These alternate rules for CP2020 change some of the mechanics of the task resolution in the game. However, sections of these rules are fully applicable as house rules without changing the basic resolution system.

Difficulty and Rolls
As usual, the level of the skill indicates the competence a character has with a skill, from +1 for someone with basic familiarity in a field to +10 for someone of legendary skill. However, this system uses Stat + Skill + 2d10 for task resolution instead of Stat + Skill + 1d10. This changes the difficulty levels of skill checks as follows:

• Simple - DC 10
• Easy - DC 14
• Average - DC 18
• Challenging - DC 22
• Difficult - DC 26
• Demanding - DC 34
• Nearly Impossible - DC 38
• Impossible - DC 42

An average person (Stat +6) who is reasonably skilled at something that they do professionally (Skill +6) has a minimum roll of 14 in this system, automatically accomplishing all Simple and Easy tasks. With an average roll, they will succeed at a Challenging task. Where this system shows real differences from the core system is the variety of results available to a character. Whereas a character in the core rules with a base of 10 only has 3 different result categories they could roll (DC 10 always, DC 15 sometimes, DC 20 one time in ten), this system provides a greater range of results (a base of 10 can succeed at DC 10 always, DC 14 almost always, DC 18 most of the time, DC 22 sometimes, and DC 26 on occasion). It also concentrates checks into the middle of this result scale because a 2d10 roll has a higher probability of rolling an 11 than any other number.

Automatic Success
Any time the difficulty is less than or equal to the character’s base Stat + Skill + 2, then no die roll is required unless the character is trying to get some sort of exceptional success.

Complementary Skills
In a situation where a character has multiple skills that can help each other, such as having both Appraisal and Jeweler when trying to appraise the value of a piece of jewelry. When a skill complements another skill, the character receives a bonus on the skill check equal to one third of the complementary skill’s level, rounded down.

Off-handed
Characters are either right- or left-hand dominant (player’s choice) by default. The character’s non-dominant hand is his “off hand.” Using your off hand incurs a -3 penalty to any skill rolls requiring manual dexterity, such as shooting a gun, throwing, writing, and so on.

Characters with the Ambidexterity trait suffer a reduced penalty or no penalty at all, depending on the level of the trait.

Time
Every task requires a certain amount of time to complete, as determined by the GM. If a character takes more or less time than usual to perform a task, he receives a bonus or penalty to the Target Number, respectively.

When determining the bonus or penalty for more or less time taken on a task, refer to the Time Chart, below. Simply find the level on the Time Chart that is closest to the amount of time the task normally takes. The GM should determine the average length of time normally required to perform the task, then consult the Time Chart. If the time required to perform a task is longer than the closest level on the Time Chart, then use the next greater time increment as the default level.

Pat’s character is picking a lock. The GM feels that picking a lock should take an average person about 20 seconds. “20 seconds” is more than 1 turn but less than the “30 seconds” level, so the base time level for Pat’s character’s lockpicking attempt is “30 seconds” for purposes of determining any bonus or penalty for taking extra time or rushing the task.

Time Chart

• No time at all
• 1 turn (3 seconds)
• 10 seconds
• 30 seconds
• 5 minutes
• 20 minutes
• 1 hour
• 4 hours
• 1 day
• 1 week
• 1 month
• 1 quarter (3 mos.)
• 1 year
• 1 decade
• 1 century
• 1 millennium

Taking Extra Time
Characters can take more time than normal to perform a task in order to improve their chance of success. By taking more time than normal, the task becomes easier. For each lower level down the Time Chart (i.e., for each larger period of time taken), the skill roll receives a +2 bonus.

Pat’s character needs to pick a lock that he knows to be very tough. The GM has decided that picking the lock is a Challenging task (TN 18). Since there is no immediate danger and his companions are watching the passageway, Pat decides to take his time and concentrate. The referee decides that If Pat spends 1 hour on the task he will get a +6 bonus to his skill roll because “1 hour” is three steps lower on the Time Chart than 30 seconds. Not wanting to take quite that long Pat decides to take 5 minutes and gets a bonus of +2.

Rushing
Characters can attempt to perform a task more quickly than normal. By taking less time than the “base time” for a task, the task becomes more difficult. For each higher level up the Time Chart (i.e., for each smaller period of time taken), the skill roll incurs a -3 penalty.

Repeated Attempts
Characters who fail at a skill roll may make another attempt, with conditions.

A character who attempts a task again after failing it once may make a new skill roll, but is at -3 for each successive attempt. This penalty is cumulative and is in addition to any other modifiers for taking extra time or rushing (see Taking Extra Time, page 36).

Tools & Equipment
Some skills do not require equipment for their use. The use of specialized equipment with these skills may provide a +3 bonus to the skill roll, at the GM’s discretion.

Some skills, on the other hand, require the character to have access to specific equipment in order to use the skill at all. Examples include a forge, for Blacksmith, or a weapon, for a weapon skill. If the character doesn’t have the necessary items he cannot use the skill.

Other skills normally require tools of some kind but can be used with improvised tools. If a skill can be used with improvised tools, at GM’s discretion, the character may attempt the task but suffers a -3 penalty.

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