As I am writing the text for the future Revised, Expended and Updated edition of Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells (to be released in partnership with Gallant Knight Games), I thought about a cool new way to use Positive and Negative Dice for those who want more nuanced results and consequences for their tests. The rule can also add a tactical element that can be quite fun. Below is the first draft of the rules that can also work pretty well for D&D 5th Edition's Advantage and Disadvantage rules.
Positive and Negative Die as d6s
Positive and Negative Die are a great way to simplify situational modifiers, eliminating the need for various tables of modifiers trying to codify every possible event that might occur. However, they may simplify things a little too much, since they nullify one another, usually don’t stack and don’t offer much information on the consequence of their use. And that might be fine for the majority of players.
However, this book would like to propose the use of d6s for Positive and Negative Dice, one color for each. Positive Dice can be added or subtracted to the d20 result in an Attribute Test, but the player can only do this with one of the Positive Dice rolled. Negative Dice are added to the Difficulty of the test, and the Referee can only choose one of them to do so, no matter how many are rolled. Note that you can roll multiple Positive and Negative Dice together with your d20 roll, as long as multiple circumstances apply.
If either the Positive or Negative Dice come up as a “6” additional consequences apply. If one Positive 6 is rolled, the player may roll a Positive Die on his next action an must narrate what happened to give him this advantage. If they roll two 6s, the player may give a Positive Die to another player and must narrate what happened to give that individual an advantage. With three 6s the player get an immediate extra Action if they narrate what gave him this opportunity!
On rolling one Negative 6, the Referee describes what happened to give the player a Negative Die on their next action. With two Negative 6s, the Referee can give a Positive Die on an Opponent’s next action while describing what happened to allow this. With three Negative 6s, the Referee can immediately act with an Opponent or apply a harmful effect, if they explains what happened to allow this. The table below summaries this information.
# of 6s
|
Positive
|
Negative
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1
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Small benefit gained, possible providing a Positive Die on next Action.
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Small hindrance, possible imposing a Negative Die on next Action.
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2
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Good benefit gained, possible providing a Positive Die to an ally.
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Reasonable hindrance, possibly providing an enemy with a Positive Die on their next Action.
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3
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Major benefit obtained, possibly allowing an immediacy extra Action.
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Major Hindrance, possibly allowing an Opponent to get an immediacy extra Action.
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