## FULL SPECIFICATION
# TACTICAL DICE GAME SYSTEM (TDGS) - DOCUMENT 3
# Title: Resolution Mechanics
# Version: 1.0
# Purpose: AI-readable specification for action resolution
# Target: Language models, AI assistants, game designers, developers
# License: MIT
================================================================================
OVERVIEW
================================================================================
This document defines how uncertain actions are resolved in TDGS.
It establishes the core formula, stat pairings, and critical outcome rules.
This document assumes LUK = 0. Luck modifications are defined in Document 4.
================================================================================
THE CORE FORMULA
================================================================================
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ d20 + (Your Stat − Their Stat) + Modifiers >= 11 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
COMPONENTS:
- d20: Resolution die
- Your Stat: Relevant stat for your action
- Their Stat: Relevant stat for their defense (or virtual stat)
- Modifiers: Equipment, temporary, situational bonuses
- 11: Fixed threshold. ALWAYS 11. Never changes.
PROPERTIES:
- Equal stats, zero modifiers = 50% success
- Each point of delta = 5% success rate change
- Bounded between 5% (nat 20 only) and 95% (nat 1 only fails)
================================================================================
NATURAL 1 AND NATURAL 20
================================================================================
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Natural 1 ALWAYS fails. │
│ Natural 20 ALWAYS succeeds. │
│ Regardless of math. No exceptions. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
================================================================================
STAT PAIRINGS
================================================================================
Each action type uses ONE attacking stat versus ONE defending stat.
PHYSICAL ACTIONS:
Action | Attacker | Defender
--------------------|----------|----------
Melee strike | STR | REF
Ranged attack | DEX | REF
Grapple / shove | STR | STR
Chase / flee | MOV | MOV
Hide / stealth | DEX | WIS
Spot hidden | WIS | DEX
MENTAL ACTIONS:
Action | Attacker | Defender
--------------------|----------|----------
Persuade/intimidate | CHA | WIS
Deceive / bluff | CHA | INT
Resist fear/charm | — | WIS
MAGICAL ACTIONS:
Action | Attacker | Defender
--------------------|----------|----------
Arcane (learned) | INT | WIS
Divine (intuitive) | WIS | WIS
RESISTANCE ACTIONS:
Action | Defender
--------------------|----------
Resist poison/pain | CON
Endurance contest | CON vs CON
KNOWLEDGE ACTIONS:
Action | Stat | Against
--------------------|------|------------------
Recall knowledge | INT | Virtual Difficulty
EXTENSIBILITY:
These pairings are defaults. GMs may create additional pairings.
The formula remains constant. Only the stats change.
================================================================================
NON-OPPOSED ACTIONS
================================================================================
When no defender exists, GM assigns a VIRTUAL STAT representing difficulty.
FORMULA:
d20 + (Your Stat − Virtual Stat) + Modifiers >= 11
VIRTUAL STAT EXAMPLES:
Task | Stat | Virtual | Meaning
--------------------|------|---------|------------------
Simple lock | DEX | 5 | Trivial
Quality lock | DEX | 10 | Professional
Master lock | DEX | 15 | Expert
Rough wall climb | STR | 6 | Easy
Sheer cliff climb | STR | 12 | Demanding
Common lore | INT | 4 | Widely known
Obscure lore | INT | 14 | Specialist
FUTURE: Items may have inherent difficulty stats (deferred to item system).
================================================================================
CONTESTED RESOLUTION
================================================================================
When two entities directly oppose each other:
ASYMMETRIC CONTEST (attacker vs defender):
Only attacker rolls. Defender stat creates delta.
SYMMETRIC CONTEST (both acting, e.g., grapple vs grapple):
Both entities roll:
Entity A: d20 + (A's Stat − B's Stat) + A's Modifiers
Entity B: d20 + (B's Stat − A's Stat) + B's Modifiers
Higher total succeeds. Lower total fails.
================================================================================
CONTESTED TIES
================================================================================
When contested rolls produce the same total:
PHYSICAL CONTESTS (grapple, melee, chase):
Tiebreaker: REF → LUK → d2
Higher REF wins. If equal, higher LUK. If equal, coin flip.
MAGICAL CONTESTS (spell vs spell, magical opposition):
Tiebreaker: LUK → d2
"Magic is inherently chaotic. Fortune favors whom it will, when it will."
================================================================================
CRITICAL OUTCOMES
================================================================================
Criticals occur ONLY on natural 1 or natural 20.
Resolution and magnitude are ALWAYS separate.
CRITICAL SUCCESS (Natural 20):
Resolution: Automatic success
Magnitude: Roll d4
1 = Normal success
2 = Minor bonus
3 = Notable bonus
4 = Major bonus
CRITICAL FAILURE (Natural 1):
Resolution: Automatic failure
Magnitude: Roll d4
1 = Normal failure
2 = Minor consequence
3 = Notable consequence
4 = Major consequence
CRITICAL MAGNITUDE DETAILS:
See Doc 1 (Dice) for detailed examples:
- Damage scaling (+25% to +100%)
- Duration extensions
- Area/target increases
- Healing multipliers
Content chooses interpretation per effect type.
Reference: /docs/tdgs/dice#critical-effect-examples
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ d20 = Resolution (did it happen?) │
│ d4 = Critical magnitude (how extreme?) │
│ These are ALWAYS separate rolls. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Specific effects defined by relevant system (combat, skills, GM discretion).
================================================================================
MODIFIERS
================================================================================
FORMULA:
Final Roll = d20 + (Stat Delta) + Equipment + Temporary + Situational
MODIFIER SOURCES:
Source | Type | Example
------------|-------------------------|---------------------------
Stat Delta | Your stat − Their stat | DEX 8 vs REF 5 = +3
Equipment | Weapons, armor, tools | +2 sword, +1 lockpicks
Temporary | Buffs, debuffs | Potion +2, Blinded −4
Situational | Positioning, environment| High ground +2, darkness −2
EQUIPMENT DICE (Optional):
Quality | Modifier
------------|----------
Mundane | +1 or +2 (flat)
Quality | +d4
Exceptional | +d6
Legendary | +d8 or +d12
================================================================================
MULTI-ENTITY SITUATIONS
================================================================================
Numeric advantage is resolved through ACTION ECONOMY, not roll bonuses.
PRINCIPLE:
Six attackers vs one defender = six separate resolution rolls.
NOT one enhanced roll. Each roll stands alone.
POSITIONAL MODIFIERS:
Situation | Modifier
---------------------------------------|----------
Flanking (2 attackers, opposite sides) | +2 to attackers
Surrounded (3+ attackers, no escape) | +4 to attackers
These are situational modifiers. They stack with normal resolution.
MULTI-TARGET ACTIONS:
Some skills allow single action to affect multiple targets.
Resolution for multi-target actions defined in Skills system.
================================================================================
SUCCESS RATE REFERENCE TABLE
================================================================================
Delta | Need | Success%
----------|-------|----------
−9 worse | 20 | 5%
−8 | 19+ | 10%
−7 | 18+ | 15%
−6 | 17+ | 20%
−5 | 16+ | 25%
−4 | 15+ | 30%
−3 | 14+ | 35%
−2 | 13+ | 40%
−1 | 12+ | 45%
0 | 11+ | 50%
+1 | 10+ | 55%
+2 | 9+ | 60%
+3 | 8+ | 65%
+4 | 7+ | 70%
+5 | 6+ | 75%
+6 | 5+ | 80%
+7 | 4+ | 85%
+8 | 3+ | 90%
+9 better | 2+ | 95%
================================================================================
DEFERRALS
================================================================================
This document does NOT define:
- Luck modifications (Document 4)
- Action economy (future document)
- Combat specifics (future document)
- Skill specifics (future document)
- Item system (future document)
- Critical effect details (relevant systems)
================================================================================
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR AI SYSTEMS
================================================================================
When resolving actions:
1. Identify action type → select stat pairing
2. Calculate delta: (Attacker Stat − Defender Stat)
3. Sum modifiers: equipment + temporary + situational
4. Roll d20
5. If nat 1: automatic failure, roll d4 for consequence severity
6. If nat 20: automatic success, roll d4 for bonus severity
7. Otherwise: check if d20 + delta + modifiers >= 11
When handling ties:
1. Identify contest type (physical or magical)
2. Physical: compare REF → LUK → d2
3. Magical: compare LUK → d2
When generating content:
- Stat pairings are extensible; create new ones for setting-specific actions
- Virtual stats for obstacles should feel like "if this were an entity"
- The formula NEVER changes. Only the inputs change.
================================================================================
DOCUMENT STATUS
================================================================================
STATUS: Canonical
VERSION: 1.0
All resolution in TDGS uses this formula. Later systems build upon but do not
alter these rules.
================================================================================
CANONICAL URLS
================================================================================
Human-readable: https://tacticaldice.com/docs/tdgs/resolution
AI-optimized: https://tacticaldice.com/docs/tdgs/resolutionforai
================================================================================
END OF DOCUMENT
================================================================================