Sometimes the Referee may decide that a certain Task Roll is either easier or more difficult than usual. This could be for a variety of reasons including the prevailing local conditions, the specialist nature or complexity of the task, or the fact that someone (or something) is actively trying to disrupt the undertaking.
For example, when an Agility Task Roll is used to determine whether a character successfully climbs a surface, the Referee might rule the Task Difficulty as “Hard” if the surface is particularly smooth or slippery, and modify the Target Percentage accordingly.
Other examples of situations that might make a given task either easier or more difficult include:
- Trying to hit a target that is particularly large (easier) or small (more difficult).
- Trying to hit a target that is behind cover (more difficult).
- Trying to shoot a target that is closer (easier) or further away (more difficult).
- Trying to hit a target that is restrained in some way (easier).
- The advantage or disadvantage of height.
- The prevailing weather conditions or level of light.
The table below summarises the suggested Difficulty Modifiers, although the Referee is free to amend these as they see fit. However, to avoid unnecessary complexity that slows the game down, it is recommended that relatively small modifications (e.g. +/-5% or +/-10%) are avoided as unnecessary. Difficulty Modifiers are best treated with a broad brush.
Where multiple factors are in play, the Difficulty Modifier represents the net effect of those factors. For example, the Referee may decide that the net effect of trying to shoot a large, but distant, target is a zero modifier.