Task Difficulty

If the GM feels that a success roll should be easier or harder in a particular situation, he may assess a difficulty modifier. This is separate from modifiers for the culture, equipment, language, tech level, etc. of the person attempting the task, in that it applies to anyone who attempts the task. It is cumulative with all other modifiers. For instance, if the GM rules that the only way to sway a particular audience is to make a Public Speaking roll at -2, the difficulty modifier is -2. Any speaker has -2, in addition to personal modifiers (for culture, language, Voice, etc.), when dealing with that audience.

Many skills suggest difficulty modifiers – e.g., the -5 to use Lockpicking skill by touch – but the possible variety of tasks is essentially infinite. Here are some guidelines for GMs:

+10 – Automatic. Tasks so trivial that the GM should waive the need for a success roll, except under extraordinary circumstances. Example: A Driving roll to start a car.

+8 or +9 – Trivial. Situations where failure is extremely unlikely, and would require incredibly bad luck. Example: A Driving roll to drive around an empty parking lot.

+6 or +7 – Very Easy. Tasks where failure is possible, but would require bad luck. Example: A Driving roll to drive down an empty suburban street.

+4 or +5 – Easy. Most mundane tasks, including rolls made by ordinary people at day-to-day jobs. Example: A Driving roll to commute to work in a small town.

+2 or +3 – Very Favorable. Mildly risky tasks that most people would undertake without hesitation. Example: A Driving roll to commute to work in a teeming metropolis.

+1 – Favorable. Tasks that most people would hesitate at, due to the risk, but that a career adventurer would regard as easy. Example: A Driving roll to compete in a road rally.

0 – Average. Most adventuring tasks, and the majority of skill use under stress. Example: A Driving roll in a car chase.

-1 – Unfavorable. Stressful tasks that would challenge a novice adventurer, but not an old hand. Example: A Driving roll in a high-speed car chase.

-2 or -3 – Very Unfavorable. Stressful tasks that would challenge a professional. Skilled adventurers still routinely accept such risks! Example: A Driving roll in a highspeed car chase on a busy freeway.

-4 or -5 – Hard. Tasks so challenging that even an expert will look for alternatives. A true "master" is still unlikely to feel challenged. Example: A Driving roll to keep the car on the road while shooting a gun out the window during a highspeed chase.

-6 or -7 – Very Hard. Situations that even the masters might have second thoughts about. Example: A Driving roll in a high-speed chase during a blizzard.

-8 or -9 – Dangerous. Tasks at which even the greatest masters expect to fail. Example: A Driving roll while shooting a gun in a high-speed chase during a blizzard.

-10 – Impossible. No sane person would attempt such a task. The GM may wish to forbid such attempts altogether. Example: A Driving roll to steer a car with the knees while firing a bazooka two handed during a chase through a blizzard.

These modifiers assume a trained character. To get an idea of how tough a task would be for someone working at default, add the default penalty to the difficulty modifier.

Example: Someone who never learned to drive is using Driving at its DX-5 default. For him, an everyday commute – "Easy" (+4 or +5) for a trained driver – would be "Average" (DX) or even "Unfavorable" (DX-1), and almost certainly a stressful experience!

The GM can use difficulty modifiers in place of other modifiers if the outcome of a task is too unimportant – or the action too hot – to justify stopping to add up a long string of modifiers. For instance, in a car chase involving a car in bad repair, the GM might bump the difficulty up a level or two instead of assessing an equipment modifier for the car.

Time Spent

You can reduce the penalty for a tough task – or even get a bonus – by working slowly and deliberately, taking the time to get things right. Conversely, if you are racing to beat a deadline, even the simplest task can become tricky.

Extra Time: Taking more time than usual for a task (as specified by the rules or the GM) gives a bonus to a noncombat action: 2× as long gives +1, 4× gives +2, 8× gives +3, 15× gives +4, and 30× gives +5. For instance, taking a work day (eight hours) to do a one-hour task would give +3. This bonus only applies if it would make sense to take extra time for the task at hand (GM's judgment). You can take extra time to open a safe or figure out an alien artifact, but not to neutralize poison or chase a fleeing suspect!

Haste: Hurrying gives a penalty: -1 per 10% less time taken. For instance, attempting a task in half the usual time (-50%) is at -5. The maximum time reduction is normally 90% (taking 1/10 the prescribed time), at -9. In a cinematic game, the GM might allow one attempt at -10 to complete a task instantly; e.g., a Mechanic roll at -10 to fix a machine by kicking it! However, you cannot hasten tasks that require a certain amount of time due to natural laws (e.g., a chemical reaction) or the limitations of equipment (e.g., the top speed of a vehicle). When in doubt, the GM's decision is final.

Note that if a skill specifies time modifiers, these override the generic modifiers above. For instance, magic spells have their own rules for extra time (see Ceremonial Magic) and cannot be rushed save by those with high skill (see Magic Rituals).