Opposed Skill Rolls

If two investigators are opposing one another, or if an investigator is in a conflict with a significant Keeper-controlled character (an NPC, i.e. one for whom statistics are listed in the scenario), the Keeper may require an “opposed roll.”

To resolve an opposed roll, both sides make a skill roll and compare their level of success. A Regular success beats a Fail, a Hard success beats a Regular success, and an Extreme success beats a Hard success. In the case of a draw, the side with the higher skill value wins. If both skills are equal, then have both sides roll 1D100, with the lower result winning.

Bonus and Penalty Dice

Sometimes, the prevailing conditions for the investigators, their environment, and/or the time available to them can hinder or benefit a skill or characteristic roll. Under certain conditions the Keeper may grant a “bonus” or a “penalty” die to a roll. One bonus die and one penalty die cancel each other out. Such bonuses and penalties operate in a similar way to raising the difficulty of a roll, and can be used instead of, or in addition to, an increased difficulty. Normally, though, bonus and penalty dice are used primarily with opposed rolls.

For each bonus die: roll an additional “tens” percentage die alongside the usual pair of percentage dice when making a skill roll. You are now rolling three separate dice: one “units” die and two “tens” dice. To take benefit of the bonus, use the “tens” die that yields the better (lower) result.

Example: two rival investigators, Malcolm and Hugh, are vying for the affection of Lady Greene. Only one can gain her hand in marriage, so the Keeper determines that an opposed roll is needed to determine the outcome of their wooing. It is decided that each should make an opposed Charm roll. The Keeper reviews the events of the scenario so far: Malcolm has visited Lady Greene twice, each time lavishing expensive gifts upon her, while Hugh has only visited once and brought no gifts at all. The Keeper states that Malcolm has an advantage and will receive a bonus die in the opposed roll. Hugh’s player rolls first against his Charm skill of 55, getting 45—a Regular success.

Malcolm’s player rolls against his Charm skill with one bonus die, rolling one units die and two tens dice. The units die reads 4 and can be paired with either of the two tens dice to give scores of 44 or 24. Malcolm’s player takes the lower result 24—a Hard success.

Malcolm wins the opposed roll, and his proposal of marriage to Lady Greene is accepted.

For each penalty die: roll an additional “tens” percentage die alongside the usual pair of percentage dice. You’re now rolling three separate dice: one “units” die and two “tens” dice. For a penalty, use the “tens” die that yields the worse (higher) result.

Example: in a dire turn of events, two investigators—Felix and Harrison—have been captured by the cultists of the Scarlet Smile. The cultists decide to have some “fun” at the investigators’ expense, decreeing that both must undertake the Ordeal of Pain, from which only one can survive. The loser will be sacrificed to the cultists’ foul god.

The Ordeal of Pain involves lifting a huge rock and holding it aloft. Whoever holds the rock up the longest will win. This requires an opposed STR roll from each of the investigators; however, the Keeper rules that Harrison must take a penalty die, as he recently suffered a major wound (he received an injury when he was captured by the cultists) and is still recovering.

Felix’s player rolls 51 against STR 65—a Regular success.

Harrison’s STR is 55. His player rolls 20 and 40 on two tens dice and 1 on the units die, which can be combined to read 21 or 41. The extra die was a penalty die, so Harrison must take the higher result—a Regular success

Both players have achieved a Regular success; Felix wins because he has the higher STR value. Felix is able to hold the rock above his head for longer than Harrison. The cultists jeer and lead Harrison off towards their altar...

Luck Rolls

Luck rolls may be called for by the Keeper when circumstances external to an investigator are in question, and also when determining the fickle hand of fate. If, for example, an investigator wants to know if there is an item lying nearby that they could use as weapon, or if the flashlight they have found has any juice left in it, then call for a Luck roll. Note that if a skill or characteristic is more appropriate to a situation, then it should be used rather than Luck. To succeed in a Luck roll, the investigator must roll equal to or under their current Luck value.

If the Keeper calls for a “group Luck roll,” the player whose investigator has the lowest Luck score (among those present in the scene) should make the roll on behalf of the group.

Example: finding a cab doesn’t require a dice roll, but getting one before the investigators lose sight of the car that they wish to pursue could. Credit Rating could be a factor in attracting the attention of a cabdriver on the lookout for a well-dressed fare who may tip generously. However, quickly getting a ride at two o’clock in the morning on the undesirable side of town might not be so easy. Would there even be a cab to hail? No skill is going to make a cab appear at that moment. It is a matter of chance whether a cab may be driving down that road, hence a Luck roll is required.