New game? Thoughts on building ones own rules for RPG

So, I have played role playing games since 1977. While my introduction to RPGs was through the D&D white box edition,  I have played and or read many, many other games. All too often I find something in every game that I like, but I never find one game that I like in its entirety. It is of course an endless quest, this search for the perfect game. Yet over all these years I always hold out hope that I will find the Holy Grail of games.

Part of the challenge comes from the very idea of game systems. A lot of games take me out of the role playing experience with  

Ruminations about task resolution (RATeR) 2024

Thinking out loud here...

I think all existing systems involve a die (or more) roll against a set difficulty number.

Often the die/dice involved can create quite the variable range of results.

• Percentage games typically have you roll under your skill level (expressed as a percentage) Modifiers, difficulty, situational, can reduce that percentage chance of success.

• D20 has the player roll a D20 (plus modifiers) to achieve a result that exceeds a target number. Typically there is also a take 10 or take 20 rule that allows you to take extra time at the task, not roll the D20 and instead simply add 10 or 20 points to your other modifiers to beat the target number.

• FATE has a target number & die rolls generating -4/+4 & with situational modifiers. The stats are typically from 0 to 5 but can go as high as 10.

• Dice pools allow player to roll multiple dice to achieve a result. Often each die roll has a simple success/fail result, maybe 50/50. To complete task you will need x number of successes.

• Dice pools with unique dice, similar to above but one looks at all symbols on all rolled dice. Symbols on dice not only show success but also provide events or positive results that can be carried forward. Dice pools. Need to roll enough ‘successes’ to complete task. May spend extra successes to have a more outstanding completed task. May save some successes as momentum for future tasks. If failed to complete task may ‘spend’ (remove) dice to boost success. Once spent cannot use again until refreshed.

• Apocalypse system 2d6 rolls plus stat roll 10+ full success, roll 7-9 success but..., 6 or less fail. Sometimes there are success options that you can choose , you may choose more or better depending on the die roll.

All of these systems have a game mechanic that can take one out of the conversation to play a game some are worse than others.

Our task is again to figure out a simple system that allows players/GM to know what a character can do, rather than to overly rely on random dice rolls.

Assess risk, difficulty, time and resolve the task.

What is meant by difficulty number? How does it relate to the players ability/skills?

Most systems have the difficulty impacting the resolution. It can impact the target number or impact the skill level. Why? Not familiar with any system that simply grants success when one compares ability vs difficulty.

Difficulty level should show the skill level required to treat the task as a common task.

• If the skill level exceeds the difficulty level then the task can be successfully completed in the normal amount of time. Limited chance of failure (if any) unless a distraction or some other consideration.

• If the skill level equals the difficulty then there is a chance of failure (increased by distractions)

Skill level vs difficulty

Skill 2x or more than difficulty = auto success

Skill is equal to or higher (but not 2x) = auto success but with chance of random splunge x2

Difficulty is greater than skill (but not 2x) = must roll to succeed chance of critical failure/splunge x4

Difficulty 2x or more than skill = must roll to succeed high critical failure chance & splunge x6

Difficulty more than 2x automatic fail (maybe fate points can help)

Splunge; roll fate die (-1/-1/0/0/+1/+1) could be bad, good or neither good or bad. This would mean success but..., or failure but...Splunge does not create failure or success but creates an effect. So you picked the lock but made noise, or it took longer or it took less time etc

Distractions/obstacles

These can impact any skill roll even auto success.

Options

• Make it more difficult to succeed, meaning a roll even for automatic successes

• Add time to task

• Cause a complication