Cold Sun Basic System

In an effort to start generating some interest in Cold Sun, I thought I would post the basic mechanics of the system. Remember, of course, that I'm still in alpha testing, so quite a bit may still change between now and release. I'm always interested in feedback and suggestions, so feel free to email me at Vaygh (at) yahoo (dot) com. Thanks, and enjoy!

This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
BASIC TASK RESOLUTION SYSTEM
These rules assume a standardized system for determining the success or failure of any given task. That system is:
Three six- sided dice (3d6) + Modifiers vs. Difficulty Class
The Modifiers and Difficulty Class are determined by the type of task. If the result of the roll + the Modifiers equals or exceeds the Difficulty Class, the check is successful. Any other result is a failure.

Modifiers
A modifier provides a bonus (a positive modifier) or a penalty (a negative modifier) to a die roll.
Bonuses with specific descriptors, such as “equipment bonus,” generally don’t stack (combine for cumulative effect) with others of the same type. In those cases, only the best bonus of that type applies.
The only specific bonuses that stack are dodge bonuses, synergy bonuses, and sometimes circumstance bonuses. Circumstance bonuses stack only if they’re provided by differing circumstances; if two circumstance bonuses caused by similar circumstances apply, they don’t stack.
Specific bonuses that don’t stack include competence, cover, enhancement, equipment, haste, inherent, insight, morale, armor and size.
Any bonus without a descriptor (such as simply a “+1 bonus”) stacks with other bonuses.
All penalties stack, regardless of their descriptors.
Difficulty Class
Checks are made against a Difficulty Class (DC). The DC is a number set by the GM (using the rules as a guideline) that a character must attain to succeed. Table: Difficulty Class Examples shows some sample tasks and the Difficulty Class associated with a task of that level.
Table: Difficulty Class Examples
Difficulty (DC)
Example
Very easy (0)
Notice something large in plain sight
Easy (5)
Climb a knotted rope
Average (10)
Hear an approaching security guard
Tough (15)
Disarm an explosive
Challenging (20)
Swim against a strong current
Formidable (25)
Break into a secure computer system
Heroic (30)
Leap across a 30' chasm
Superheroic (35)
Convince the guards that even though you’re not wearing an ID badge and aren’t on their list, they should let you into the building
Nearly impossible (40)
Track a trained commando through the forests of Brazil on a moonless night after 12 days of rainfall
THRESHOLD
In some cases, it's important to know not just whether a given action is successful or not, but what degree of success is achieved. The mechanism for measuring the degree of success of a check is known as Threshold. Every point beyond the Difficulty Class + 5 (or Threshold) is considered a degree of success. The effect of beating the Threshold varies from check to check. See the specific check description for more information. In combat, each degree of success beyond Threshold deals an extra point of damage.
Extra degrees of success beyond Threshold + 5 are wasted, granting no additional benefit.
Example: Jake is trying to climb a difficult rock face. The Difficulty Class for his Athletics skill check is 12. Jake crosses his fingers and rolls, getting a 15. He also has a total +3 modifier to his roll, for a final result of 18. Since Threshold for the roll is 17 (DC 12 + 5), Jake has achieved Threshold + 1 (check result 18 – Threshold 17 = + 1).
Conversely, failing a check by more than five is known an hitting the Negative Threshold. Many checks have particular consequences for this level of failure. While not as extreme as a critical failure, Negative Threshold results can still be disastrous.
CHECKS WITHOUT ROLLS
A check represents an attempt to accomplish some goal, usually while under some sort of time pressure or distraction. Sometimes, though, a character can make a check under more favorable conditions and eliminate the luck factor. Alternately, some characters are exceptionally skilled, allowing them to succeed even in the face of distraction and stress. Other characters are not up to the task, failing even when circumstances are good and help is given.
Automatic Failure
When the DC of a given check is more than your character's applicable modifiers plus 20, the task automatically fails. In this case, the character is simply not talented enough to accomplish a particular task. No amount of luck or help can grant the needed insight or ability to succeed. The automatic failure rule applies regardless of distraction or threat; in fact, distractions and bad circumstances may make some tasks impossible for a character that may otherwise be capable of succeeding.
Automatic Success
If your character's applicable modifiers alone equal or exceed the DC of the check (meaning the check would succeed even if you rolled a zero), you may opt not to roll the dice and instead take an automatic success. In this case, your character is skilled enough and the task at hand is so mundane that it requires the slightest effort. Distractions and threats apply to the automatic success rule: some ordinarily routine tasks can become just difficult enough for a character to fail at them in the heat of combat.
Taking 10
When your character is not being threatened or distracted, you may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 3d6 for the check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10. For many routine tasks, taking 10 makes them automatically successful. Distractions or threats (such as combat) make it impossible for a character to take 10. In most cases, taking 10 is purely a safety measure —you know (or expect) that an average roll will succeed but fear that a poor roll might fail, so you elect to settle for the average roll (a 10). Taking 10 is especially useful in situations where a particularly high roll wouldn’t help.
Taking 18
When you have plenty of time (generally 10 minutes for a task that can normally be checked in 1 round or less), you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the feat being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 18. In other words, eventually you will get an 18 on 3d6 if you roll enough times. Instead of rolling for the check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled an 18.
Taking 18 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 18 takes one hundred times as long as making a single check would take.
Since taking 18 assumes that the character will fail many times before succeeding, if you did attempt to take 18 on a skill that carries penalties for failure, your character would automatically incur those penalties before he or she could complete the task.
CRITICAL FAILURE AND SUCCESS
When a three is rolled on the dice (all ones) and the provisions of the Automatic Success rule (Section X.X) do not apply, a critical failure has occurred. Also known as a botch, a critical failure indicates that the character has failed spectacularly at the task at hand. Critical failure results are determined by the GM and should add drama to the story.
Critical successes occur when the dice come up all sixes (18) and the provisions of the Automatic Failure rule (Section X.X) do not apply. Commonly known as crits, a critical success usually achieves the optimum level of success possible for a given check. See the specific check description for more information about the results of a critical success for that check. In combat, a critically successful attack deals damage to the target's wound points, bypassing their vitality points. These attacks are usually devastating to their victims.
Critical successes combine with the Threshold mechanic (Section X.X), making a skilled character who crits a very dangerous individual.
FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS
Some situations may make a skill easier or harder to use, resulting in a bonus or penalty to the modifier for a check or a change to the DC of the check.
The chance of success can be altered in four ways to take into account exceptional circumstances.
1. Give the character a +2 circumstance bonus to represent conditions that improve performance, such as having the perfect tool for the job, getting help from another character, or possessing unusually accurate information.
2. Give the character a –2 circumstance penalty to represent conditions that hamper performance, such as being forced to use improvised tools or having misleading information.
3. Reduce the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task easier, such as having a friendly audience or doing work that can be sub par.
4. Increase the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task harder, such as having an uncooperative audience or doing work that must be flawless.
Conditions that affect your character’s ability to perform the task change the modifier. Conditions that modify how well the character has to perform on the check to succeed change the DC. A bonus to the modifier and a reduction in the check’s DC have the same result: They create a better chance of success. But they represent different circumstances, and sometimes that difference is important.
OPPOSED CHECKS
An opposed check is a check whose success or failure is determined by comparing the check result to another character’s check result. In an opposed check, the higher result succeeds, while the lower result fails. In case of a tie, the higher modifier wins. If these scores are the same, roll again to break the tie.


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