Stat rolls are used to determine the outcome of tasks where success is uncertain. To make a stat roll, the player rolls a D20 and adds the die associated with the stat most relevant to the task. For instance, a task requiring dexterity would use the Physical Agility (PA) die, while a task requiring knowledge or intellect would use the Mental Strength (MS) die. Any relevant modifiers from attributes or equipment are also added to the total roll.
If the initial roll isn’t enough to meet the target difficulty level, the player may choose to roll boost dice. Boost dice are rolled one at a time, with the player deciding after each boost die is rolled whether or not to use another. This allows the player to increase their total incrementally until they achieve a satisfactory result.
Sometimes, a task will be opposed by an NPC, another character, or some external force that could block the character’s success. In these cases, instead of using a static target number set by the GM, the opposition will also make a stat roll to determine the difficulty. For example, if a player is trying to outsmart an enemy tactician, both the player and the NPC might make a Mental Strength (MS) stat roll. The results are compared, and the initiator of the task wins in the event of a tie.
Example Stat Rolls
Player: “My ninja is going to leap over the stone wall and stay hidden as she moves forward. I’ll roll for Physical Agility and add my +4 acrobatics skill bonus.”
GM: “The wall is formidable. Let’s say a 16 to succeed. Your acrobatics should help. Go ahead and roll.”
Player: [rolls d20 and PA die] “That’s a total of 23 with my skill bonus.”
GM: “You easily vault over the wall. But there’s a guard on the other side, watching closely. You’ll need to avoid him if you want to stay hidden. Roll another PA roll, this time with your stealth skill. I’ll roll for the guard. His watchfulness skill gives him a +3 bonus.”
Player: [rolls d20 and PA die] “I got a 19 with the stealth bonus.”
GM: [rolls for guard] “The guard got a 17. Your ninja manages to slip into the shadows, unnoticed by the guard.”