Alternative Systems for AD & DTM

Skills & Abilities#1

Perception

Notes: I've never been satisfied with using something like Intelligence when a roll is needed to see if a character notices something important, so here's some rules for a new attribute - Perception.

Perception Find Traps Secret Doors Spot Hidden Surprise Hear Noise
3 -10% -1 0% +2 -10%
4 -8% -1 0% +1 -9%
5-6 -5% -1 5% +1 -5%
7-9 0 0 7% 0 0
10-11 0 0 10% 0 0
12 +2% 0 10% 0 0
13-14 +5% 0 12% 0 +3%
15 +7% +1 15% -1 +5%
16 +10% +1 15% -1 +7%
17 +12% +1 17% -2 +10%
18 +15% +2 20% -2 +12%

The modifiers for the Perception stat are:

Find Traps
modifiers to chances for Thieves and non-Thieves
Secret Doors
modifier to normal chance for race
Spot Hidden
chance to find hidden things, and also penalty on opposing chances to Hide In Shadows and Move Silently
Surprise
modifier to usual 2 in 10 chance of being surprised
Hear Noise
modifier to chances for Thieves and non-Thieves

Thief Abilities (and Abilities for non-Thieves)

Notes: A Thief's skills and abilities are very dependent on their surroundings and circumstances; a list of modifiers follow. There are also some modest chances for non-Thieves to try their hand at some of these abilities; it's possible, but not something to rely on...

Base Abilities for non-Thieves:

AbilityBase ChanceRace Modifier
Pick Pockets*10%Elf, Hobbit +5%, Half-elf +10%
Open Locks*10%Elf, Half-elf -5%, Dwarf +5%
Find/Remove Traps*5%Gnome, Hobbit +5%, Dwarf +10%
Move Silently*10%Elf, Gnome +5%, Hobbit +10%
Hide In Shadows*10%Hobbit +5%, Dwarf -5%
Hear Noise*15%Elf, Hobbit +5%, Gnome +10%
Climb Walls40%Gnome, Hobbit -15%, Dwarf -10%
Read Languages0%-

* The Perception stat of possible witnesses may affect the chance of success - see above.

Climb Walls

Lots of handholds
+40%
Rope
+55%
Mountaineering Prof
+20%
No Armour (thief)
+10%
Leather (non-thieves)
-10%
Studded, Padded, Hide
-30%
Chain, Ring, Scale
-40%
Splint, Banded
-50%
Plate
-70%

Move Silently

Noisy surface
-30%
Guard's Spot Hidden
See Per
No Armour (thief)
+10%
Leather (non-thieves)
-10%
Studded, Padded, Hide
-20%
Chain, Ring, Scale
-60%
Plate, Splint, Banded
-80%

Pick Pockets

No Armour (thief)
+5%
Leather (non-thieves)
-5%
Studded, Padded, Hide
-30%
Chain, Ring, Scale
-50%
Plate, Splint, Banded
-70%

Hide in Shadows

Guard's Spot Hidden
See Per
Pitch black
Automatic
Darker than torchlight
+20%
Torchlight
-
Well-lit
-25%
Daylight, Continual Light
-65%
No Armour (thief)
+5%
Leather (non-thieves)
-5%
Chain, Ring, Scale
-20%
Plate, Splint, Banded
-30%

Critical Failures for Thieves and non-Thieves:

Find / Remove Traps
Roll of 96-00%
Pick Pockets
Roll of 100-(3 x Victim's Level - Thief's Level)%