Return-path: Received: from DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU by DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU (PMDF V5.0-5 #7763) id <01I2TCITXE7K05053B@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU> for sw-rpg@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU; Wed, 27 Mar 1996 01:07:06 -0400 (EDT) Received: from ss10.accent.net (ss10.accent.net) by DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU (PMDF V5.0-5 #7763) id <01I2TCIZTBGKHXIRHJ@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU> for jae+sw-rpg@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU; Wed, 27 Mar 1996 01:06:55 -0400 (EDT) Received: from mail.accent.net (annex06-ppp-32.accent.net [205.205.116.42]) by server0.accent.net (8.7.5/8.7) with SMTP id BAA22202 for ; Wed, 27 Mar 1996 01:09:27 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 01:09:27 -0500 (EST) From: "Andrew R. Jackson" Subject: SWRPG: the short gambling rules X-Sender: ajackson@mail.accent.net To: jae+sw-rpg@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Errors-to: jae+sw-rpg-errors@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Reply-to: jae+sw-rpg@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Message-id: <2.2.16.19960327000442.48577710@mail.accent.net> MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (16) Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT OK, over the weekend I got a bunch of requests for these quick-and-dirty gambling tables. Here is the short version of the SWRPG Gambling system. This contains just the rules and limited examples. I think the theory behind the system will be obvious. I know that using the system is a breeze. However, if you need more details and comments (usually answering the question "why...?") I am sending a much Longer version. I like this one, but there are some useful comments and notes in the Long Version. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ **SW RPG Representational Gambling Rules** ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Short Version) 1996, Andrew R. Jackson "Score": ^^^^^^^^ The Score represents how well the character is doing this round of the game. It is a *representative* number that is used for card games, Bantha races, dice games, and all other forms of gambling. It has no real value, other than as an *index* of a character's relative progress in whatever game is being played. The character *influences* the randomly-determined Score with his/her Gambling skill. This represents the ability to "hedge" the probabilities and "predict" the outcome of certain events in the game/race. The Base Score of the game being played is determined by a roll of 1D-5D, depending on the characteristics of the game. If the game is simple *and* there are few random/chaotic components *and* there are few ways of cheating, 1D-2D are rolled. For more complex games (which include most traditional card games) that have many random/chaotic elements and many opportunities for cheating, 3D-4D are rolled to determine the Base Score. For the most complex of games, where there are many factors that all combine to produce a winner, 5D is rolled to determine the Base Score. Therefore, the GM balances the (a) complexity, (b) number of random factors, (c) number of avenues open to cheaters to determine the Base Score. For example, in many dices games or animal races there are few random events and cheating must somehow affect the dice or the animals. Roll 1D for the Base Score. For a 2nd example, the randomness of traditional card games is determined by the degree of shuffling, the number of players, what each player chooses to keep or throw, what strategies each player prefers to use, the number of cards in the decks, what the winning combinations are, and much more. Thus, cheating can be effected in many ways as well. Roll 3D-4D for the Base Score. For a 3rd example, Sabaac is a card game where the randomness of the game is enhanced electronically. Roll 4D for the Base Score (It is hard to cheat at Sabbac: see Modifiers section for more information.) A game with a 5D Base Score might involve *combining* the results of a 7 card draw poker game with predictions of how many eyelashes come out when your eyelashes are pulled and predicting who is going to win in the lum-and-run drink contest. As a last example, betting on drinking games is usually 1D-2D for the Base Score. Effects of Gambling Skill on Score in an Honest Game ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Base Score Dice of Game/Race Difficulty Range of Roll Effect ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1D difficult to very difficult +1 to Base Score heroic +2 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2D moderate +1 to Base Score difficult +2 to Base Score very difficult +3 to Base Score heroic +4 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3D easy +1 to Base Score moderate +2 to Base Score difficult +3 to Base Score very difficult +4 to Base Score heroic +6 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4D very easy +1 to Base Score easy +3 to Base Score moderate +5 to Base Score difficult +6 to Base Score very difficult +7 to Base Score heroic +8 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 5D very easy +2 to Base Score easy +4 to Base Score moderate +6 to Base Score difficult +8 to Base Score very difficult +9 to Base Score heroic +10 to Base Score Procedure: ^^^^^^^^^^ The GM decides the Base Score Dice for the game. Each player rolls the Base Score dice. Then each player rolls his/her Gambling skill *twice* (2 times). The GM handles all NPCs. The -first- Gambling total is used on the table above if the character is playing honestly, or on the table below, if the character is cheating. A player may choose to roll *fewer* dice than his/her Gambling skill allows. The -second- Gambling total is always (*always*) rolled and is used to detect whether any other character is cheating. It is rolled whether another character is cheating or not. The second Gambling roll is explained below, under "Cheating". After using the appropriate table, the character with the highest Total Score wins the pot. That's it for an honest game. Repeat for more hands/sets/sessions. Betting: ^^^^^^^^ Quickest and simplest method: There is a minimum ante into a pot. At the beginning of each round/hand/set, each character has the opportunity to raise the ante. A character may "raise X credits" or "pass". Once everyone has had one chance to raise or pass, follow the procedure above to determine the winner of the round. Then repeat until the Gambling session ends (usually when a player loses his/her ship...) Slightly more involved and interesting method: Use the "ante" method above, but allow *another* round of betting/anteing after the Base Score dice are rolled, but *before* the Gambling rolls are made. This will make things much more interesting and will simulate the complex betting that can occur during the course of many games. Cheating: ^^^^^^^^^ Important: to allow a player to cheat his/her fellow players, the GM must use a system that ensures secrecy...I suggest Post-It notes each round/hand/set that say "cheat" or "fair" on them from each player. Instead of using the table above, a cheating character uses the table below to determine the effect of his/her cheat. Effects of Gambling Skill on Score When Cheating ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Base Score Dice For Game/Race Difficulty Range of Roll Effect ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1D difficult +2 to Base Score very difficult +3 to Base Score heroic +4 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2D moderate +2 to Base Score difficult +4 to Base Score very difficult +6 to Base Score heroic +8 to Base Score ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3D easy +2 to Base Score moderate +4 to Base Score difficult +6 to Base Score very difficult +8 to Base Score heroic +12 to Base Score ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4D very easy +2 to Base Score easy +6 to Base Score moderate +10 to Base Score difficult +12 to Base Score very difficult +14 to Base Score heroic +16 to Base Score ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5D very easy +4 to Base Score easy +8 to Base Score moderate +12 to Base Score difficult +16 to Base Score very difficult +18 to Base Score heroic +20 to Base Score Procedure: ^^^^^^^^^^ Determine the Total Scores for each character using the appropriate table. Before declaring a winner, the GM compares the -second- (2nd) Gambling skill roll for each character to the -first- Gambling skill roll of the cheater(s). This opposes the *detection* skill of the other characters against the skill of the cheater (this skill also determined the effectiveness of the cheater's actions). Remember, the 2nd Gambling skill roll is for *detecting* cheats and the 1st Gambling skill roll is for *performing* the cheat. Therefore, always compare *detection* to *performance*. If the 2nd Gambling roll of any other character is higher than the 1st Gambling roll of one or more cheaters, those cheaters are discovered. If none of the characters detect the cheat, the Total Scores stand...and the cheater may or may not have engineered a win. Playing-to-Lose [aka "let the Wookiee win"] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If the character wishes to play-to-lose, either by cheating or by honest play, simply -subtract- the 1st Gambling roll's effect from the Base Score instead of adding it. For detecting cheating-to-lose, use the rules above for detecting cheats. The Total Score may not drop below one (1) in order to protect the secrecy of the character(s) who are playing-to-lose. Players may choose not to roll all of their Gambling dice when playing-to-lose (or to win). Modifiers ^^^^^^^^^ There are many modifiers that can be applied in specific circumstances. Modifier suggestions: game is *designed* to minimize cheating +5 to 2nd Gambling roll, used to detect cheating character has "assistants" +5 to 1st Gambling roll when performing a cheat character has special equipment that +5 to +20 to 1st Gambling roll when facilitates cheating performing a cheat character is using Receptive Telepathy +5 to +20...RolePlay...to 1st to monitor opponents Gambling roll when performing a cheat game is based on a single random event -2 to 1st Gambling roll when playing (eg coin toss) honestly ------ **1996, Andrew R. Jackson **