Traps

[Banesfinger]

Specializing and Mastery have the obvious advantage of adding more dice to win tests. However, with combats skills, they have the added advantage of being able to split your dice/attacks. We really liked this and wished that extra advantage could be added to all tests (not just combat).

Then we observed the new D&D 4e method of overcoming traps. Essentially:
Get 'x' skill successes before you get 'y' skill failures.

So why not use something like this, with a few modifications for ERP?

Get 'x' skill successes before 'y' amount of rounds.

Jimmy the thief has to deactivate the trap before the clockwork mechanisms spring to life and fill the corridor with blades. He rushes to jam the deadly trap.

But just like combat, you can split your ADC to get multiple results each round. If you are good, you could get up to 3 successes/round.

For example, Jimmy has Thievery (d4) > Disable Device (d8) > Traps (d6). He wants to disable a "difficult" (2d6) blade trap: rated 2 successes in 1 round. Very difficult indeed.
Jimmy is forced to 'split' his skill to make 2 successes in 1 round: he decides to use his d4+d6 and then the other d8 separately. BOTH must roll against 2d6...!

[orcface]

That's a great method that can be applied to lots of situations (dodging falling debris or poison darts, snatching up items on the run, etc.). Good thinking!

[Banesfinger]

That's a great method that can be applied to lots of situations!

Thanks,

The same method could also be used for less "speedy" tasks:

E.g. Roll 1 Survival check/day. You need 2 successes to find your way out of this swamp.