Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

In 3E and later skill checks are pretty well established and codified into the rules. As someone who has been playing since 3E but who is getting into IF and BFRPG, what is the correct way in IF to approach these situations:

1. An arm wrestling match at the tavern
2. Trying to persuade the shopkeeper
3. Trying to investigate a scene for clues left behind
4. Trying to scale a steep wall to get onto the roof

Mechanically, what is the best way to approach these problems within the framework of the rules?

Not everything has to be determined by a die roll; this is a roleplaying game. For #2&3, let the player(s) roleplay and see what they do.

For #1, it could simply be a Strength ability check (I know BFRPG has that rule option in the back). For #4, if the player is a Thief then you can have them roll that; for any non-Thief, could do the same thing, just with worst chance of success.

Essentially then it's fine for the referee to just wing it? I remember my friends telling me that's why they loved earlier editions of DND, because the DM was essentially all-powerful, but I didn't really know what they were referring to. I think I see it now.

Definitely in the earlier editions you wing it, but you also need to be fair and consistent. So however you decide something, if it comes up again it should be decided the same way. And (barring any special attributes/abilities) it should hold true for the bad guys, whether as a positive or negative to them.
--Ron--

Thank you! Very helpful!

Sounds like you've definitely got the right spirit and that your game is going to rock kaijusenpai!

Much appreciated!

kaijusenpai wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 7:21 am Essentially then it's fine for the referee to just wing it?

That is basically the core of the spirit, not being smothered with tons of rules, and letting the GM rule as its best for the game on a case by case basis.

I remember my friends telling me that's why they loved earlier editions of DND, because the DM was essentially all-powerful...

I tend to just use an ability check.

If you want an opposed roll for an NPC (like the arm wrestling match), they could both roll STR.

- Whoever rolls under their STR, but higher than the other, wins. So if they both have a 15 STR, and one rolls a 13 and the other a 7, the 13 wins.

-If there's a tie, either roll again or the character with a higher attribute wins.

1d6 plus STR bonus for each participant in the arm wrestling match; if the rolls tie, they glare at each other for a round and roll again, until someone gets the, ahem, upper hand.

That's what I'd do. Just made that up on the spot.