So, I have been working on improving Five-By-Five. In looking back at the numbers I have found that if it weren't for rolling doubles all rolls in Five-By-Five except 0 have a 2 in 36 chance of occurring That means if I remove doubles from the equation all other rolls become functional and the increments between the rolls become evenly distributed. This improves the 5x5 roll mechanic by leaps and bounds ... and I was already rather happy with it. Now I am ecstatic!
The original 5x5 matrix had 8 ranks and that included the "weakness" rank that needed to be rolled differently. So, really it was only a 7 step array with roughly a 10% difference between rolls, but this difference was not consistent by any means. The new mechanic doesn't need the "weakness" roll to help fill out its ranks and every number in the array is an equal difference from the next number up. And I have gone from 8 ranks to 11.
The New Five-By-Five Roll
Roll 2 six-sided dice.
If you roll Doubles you fail. But, you also learned something. Give yourself an Advancement Point.
If you didn't roll Doubles you have a chance for success.
Any result of 6 is read as 0 instead.
Multiply the 2 dice to find your result.
If the result is equal to or less than your target number, you succeeded at your task.
The lowest target number is 0.
The highest is 20.
0 is automatic success.
Doubles is automatic failure.
Hint: If you rolled a 6 and you didn't get doubles, you automatically succeed at your task because 0 x any number is 0 ... and 0 is an automatic success.
| 0 | 10 in 36 | 27.77 | % | each step adds 2 in 36 or 5.55 % |
| 2 | 12 in 36 | 33.33 | % | |
| 3 | 14 in 36 | 38.88 | % | |
| 4 | 16 in 36 | 44.44 | % | |
| 5 | 18 in 36 | 50.00 | % | |
| 6 | 20 in 36 | 55.55 | % | |
| 8 | 22 in 36 | 61.11 | % | |
| 10 | 24 in 36 | 66.66 | % | |
| 12 | 26 in 36 | 72.22 | % | |
| 15 | 28 in 36 | 77.77 | % | |
| 20 | 30 in 36 | 83.33 | % |
There are 5 levels of skills and 5 levels of traits in Five by Five. Cross reference these on the 5x5 Table to find your target number for success.
5x5 Target Number Table .
No Skill | Skill 1 | Skill 2 | Skill 3 | Skill 4 | Skill 5 | ||
T | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
R | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
A | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
I | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 |
T | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 |
******
The new Trait + Skill stuff is something I am playing with. This table utilizes the new array available from the 5x5 roll perfectly. If I go with this, the next version of Five-By-Five should look a great deal different from the current version. But, I think I had done as much with that version of the game that I could and so I am anxious to try to take things in a new direction.
Regards,
Jeff Moore
Very timely. I've been working on getting an Elizabethulhu group off the ground, I like simple systems and everybody else wanted something crunchier.
ReplyDeleteThis must be a sign. 5X5 2.2 and the Dueling Blades Combat Variant By Peter Schweighofer should do the trick.
Way Cool Many Thanks
Hi, Jeff. I'm a fan of Five by Five - I wrote the RPG.Net review quoted on the back cover of your version 2 PDF. I have a question, however. The PDF available via your blog is version 2 from 2010. I have a version 2.5 formatted for tablets dated 2011. Why don't you have the 2.5 on your blog for download? Did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteRegardless, I love the system. The revised dice mechanic you've got here looks like a great upgrade to the system.
Will this be 5x5 v. 3?
Regards,
Chris Nason
Actually, I abandoned that version. It's not so different (if I remember) from the version that is still available on my site ... I have been working on a 3rd version of the game ... honestly, I just wasn't that happy with 2.5. I don't even have a copy of it myself. If you send one to me I would be happy to include it on my site for those who are interested in taking a look at it.
ReplyDeleteI sent the 2.5 file to the address linked at the top of the blog.
Delete