Because I now have a great tool (love Zim!) I am working on codifying the rules a bit more. I realize that until the game actually starts and goes for a bit, few people spend little time reading these boards. Understandable but discouraging.
However, I am going to still post up codified rules here. In the future, perhaps someone will read them and help make them better.
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REDUCATIONS TO ROLLS
If you try to do hard stuff, the GM may choose to penalize your skill.
[Note for GM's: Flat reductions favor those with high skills. Percentage reductions aid those with low skills. I don't care which the player uses. Either way the rule is to roll first, figure out whether you made it or not later. Because math is hard.]In these cases, the GM will ask for 'give me a roll at -30' or 'give me a roll by half'. The player must then (remembering the GM is a) concentrating on lots of other stuff b) expects the player to know this and c) probably senile figure out (after rolling) which is more advantageous for him/her.
In the above example, the player has a sneak skill of 70%. If the GM asks for 'a roll at half', and the player rolls a 36 they will fail unless they remember that when the GM asks for a 'roll at half' he/she also means 'or at -30'. The correct response in this case would be 'made it at -30'. The GM will then be molified and possibly move on.
Those who can't figure out the math correctly will always fail. This is because the GM is hard on those who can't figure out simple math.
Sometimes, the roll is really hard. If the sneaking player is attempting to do so in a 'one man band' outfit, the GM may taunt them and say "Give me a roll at -60' (or a quarter skill).
Again, roll first. Nobody wants to waste their lives waiting for a person who seems to have turned into a special needs individual to work out a simple formula then roll an 87.
