Adverb-Forward Skill Resolution in RPGs

Ability plus skill (henceforth, “A+S”) has been one of the most common TTRPG resolution methods for over 20 years. Roll the dice, add the ability modifier, add the skill modifier (if any). It allows some complexity and interplay between natural aptitude and trained proficiency, without ever getting too complicated. Nice little system.

But in some RPG systems, A+S gets a little too predictable. In my experience, in D&D 5E, most A+S pairing are almost hard-paired with each other. The Athletics skill is coupled with the Strength ability 99% of the time. Perhaps the DM occasionally calls for an unusual roll that breaks up the pairing, like Wisdom (Athletics), but in practice, the system has a lot less flexibility and depth than its structure implies. Digital tools and platforms for online play exacerbate this problem – the standard A+S rolls are usually tied to convenient buttons on character sheets, while non-standard rolls must be executed manually. 

Someone on the Alexandrian Discord recently pointed out a different X+Y system that caught my attention. Modiphius Entertainment’s Dishonored RPG combines six skills with six "styles." The skills are character actions you might see in a lot of RPGs: Fight, Move, Study, Survive, Talk, and Tinker. But the styles are something different, and what really caught my eye: Boldly, Carefully, Cleverly, Forcefully, Quietly, Swiftly.

I haven’t played the Dishonored video games, and prior to reading this, had no particular interest in the RPG either. But this skills and styles approach caught my interest, because those styles are, of course, adverbs.

Evaluating the A+S problem from a grammatical light provides an interesting perspective. If someone is described as a “strong, athletic fighter,” those two adjectives are perhaps reinforcing each other, but also in danger of blurring together. A parsimonious editor might say, “can’t we just write ‘athletic fighter’ and convey basically the same idea?” That helps explain why A+S sometimes feels one-dimensional instead of two-dimensional.

By contrast, an adverb can stake a stronger claim to its role in the sentence than an additional adjective can. Forcefully tinkering is quite different from quietly tinkering. Swiftly moving says something different than boldly moving. And so on. As I said, I haven’t tried this system; I would love to hear from those who have). I suspect it would feel more dynamic than some of the A+S systems I'm more familiar with.

Who knows, maybe I’ll get a chance to check out the Dishonored system. Or try hacking that resolution mechanic into a one-shot in another game. Frankly, you could say I am extremely interested, and that I eagerly look forward to a very exciting gaming experience.