Multi-Actions
The Multi-Action Charts are used to sum action of many identical characters into a single die roll, or when a character is trying to have his roll apply to more than one action. There are two charts; the Many on One is used for combining a number of separate actions into one die roll and the One on Many is used to have one die roll apply to several separate actions.
Many on One
To resolve many characters’ actions with one roll, the characters must all have a skill or attribute value within one point of each other. If the values are too different, they must be rolled separately, though it could be broken down into smaller groups with similar values. For each group of similar characters, find the number of characters acting on the Many on One Chart under “Characters”. The corresponding modifier from the next column is added to the bonus number of the group’s attempt. The result points are then used with the third column, “Successes”, to determine how many of the involved characters are successful. If the result points fall between a value given on the chart, always round down. The maximum number of characters who can succeed is the number of characters involved, you can’t have more characters succeed than there are characters. In a situation requiring an effect total, use the modifier of the number of characters who actually succeeded as an effect modifier, not the modifier for the total number of characters involved. The final effect total represents a combined effect total for the efforts of all the successful characters, it is not applied separately for each successful character.
MANY ON ONE CHART
Characters Modifier Successes
1 — DN
2 +2 DN+2
3–4 +3 DN+4
5–6 +4 DN+6
7–10 +5 DN+8
11–15 +6 DN+10
One on Many
If a single character is trying several actions with different skill values and/or different difficulties, the player rolls the die once to get a bonus number, and adds that bonus number to each skill separately. Each total is then compared to the “modified difficulty” of that action. He may check in any Order he wishes if the actions are taken simultaneously. If an action depends on another action being performed first, the second action must follow the first but it doesn’t have to follow immediately. The difficulties are modified according to the “Modified Difficulty” column of the One on Many chart. The first action checked is at DN+2, the second at
ONE ON MANY CHART
Actions Modified Difficulty Toughness Increase
1 DN+2 -
2 DN+4 +2
3-4 DN+6 +3
5-6 DN+8 +4
7-10 DN+10 +5
11-15 DN+12 +6
If a character is attacking more than one opponent, each opponent’s Toughness is automatically increased by the amount listed under “Toughness Increase” for the total number of actions taken, even if the character hits fewer opponents than he attacked. Diverting his attention among multiple targets and spreading his attack lowers the damage of any successful attack.
Quick Multi-Attacks
If a character uses the same skill to attempt several actions, each of which has a difficulty number within one of all others, you can use a shorthand method to determine number of successes. This is most often used when attacking multiple opponents, each of whom has the same defensive skill. This method may not be used to attack the same opponent multiple times. Find the amount by which the skill total exceeded the difficulty of a single action on the “Modified Difficulty” column of the One on Many Chart, then look under the “Actions” column to find how many of the attacks successfully hit.
Example: Quin runs across two pirates who have come to investigate all the fighting noise. Quin decides he had better drop both at once so they cannot raise an alarm. If Quin beats the difficulty number by two he has hit one pirate, if he beats the difficulty number by four he hits both pirates at once. In either case, both of them receive a +2 bonus to theirToughness against Quin’s attack because he’s performing a multi-action against two targets. Unless dramatic circumstances dictate otherwise, player characters should always get the top end of the spread when determining number of successes; they’re heroes, they deserve a break every once in a while! Of course they can never get more successes than there are available opponents.
Summing Efforts for a
Single Action
When multiple characters are combining their efforts to accomplish a single task, and when they must either succeed as a group or fail as a group, use the following procedure instead of the Many on One rules:
• A lead character is chosen; this is the character whose skill or attribute value is best suited (i.e., highest) for the task.
• All other characters whose appropriate skill or attribute is within five points of the lead character’s skill may add to the. Each aiding character makes a Perception check against the coordination difficulty of the task.
• The value of the number of characters who successfully add their effort, counting the lead character, becomes a bonus modifier for the lead character’s action total.
Example: Seven characters are trying to lift a huge boulder. One of the characters is appointed the lead character, the other six will be assisting her. Five of the six make their coordination checks; a measure of 6 (the leader plus the five who successfully coordinate) is a value of 4, so the lead character gets a +4 bonus to his action total.
Coordination Difficulties
The coordination difficulty for working together on a group effort depends on the complexity of the task and the amount of interaction required between everyone participating. The gamemaster should use the Difficulty Number Scale to set the coordination difficulty. Here are some examples:
• Very Easy- Task can be broken up into parts that can be worked on independently, such as digging a ditch, with minimal interaction between characters.
• Easy- Task requires basic coordination of activity, such as lifting a rock.
• Average- Task requires coordination and adjustment based on feedback, such as paddling a canoe in a flat lake or repairing a large wagon.
• Difficult - Task requires constant adjustment in a non-stable environment, such as repairing a vehicle during combat, or paddling a canoe in rapids
Summing Efforts for a Single Action
What if 200 nonplayer characters are coordinating their efforts in a powerful mystic ritual? Instead of rolling 200 separatePerception checks, the following approximation can be used. It assumes that each participating character has a skill or attribute value within five of the lead character’s value. • Start with the value of the number of participants, including the lead character • Add their average Perception attribute value • Subtract the coordination difficulty • Subtract two • the result is the bonus modifier for the lead character.