FASA Games, Inc.

I know the original creator of the step system doesn't like this (and I know this from talking to someone who used to be the game master for the person who designed the step system), however, my group prefers a different dice combination for steps which makes it a WHOLE lot faster and easier to remember.

Every 5 steps, gain a d8

Step 1-4: 1d8 -(1, 2, 3, 4)
Step 5: 1 d8
Step 6: 1 d8+1
Step 7: 1 d8+2
Step 8: 2 d8-2
Step 9: 2 d8-1
Step 10: 2 d8

Then repeat... This way you don't need to look up your dice combo in a table, you simply just do a simple bit of math in your head. The averages are pretty much the same for the steps.

as i recall, the steps in the book account for rolling max value on the die into the average step value. i would imagine that this system messes with that somewhat.

so for example, step 3 is a d4 not because the average of a d4 is 2.5, but because when you factor in the 1 in 4 chance to roll a 4 and generate a bonus die you get even a little bit closer to an average of 3.

the way you do it is probably fine if you don't feel like having the table handy though. i've definitely played with people for whom calculating anything is not that easy, personally, so having the table is probably a good idea anyways for my group.

Sharkforce wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:10 am

as i recall, the steps in the book account for rolling max value on the die into the average step value. i would imagine that this system messes with that somewhat.

Well, it's not an exact distribution match, but it is good enough and well worth it for us.

Qwazi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:14 am

Sharkforce wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:10 am

as i recall, the steps in the book account for rolling max value on the die into the average step value. i would imagine that this system messes with that somewhat.

Well, it's not an exact distribution match, but it is good enough and well worth it for us.

The Expected Value will be close enough that, as long as they're fighting foes whose Defenses are close to the Step Number, the difference won't be significant. Against foes with higher Defenses, however, there is a significant dropoff where players in your system will be far less likely to hit/damage/Wound the target.

Interesting.

When Greg Gorden (the original designer of the Step System) submitted his final draft of the ED core rulebook, he had worked out an alternative dice progression that was based on the D8. I don't recall his exact reasoning at the time, nor the dice progression, but in the end we went with the original design (including the dreaded step 14, D20+D4).

Take Care,

Lou Prosperi
One of the people who decided to go with the original design

LouP wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 28, 2019 8:07 pm

including the dreaded step 14, D20+D4

In our group, most of the time, the D4 scored higher than the D20.

Namegivers have trouble with statistics.

Spader wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:30 pm

In our group, most of the time, the D4 scored higher than the D20.

It might be fairer to say you remember all the times the d4 scored higher than the d20.

Confirmation bias is a hell of a drug.