I used Haunting of Ypsilon 14 as an intro and it worked great. Very focused, simple, thematic. For the modules mentioned, either Dead Planet or A Pound Of Flesh but both are bigger with many options and bigger 'playgrounds' that can support a full-on campaign and require much more reading than Ypsilon. I've read and run some of all 3.
I would argue the only great option for the first Mothership one shot from your list is the first part of Dead Planet (The Screaming on the Alexis). Gradient Descent could be a wild first one, but it's not as straightforward. Here's a list of first scenarios I suggest to new Wardens & players: https://itch.io/c/4185294/mothership-starter-pack
P.S.: the second image with the caption "This Ship is a Tomb" is actually from Gradient Descent. :)
This brought to mind something I've been thinking about while preparing to introduce a bunch of D&D players (familiar with d20 roll-over) to Call of Cthulu (d100 roll-under): even when the dice/rolling system is consistent, you can swap between the over/under versions. This comes up all the time in CoC when you have to make Sanity checks: you first want to roll-under (a success) to minimize how much sanity you lose, but then you typically want to roll-over your Intelligence check (a "failure") because succeeding at that means you understand the implications of the horror before you.
It's a fun twist where normally having high intelligence (i.e. more likely roll-under and succeed) is a benefit when trying to solve the mystery but then becomes a detriment when you actually encounter elements of the Mythos. So while the entire system is d100 and technically roll-under, they've created a single moment when you actually want to roll-over. It can definitely be confusing for new players, and maybe the way Mothership subs in a different die for the exceptional moment helps ease that transition: "I always want to roll under, unless I'm using *this die* that I want to roll over with." But it's also simpler because you only have need to roll percentile dice.
Agree on the special die helping keep things straight.
Also, I really need to look into Call of Cthulhu. It keeps coming up, being recommended, and appears to be a large gap in my gaming (especially TTTRP) experience!
The CoC system is pretty solid, it’s not fancy but is pretty intuitive. If using the “classic” setting, combat is quite different to D&D expectations. Both sides missing frequently is fairly common, but hitting is often pretty decisive (not vs mythos creatures though).Pulp Cthulhu dials up PC competency and resilience to a level where “I choose violence” is a reasonable option or even a preferred one.
Skill development in play is very cool - if you “critically succeed” at a skill roll (<10% of skill rating) at the end of the session make a skill roll. If that advancement roll *fails* then increase the skill by d10? points. You get better at skills by using them successfully but as your skill approaches maximum it becomes harder to improve. I think that’s very elegant.
Oh, CoC 7 (the current version) also incorporates advantage / disadvantage but uses only the 10s dice. I haven’t yet looked at how that alters the probabilities compared with d20 adv/dis.
An alternative reading would be that panic checks are still roll under a stat, but with lower precision (5% vs 1%) to keep the numbers small and table simpler. The character might well prefer to successfully panic, but the player probably not.
d100 roll-under systems that turn into d20 roll-under are not too uncommon. Pendragon and Dragonbane come to mind.
“Blackjack” d100 systems are also fairly common: higher is better (more impact or wins in an opposed roll), just not _too_ high, or you go bust.
I havent tried it, but 'Errant' by Ava Islam has a really interesting resolution system--you need to roll under your ability score, but over a Difficulty Value. The DV could be zero, but it could be modified for more difficult tasks, narrowing the range of successful rolls! A bit complicated, but very cool.
I considered including "roll between" systems, but cut it for length. I think there's a lot of potential there. Especially with systems where the bottom is usually zero, as you point out!
You ought to look into the Black Hack (both its first edition and second edition). Its roll under through and through, but it really puts a fair number of tools in the hands of players and game masters to do what they want with the system.
In my home games using the Black Hack, I’ve found myself not really needing to keep the rule book handy and just rolling with it since the main rolling mechanic was the same across the whole game.
It really depends but I'm more and more inclined to choose de Roll under rules. It's far more easier for players and the GM and when you just want to change de difficulty, you can use the advantage/desavantage rules. Period !
The only time it's a setback it's when people are SO used to D&D they get confused when they roll 1 or 20.
For roll over/ exploding rules, I'll choose the a bunch of D6.
The micro-game at the end of every post is roll-under. :)
I used Haunting of Ypsilon 14 as an intro and it worked great. Very focused, simple, thematic. For the modules mentioned, either Dead Planet or A Pound Of Flesh but both are bigger with many options and bigger 'playgrounds' that can support a full-on campaign and require much more reading than Ypsilon. I've read and run some of all 3.
Thanks for the tips! I've had quite a few people recommend Ypsilon 14, so that one is on the short list. I like "focused, simple, thematic"!
I would argue the only great option for the first Mothership one shot from your list is the first part of Dead Planet (The Screaming on the Alexis). Gradient Descent could be a wild first one, but it's not as straightforward. Here's a list of first scenarios I suggest to new Wardens & players: https://itch.io/c/4185294/mothership-starter-pack
P.S.: the second image with the caption "This Ship is a Tomb" is actually from Gradient Descent. :)
Fixed the caption! Thanks for pointing that out!
That page with descriptions/reviews is extremely helpful! I'll look into Year of the Rat.
Great write-up!
2 quick typos:
- Roll under: If the result is less than the target, it is a failure. (Success?)
- A Reddit poll (N=172) showed 72% favored roll over and 28% preferred roll over. (Under?)
Thanks! I think both are fixed now in the web version. The editor has been sacked. 😅
I expect nothing less. The wheels of capitalism must grind on!
This brought to mind something I've been thinking about while preparing to introduce a bunch of D&D players (familiar with d20 roll-over) to Call of Cthulu (d100 roll-under): even when the dice/rolling system is consistent, you can swap between the over/under versions. This comes up all the time in CoC when you have to make Sanity checks: you first want to roll-under (a success) to minimize how much sanity you lose, but then you typically want to roll-over your Intelligence check (a "failure") because succeeding at that means you understand the implications of the horror before you.
It's a fun twist where normally having high intelligence (i.e. more likely roll-under and succeed) is a benefit when trying to solve the mystery but then becomes a detriment when you actually encounter elements of the Mythos. So while the entire system is d100 and technically roll-under, they've created a single moment when you actually want to roll-over. It can definitely be confusing for new players, and maybe the way Mothership subs in a different die for the exceptional moment helps ease that transition: "I always want to roll under, unless I'm using *this die* that I want to roll over with." But it's also simpler because you only have need to roll percentile dice.
Agree on the special die helping keep things straight.
Also, I really need to look into Call of Cthulhu. It keeps coming up, being recommended, and appears to be a large gap in my gaming (especially TTTRP) experience!
The CoC system is pretty solid, it’s not fancy but is pretty intuitive. If using the “classic” setting, combat is quite different to D&D expectations. Both sides missing frequently is fairly common, but hitting is often pretty decisive (not vs mythos creatures though).Pulp Cthulhu dials up PC competency and resilience to a level where “I choose violence” is a reasonable option or even a preferred one.
Skill development in play is very cool - if you “critically succeed” at a skill roll (<10% of skill rating) at the end of the session make a skill roll. If that advancement roll *fails* then increase the skill by d10? points. You get better at skills by using them successfully but as your skill approaches maximum it becomes harder to improve. I think that’s very elegant.
Oh wow. I’m going to have to look into that progression system!
Oh, CoC 7 (the current version) also incorporates advantage / disadvantage but uses only the 10s dice. I haven’t yet looked at how that alters the probabilities compared with d20 adv/dis.
An alternative reading would be that panic checks are still roll under a stat, but with lower precision (5% vs 1%) to keep the numbers small and table simpler. The character might well prefer to successfully panic, but the player probably not.
d100 roll-under systems that turn into d20 roll-under are not too uncommon. Pendragon and Dragonbane come to mind.
“Blackjack” d100 systems are also fairly common: higher is better (more impact or wins in an opposed roll), just not _too_ high, or you go bust.
I havent tried it, but 'Errant' by Ava Islam has a really interesting resolution system--you need to roll under your ability score, but over a Difficulty Value. The DV could be zero, but it could be modified for more difficult tasks, narrowing the range of successful rolls! A bit complicated, but very cool.
I considered including "roll between" systems, but cut it for length. I think there's a lot of potential there. Especially with systems where the bottom is usually zero, as you point out!
You ought to look into the Black Hack (both its first edition and second edition). Its roll under through and through, but it really puts a fair number of tools in the hands of players and game masters to do what they want with the system.
In my home games using the Black Hack, I’ve found myself not really needing to keep the rule book handy and just rolling with it since the main rolling mechanic was the same across the whole game.
It really depends but I'm more and more inclined to choose de Roll under rules. It's far more easier for players and the GM and when you just want to change de difficulty, you can use the advantage/desavantage rules. Period !
The only time it's a setback it's when people are SO used to D&D they get confused when they roll 1 or 20.
For roll over/ exploding rules, I'll choose the a bunch of D6.