[UA] OT Math

[Kevin Elmore]

--- holycrow at mindspring.com wrote:
> 
> >The return on obsession increases as you approach 50%,
> then drops >off, IIRC.  For 19%, you only get a bonus of
> 8% (ie, 1-19 + 21, 31, >41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91).  The
> actual values are kinda funky, which I >had a big chart
> showing once, but never computerized it.
> 
> So there's a small payoff at either end, but a fat,
> creamy middle?  Egad, it's the return of the Bell Curve
> from old green box D&D!
> 

Actually, there is a period of stagnation at the 10's and
the lower ends of each tens region.

Consider having an obsession skill at 19%, 20%, or 21%. 
You succeed on 01-19, 20, 21, 30, 31, 40, 41, 50, 51, 60,
61, 70, 71, 80, 81, 90, and 91.  

It's not until you hit 22 that you get an increase in your
odds.

I haven't done any extensive study here, but the trend I
see is that an obsession skill gains value up until the
last digit is a 9.  After that, you gain no benefit until
the ones digit matches the tens digit.

So, having a 79 is exactly the same as having an 80, 81,
82, 83, 84, 85, 86, and 87.  The magic numbers you want for
this skill range are 1-79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87,
90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, and 97.  

So, if you have an obsession skill of 79, any points you
spend on the skill will essentially do absolutely nothing
until you reach 88.  

But then again, your skill of 79 gives you 95% chance of
success, so you can't argue too much with that.  

Wow, I just realized that a starting character can have an
obsession skill of 69, ensuring a victory if you roll 1-76,
80-86, or 90-96.  That's an effective 90% in that skill. 
You'll fail only 10% of the time.  However, when you do
fail, there is a 10% of a BOHICA and a 30% chance of a
matched failure.  When you flub, you may flub
spectacularly.

A cheesy player can make his obsession skill a 69 from the
very beginning and never raise it through the course of the
play.  Jacking it to 77 only gives you a 91% chance of
success, but it gets you closer to that 79, which gives you
a 95% chance of success.

Any good role-player would ignore those numbers and just
jack up the skill anyway.

And there is a reason to go beyond 69.  Sometimes, a task
is more difficult, and your skill is considered 10 to 30
less than what it should be.  So it's good to get high
numbers still.

Kevin



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Beavis & Butthead do not cause fires; stupid people do.  Role-playing games do not cause mass cultish suicides; stupid people do.  Homosexuality does not lead to societal and moral decay; stupid people do.  God does not condemn or place false blame on these things; stupid people do.
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