Advantages and Problems
Dice pool systems allow a greater number of variables to affect a roll, which can be an advantage or a problem depending on the complexity desired by designers and players. One major drawback is that games using dice pools require a large number of dice, meaning a larger outlay for players on equipment, and the need for more room when making a roll. For this reason some games have rules placing a cap on the number of dice that can be rolled, usually granting other bonuses to the roll for each extra dice that would otherwise be granted. Such rules are often optional.
Famously, early versions of the Storyteller System sometimes made rolling botches (critical failures) more likely the higher your skill or attribute was, since a critical failure would occur if any of the dice came up as a "1"; the probability that at least one "1" will be rolled increases the more dice are rolled, and so highly-skilled characters would botch surprisingly frequently, whereas poorly-skilled characters could frequently get away scot-free. This problem was eliminated in the Revised version of the system and later derivatives by stating that a botch only occurred if no normal successes were scored, and one of the dice came up "1".
Read more about this topic: Dice Pool
Famous quotes containing the words advantages and/or problems:
“When the manipulations of childhood are a little larceny, they may grow and change with the child into qualities useful and admire in the grown-up world. When they are the futile struggle for love and concern and protection, they may become the warped and ruthless machinations of adults who seek in the advantages of power what they could never win as children.”
—Leontine Young (20th century)
“I respect guilt. It is a dangerous but sometimes useful beast. The guilt that made me want to solve all my children’s problems meant trouble. The guilt that made me question my role in our mother-daughter squabbles proved helpful. Yes, I care about my kids’ problems, and I long to make suggestions. But these days I wait for children to ask for help, and I give it sparingly. Some things can’t be fixed, and I tell them so.”
—Susan Ferraro (20th century)