The Chances of War

The core resolution system for Iron Dice of War is rolling an amount of dice and counting the ones that show 6 or higher. This count is then compared to a target number based on how difficult the task is, and if the number of 6s is equal to or higher than that, the action is successful.

= Preview =


 * To attempt an uncertain action, test the character's ability by rolling [Attribute] number of dice, of [Skill] size
 * 6s and above are Steps
 * The number of Steps needed for Success is the test's Difficulty
 * Additional complications can add Hindrance dice which increase the Difficulty if they roll 6 or above
 * One Step shy of Success is an Advance, less is a Failure, more is a Victory
 * 1s are Slips
 * If there are as many (or more) Slips as Steps (and the roll has at least two Slips), it's a Stumble
 * A Failure with a Stumble is a Disaster
 * To gain more dice before a roll, the character can Charge to add his Willpower to the dice pool
 * If not enough Steps were scored after a roll, the character can use a Second Wind to roll again and add additional Steps to the first roll's results
 * If not enough Steps were scored after a roll, the character can use a Second Wind to roll again and add additional Steps to the first roll's results

= Core Mechanic =

Dice Pool
To resolve uncertain or important outcomes of character efforts, the Iron Dice of War system has players roll a dice pool of varying dice size based on their characters' Attributes and Skills.

Attributes = Number of Dice
The number of dice rolled is usually equal to the character’s Attribute rating.

A character can roll more dice than his Attribute rating only in specific circumstances, often through using a relevant Talent, spending a Vitality through a Charge (before the roll) or a Second Wind (after the roll), or through teamwork (see the Assist Ally option in the Victory section below as well as the Create Advantage option in the Advance section below).

Skills = Size of Dice
The size of the dice rolled is determined the character’s Skill, which is already measured in a dice size. For instance, “d6” means rolling a 6-sided dice, “d8” means rolling an 8-sided dice, etc."These dice sizes are increased in increments of 1 even though there are no odd dice in most standard physical dice sets. This is for online use where rolling a d7 is as easy as typing in “/roll d7,” but in a real life game of Iron Dice of War, simply round down to the nearest actual dice size when rolling (i.e. use the intermediary dice sizes as a half-step for character progression purposes only). At Skills above d12, continue to roll a d12 but count the following results as also being Steps: d14 - 5 is also a Step, d16 - 4 is also a Step, d18 - 3 is also a Step."

= Terminology =

Steps
Every dice that rolls a 6 or higher is called a Step. This is not a reference to any amount of individual steps in a process but rather the fact that success in battle is measured in hard-fought steps into enemy territory.

Difficulty
The amount of Steps required to accomplish a task is its Difficulty, which is determined by how challenging the task is. For opposed rolls, the Difficulty is equal to the amount of Steps the opposition scored plus one.

Difficulty 0 Tests
Generally a task with a Difficulty of 0 (a Certainty) would not need to be rolled, it can simply be assumed to happen successfully. Occasionally however, there can be instances where the degree of success is important despite other modifiers pushing the Difficulty down to 0. In such a case, a Difficulty of 0 means that the effort will always be a Success so long as the result is not a Stumble with zero Steps, which results in Failure (rather than a Disaster). Otherwise, all Steps rolled are considered excess Steps and thus upgrade the quality of the result.

Hindrance
Often there are extenuating circumstances that can potentially interfere with a task but do not guarantee that the Difficulty will be increased. To model these possible setbacks, some complications may add Hindrance dice instead of increasing the Difficulty directly. Examples of these complications can be found under each Skill [add hyperlink], but the Gamemaster may introduce additional ones to match the situation.

For each Hindrance, the Gamemaster rolls a d10, and results of 6 or higher increase the Difficulty by 1 as a result of the setback. The use of and source/reason for any Hindrance dice is laid out after an action is declared but before the player rolls. An action can be changed after the Hindrance dice are announced before they have been rolled, but not after they have been rolled.

Some Talents or Gear qualities can allow a character to ignore Hindrances from specific sources. In these cases, when the Hindrance dice are added due to a relevant circumstance, they are removed before being rolled based on the description of the Talent or Gear quality.

Slips
Every dice that rolls a 1 is a Slip. Slips are exceedingly minor mistakes or inadequacies that rarely mean anything so long as the action is overall successful. After all, a single Slip is not a problem so long as the number of Steps gets you to your destination!

In very rare (and clearly specified) situations, the range of results that constitutes a Slip can be expanded, such as to 1s and 2s both being Slips. If not otherwise explicitly stated however, only a 1 should be considered a Slip.

Stumble
Dangerous things happen when there are as many or more Slips as there are Steps: a Stumble.

There are two conditions required for a Stumble:


 * There was more than one Slip, i.e. at least two dice need to have rolled a 1.
 * The number of Slips is equal to or greater than the number of Steps, i.e. the dice roll has as many 1s as it does 6s or higher.

A Stumble signifies something has gone wrong, either directly related to the task or otherwise. A Stumble cannot negate a Success if one is achieved, but it can cause a new complication to arise, a previous risk to make itself known, or a threat to appear that would otherwise not have been an issue.

Common Stumbles include calling for a resistance test to avoid losing a point of Vitality, or expending a supply of some sort (such as fuel or ammunition). If there are no obvious complications that can be applied to the situation, the Game Master can add a point of Menace (add hyperlink).

=Outcomes =

Victory
Additional Steps beyond a Success

A Victory is an outstanding Success that achieves the intended goal of the action and more. In addition to the baseline success, a Victory grants extra advantage or provides a better position for future actions. This advantage must make narrative sense and be described how it takes place. This can be proposed by the player or offered by the Game Master, but here are a few suggestions:

One excess Step

 * Assist Ally: Provide one bonus die per excess Step to a comrade for imminent use
 * Improved Outcome: One increase in scope or degree of accomplishment per excess Step
 * Greater Effect: Activate a Weapon Tag (add hyperlink)
 * Vigilant Defense: Grants one Reaction Test per excess Step which does not incur a penalty on the next turn

Two excess Steps

 * Hinder Opposition: Reduce Menace by one
 * Impede Target: Increase the Difficulty of a target's next action by 1
 * Rousing Excellence: Restore one point of Breath to yourself or a nearby ally
 * Seize Initiative: Take an extra minor action which does not require a test, or reposition to a new spot

Success
Steps equal to Difficulty

A Success results in achieving the goals that the character set out to accomplish.

Advance
One Step less than Difficulty

An Advance can be either a limited success, a costly success, or a failure that provides an advantage for a further attempt. The player can choose to either:


 * Costly Success: Achieve a full success but at a cost or difficulty or complication, such as using up supplies or spending a Vitality (add hyperlink). If there is no other available cost, the Game Master can always gain a point of Menace.
 * Create Advantage: Fail at the task, but acquire a fleeting boost for an ally or oneself.

Failure
Two or less fewer Steps than Difficulty

A Failure is the the inability to accomplish the character's goals or make any progress toward them. This almost always comes with a cost, be it suffering an injury or exhausting the character or wasting resources or – at the very least – spending time and effort to no effect.

Disaster
Failure and a Stumble

A Disaster is a failure that also results in something terrible happening. Since a Disaster is made up of a Failure and a Stumble happening simultaneously, it is a terrible thing to go through and should be avoided at all costs. A Disaster might be a normal Failure plus an additional negative consequence or complication occurring, but it might also be a failure with an amplified version of the cost that a Failure usually entails.

= Types of Tests =

Standard Tests
The majority of Tests will be a result of a character attempting to accomplish something, with an unclear outcome, which will call for a one-time roll of a dice pool determined by that character's Attribute and Skill. The Difficulty of the Test is determined by the Gamemaster, based on how complex or challenging the character's goals are. For this reason, it is important to explain what a character is trying to achieve with his efforts, so that the Gamemaster can accurately set the Difficulty."The method of notating a Standard Test is as follows: Attribute (Skill) [Difficulty] Test. So a first aid effort with a Difficulty of 3 would be written as: 'Intellect (Medicine) [3] Test'."Additional actions or efforts will always increase the Difficulty of a Test, usually by 1 per extra complication. In combat, this means that having to pick up or ready a weapon will increase the Difficulty of an ensuing Coordination (Marksmanship) Test by 1, or having to stand up from prone will increase the Difficulty of the next Fitness (Assault) Test by 1, etc.

Opposed Tests
Whenever two parties are working in opposition, the Difficulty of the Test is determined by the effectiveness of the adversarial party working at odds with the character. When an enemy or competitor is doing something that is opposed to something a character is attempting, the non-player character rolls first. The Difficulty for the character to then beat is equal to the number of Steps the opposition rolled, plus one. This means that a tie results in an Advance, and Success requires scoring more Steps than the opponent."The method of notating an Opposed Test is as follows: Attribute (Skill) vs Attribute (Skill) Test. So an attempt to sneak past a sentry keeping watch for infiltrators would be written as 'Intuition (Stealth) vs. Intuition (Awareness) Test'."

Reaction Tests
When a character would be negatively impacted by something, a defensive effort may be required to attempt to mitigate the harmful effect, either by avoiding it entirely or reducing its magnitude. In such a case, the player may declare that he is making a Reaction Test. Whereas a Standard Test comes about due to a character attempting to accomplish something proactively, and an Opposed Test is two characters directly acting at odds, a Reaction Test is always made in response to something else while not being the primary effort the character reacting is focused on.

A Reaction Test is made just like a Standard or Opposed Test (depending upon if there is an actor or if it is an inert hazard), the Difficulty for the character to then beat is set just like a Standard or Opposed Test. This means that the Difficulty is either determined by the severity of the danger being overcome, or is equal to 1 plus the number of Steps the opposition rolled.

Because a Reaction Test is by its nature an interruption, each Reaction Test takes away from the focus on immediate efforts. For every Reaction Test a character makes before acting again, the Difficulty of any immediate actions made after the Reaction Test is increased by 1. This penalty is cumulative for multiple Reaction Tests (i.e. increasing to +2 Difficulty after two Reaction Tests, etc). And this penalty does affect additional Reaction Tests made one after another. In combat, this Difficulty penalty applies to the character's next turn, while out of combat the penalty would only last an equivalent length of time, about six seconds."The method of notating a Reaction Test is as follows: Attribute (Skill) [Difficulty] Reaction Test. So if an enemy threw a grenade with 3 Steps on the attack Test, an attempt to grab and throw a grenade far enough away to not be caught in the explosion would be written as 'Coordination (Dexterity) [4] Reaction Test'."A few example Reaction Tests include:


 * Fitness (Resilience) Reaction Test to endure damage so as to reduce the severity of an injury
 * Fitness (Athletics) Reaction Test to grab onto the edge of a collapsing floor so as not to plunge down
 * Fitness (Assault) Reaction Test to block or deflect an incoming melee attack from an assailant
 * Coordination (Agility) Reaction Test to vacate a dangerous area or evade a dodgeable attack
 * Coordination (Dexterity) Reaction Test to grasp a moving object in order to throw it somewhere else
 * Intuition (Awareness) Reaction Test to notice a stealthy approach or impending ambush
 * Intuition (Rapport) Reaction Test to see through lies, bluffs, or disguises
 * Willpower (Discipline) Reaction Test to resist mental influences, hardships, or spiritual attacks

Prolonged Tests
Some actions simply cannot be completed in a single go. Long-term projects, extended efforts, or ongoing actions all might be more complex or time-intensive than what can be accomplished right away. Additionally, such tasks might not be harmed by a lack of immediate progress, such that Failure does not end the effort, but merely prolong how long it might take. In such circumstances the Gamemaster might call for a Prolonged Test.

Prolonged Tests still have a Difficulty, but success in a Prolonged Test is determined by scoring excess Steps beyond that Difficulty across multiple rolls. To complete a Prolonged Test, the character needs a number of excess Steps equal to the task's Extent number. Accordingly, Difficulty is often much lower than a Standard Test's would be, and is an indicator for the skill floor required to make any progress at all. The Prolonged Test's Extent is determined by how complex the task is, though extremely complicated activities might be divided into multiple, simpler Prolonged Tests with lower Extent numbers.

In a Prolonged Test, the Gamemaster will set a Time Period which dictates how much time must pass before a roll can be made to determine if progress was made during that period of time. The Time Period is determined by the speed at which the effort can be undertaken, with something extremely quick like jury-rigging a device out of scrap requiring only 1 minute of work per test, while a dragging, ponderous task like a large construction project might have a Time Period measured in months.

Below are some example Extents and Time Periods for various project circumstances. Prolonged Tests are usually not easily failed outside of giving up on them, but sometimes things can go wrong. A Stumble on a Prolonged Test creates a complication that must be dealt with: a needed material has run out, or a required tool has broken, or a needed piece of instruction might be missing. This will require a bit of extra work to get back on track, but won't otherwise make success impossible. A Disaster on the other hand often means that something has gone irreversibly wrong, and the effort fails. Perhaps something crucial breaks, or a significant amount of progress made was done so incorrectly, leaving the entire project botched. If not, a Disaster will at the very least require considerable effort and cost to get past, likely needing additional materials or assistance from others.

Prolonged Tests can be rushed if needed, halving the Time Period that would normally be required to make the Test. Doing so adds a single Slip to the Test made for that time period, increasing the chance of a Stumble, and a Disaster."The method of notating a Prolonged Test is as follows: Attribute (Skill) [Difficulty] {Extent, Time Period} Prolonged Test. So an attempt to build a makeshift battering ram tool might be written 'Intellect (Mechanics) [1] {6, 1 minute}'."

=Improving the Odds=

Overview
When facing extremely consequential or difficult tasks, or actions outside of one's usual strengths, simply relying on the required Attribute and Skill might not be acceptable. In such circumstances, it is wise to rely on help from others, but sometimes even this is not possible.

In such circumstances, a character can strive to rise to the occasion through one of the following two options. Doing either will deplete important Vitalities, but that might be preferable to the consequences of failure.

When deciding which to do, simply remember the following:


 * A Charge must be declared before rolling, costs a point of Fire, and must relate to one of the character's Convictions
 * A Charge adds a number of dice to the roll equal to the character's Willpower rating
 * A Second Wind can be declared after rolling, costs a point of Breath,
 * A Second Wind allows rerolling the dice pool (minus any Slips) and adding additional Steps to the initial Step count

Charge
When the virtues one holds true drive one to act with purposeful intention, man can accomplish greatness far beyond his tangible limitations.

If one of the character's Convictions compels him to pursue an action, the player can decide to Charge. A Charge means to follow one's beliefs to glory, and the first step is to explain which of his Convictions is applicable to the current situation and how it inspires his plan of action. Then the player spends a point of Fire, and adds his Willpower Attribute to the number of dice rolled on the test for the Charge.

A Charge must be declared before any dice are rolled. The relevance of a Conviction inspiring a Charge must be approved by the GM, though this will be lenient so long as a modicum of roleplaying sincerity is maintained. A test may only benefit from a Charge once.

Second Wind
Some tasks are so monumentally difficult that a character simply cannot accomplish it even if every single dice rolls a Step. Normally this is a sign that other options should be explored, or else additional actions need to be taken to make the task's Difficulty more manageable. However sometimes this simply is not possible and the character will not take no for an answer. In these circumstances, he might be able to accomplish his goals by pulling upon deep reserves to utilize a Second Wind.

To use Second Wind, the player first rolls dice as normal, and after deciding that the number of Steps rolled was insufficient, counts the number of Slips rolled. The player then can decide to spend a point of Breath to activate a Second Wind. This allows the player to keep all previously rolled Steps, and to roll the exact same dice pool again, minus the number Slips rolled on the first go round. Add any additional Steps rolled the second time to the initial amount.

Only one Second Wind can be used per action, and only actions taken on a player's turn can be enhanced by a Second Wind. Reaction Tests taken between turns cannot be helped by a Second Wind.

Second Wind can be used on actions that have been enhanced by a Charge, but doing so requires spending two points of Breath. Again, only actions done on the player's turn may benefit from a Second Wind, so a Reaction Test that has been Charged cannot have a Second Wind applied to it. =Example Scenario= Alfred has an Intuition of 6 (Average) and an Awareness of d8 (Novice). He's standing watch at his post and unbeknownst to him, a Gallian scout is sneaking up on his position!

The GM rolls the Gallian's Stealth and gets 2 Steps. Because this is an opposed test, the Difficulty is equal to the opponent's Steps + 1, making the Difficulty 3 for Alfred to match.

Alfred's player rolls six d8s because his Attribute (Intuition) determines the number of dice he rolls, and his Skill (Awareness) determines the size of those dice.

Success Scenario
Alfred rolls: 3, 4, 5, 8, 8, 8.


 * Steps: Three dice rolled a 6 or higher, so he got three Steps.
 * Slips: No 1s rolled, so no Slips.
 * Result: Because Alfred achieved three Steps and the Difficulty was 3, Alfred achieved a Success.

Alfred catches the sight of a man-shaped shadow slinking forward near a gap in the barbed wire. What he does with that information is entirely up to him.

Advance Scenario
Alfred rolls: 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 8.


 * Steps: Two dice rolled a 6 or higher, so he got two Steps.
 * Slips: Alfred did roll a single 1, which is a Slip, but but since he did not roll at least two Slips and did not get as many Slips as Steps, it's not a Stumble.
 * Result: Because he achieved one less Step than the Difficulty, Alfred achieved an Advance.

Alfred's player can decide between a costly success or creating an advantage, and he chooses the latter. So while Alfred might not have spotted the scout, he does hear something rustling against the barbed wire near his post, leaving him free to investigate further if he deems it worthwhile, with an additional die to roll on a followup test. However, the Gallian scout is still out there, and not sitting idly by...

Failure Scenario
Alfred rolls: 1, 2, 4, 5, 5, and 7.


 * Steps: Only one dice rolled a 6 or higher, so he got one Step.
 * Slips: He rolled a 1, which is a Slip, but since he did not get two or more Slips, he's fine; it's not a Stumble.
 * Result: Unfortunately, one Step is less than the Difficulty of 3. It isn't even enough to achieve an Advance by being one short of the Difficulty, which means that Alfred's effort was a Failure.

Alfred doesn't notice the scout sneaking up on him. Perhaps he's distracted, looking in the wrong direction, or busy smoking?

Disaster Scenario
Alfred rolls: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8.


 * Steps: Only one Step.
 * Slips: Alfred rolled two 1s, for two Slips.
 * Result: Because the number of Slips is equal to or higher than the number of Steps, and at least two Slips were rolled, this is a Stumble. And because he got a Stumble and did not get enough Steps to qualify for something better than a Failure, the result gets upgraded to a Disaster!

Alfred accidentally fell asleep while staying on watch, and is vulnerable to a surprise attack by the Gallian scout sneaking up on him, completely unaware...

Victory Scenario (using a Second Wind)
Alfred rolls: 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 8.


 * Steps: Only one die rolled a 6 or higher, so he got one Step.
 * Slips: No 1s rolled, so no Slips.
 * Initial Result: Because Alfred only achieved one Step and the Difficulty was 3, Alfred would have received a Failure.

However, because Alfred's player believes this to be an important roll, and he did not roll too many Slips to make it not worthwhile, he decides to spend a point of Breath to use a Second Wind. This allows him to roll the exact same dice pool again.

Second roll, Alfred rolls: 1, 1, 4, 6, 6, 8.


 * Steps: This time Alfred rolled three dice at 6 or higher, so he adds those three Steps to his previous Step, for a total of four.
 * Slips: Alfred rolled two 1s, for two Slips. Two Slips is less than his total of four Steps, so he's fine.
 * Final Result: Four Steps is more than the Difficulty of 3, which means that Alfred achieved a Victory! This gives him an excess Step to improve his Success.

Alfred's hyper-alertness is a bit exhausting, but it pays off. Alfred's player decides to spend his excess step on Improved Outcome. And so Alfred catches the sight of a man-shaped shadow slinking forward near a gap in the barbed wire, spotting the Gallian scout before being seen in turn. It is now up to him what to do with this information and the advantage he has secured.