stands is not lethal enough. For
example, your character might have a Stamina
score of 65. He really doesn’t fear much from a guy
with a knife, who couldn’t do him significant damage
in a single blow regardless of his level of training.
In order to make combat more lethal, allow skill to
add damage, using the following table for reference.
This bonus applies to all combat skills.
Caution. If using this optional rule in conjunction
with Increased Punching Score option, Strength will
play an even more pronounced role in melee combat
(since we’re adding dice to the damage caused).
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