Ok, so on page 119 it says "Note that critical successes trump high rolls in an Opposed Test", but what about in a [i]variable[/i] opposed test, like hacking an actively monitored mesh? How do you handle that?
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Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Mon, 2011-07-11 08:44
#1
Azathoth
Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Mon, 2011-07-11 09:27
#2
nezumi.hebereke
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
I still rule that crits trump. Are you asking whether a critical success means the other guy automatically fails? I would rule that a critical success means you get something 'extra'. If the only way you can get 'extra' is by the other guy failing, than that's what happens. Otherwise, something else happens. I wouldn't tie it down to a rule though, since crits by their nature are a tool for the GM to add a flourish appropriate to the situation.
Mon, 2011-07-11 09:35
#3
Yerameyahu
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Hm. Unlike a ranged combat test, the hacking one is indeed wonky. RAW, you don't do anything; the 4 possible outcomes are already spelled out, yielding Hidden, Covert, Spotted, or Locked. The 'winner' has no effect, so the critical winner has no effect (it's just a tiebreaker).
A house rule *could* be to upgrade your status one step in the only relevant possibility (Hacker Succeeds *and* Defender Succeeds), so he'd get Covert instead of Spotted. (This is functionally the same as, yes, making the Defender fail, yielding Covert.) The hacker already gets the upgrade to Hidden with an Excellent Success in the other possibility, after all.
Mon, 2011-07-11 09:37
#4
Azathoth
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Yeah, pretty much I was asking if it means the other guy "Fails".
This is what went down: Hacker tried to hack a network against a security hacker and got a critical success, security hacker also succeeded, but with only an excellent success. I ruled that the hacker got a free round of going undetected, then made the security hacker make another Infosec roll on his following action. The security hacker then made his second roll too, so I ruled that he [i]then[/i] went on a passive alert. Seemed ok to me, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't being an overly-strict gm. :)
Edit: Yeah, essentially I gave the hacker covert status for his next action, then had the security hacker make another roll. So pretty close to your suggestion.
Thanks to both of you! :)
Mon, 2011-07-11 09:37
#5
Yerameyahu
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
If you do want to be technical, the only thing a crit does (in this context) is allow a *lesser* success to beat a greater success in a direct opposed roll. Hacking just doesn't qualify.
Because the alternative is Spotted, even allowing a reroll would be a crit gift. :)
Mon, 2011-07-11 09:38
#6
Azathoth
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Nah, I don't want to be [i]too[/i] technical. ;) I wanted to give the player a bit of a reward.
Mon, 2011-07-11 12:49
#7
JamesX
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
If you go by standard rules then the other guy automatically fails, unless he also gets a double digit, then it comes down to who has the better double digit.
I don't like that rule. It seems too much emphasis on random chance trumping all. The opposition could have have a skill of 99 and rolled a 98, but someone with skill 11 can roll an 11 and trump a MoS of 98.
So I just ignore that rule and add 30 to the MoS/MoF in contested rolls.
Mon, 2011-07-11 12:54
#8
Yerameyahu
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
I really don't think that's true, for Hacking. Given the odd nature of Hacking, it doesn't matter who rolls higher: if the Defender succeeds, the Hacker gets Spotted, no matter how good his success is. For combat, yes, the crit success wins, and the other guys *loses*.
Mon, 2011-07-11 13:13
#9
JamesX
Re: Critical success in a variable opposed roll
Oops. I read it wrong. I thought he meant direct opposed test. Variable Opposed Test has no automatic success vs failure. Since the rolls are not direct opposition.