Hiding:
Hiding is a contested roll of the hider vs the seeker.
Dexterity is often a relevant stat for the hider, as is Size x-1. Charisma may be a liability in some situations. A character with a distinctive appearance will often be at a disadvantage.
Perception is the primary stat for the seeker. The seeker may be further hindered by lighting, noise and other adverse conditions as follows:
Lighting
Bright interior lighting, like that found in a modern supermarket, is the ideal.
Particulates may add 1-6 DD to visual searches as well.
Noise
Normal conversation runs 60-65 decibels, and that's the ideal volume for listening. The following table has the Decibel value and DD of various noises. This is for detecting such a noise at distance. For detecting a noise in that loud of an environment, reverse the DD adjustment.
Past 150 db, characters will take damage to their hearing immediately.
The above is for about 30' away. Every 30' of distance adds one DD.
Touch /Taste
As a practical matter, most task rolls involving this sense would be to identify a particular object or surface by touch. Empirical science has yet to produce a useful standard for this. The XP will have to assign a Difficulty A few things to bear in mind:
Smell
As a practical matter, most task rolls involving this sense would be to identify a particular odor by smell. Empirical science has yet to produce a useful standard for this. The XP will have to assign a Difficulty. A few things to bear in mind:
· The presence of any odor is strongly affected by atmospheric conditions – namely airflow. As a default, use +1 DD per 5mph of “upwind” and -1DD of “downwind”.
· Only organic or organic-like compounds have an odor that humans can detect. Humans cannot, for example, tell the difference between aluminum and titanium by smell. The seven base elements detectable by odor are: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, oxygen (as ozone), phosphorous, and arsenic.
· Some SFX have strong odors can that create penalties to those exposed to them. Humans actually adapt fairly quickly to such things. A penalty due to stench will last a menatl Grace Period in minutes after which it will reduce at +1/minute (unless the SFX has a shorter duration)
· Smell is a strong trigger for memory. This has little tactical relevance, but may be a point for character or narrative exposition.
Any encumbrance of DX penalty from armor or equipment would be a problem for both the hider and the seeker.
Seeking:
If there is no reason to believe a character will not find the item in question - they find it. Sometimes, though, they need to look.
This can be used for finding people or living things if they are not hiding. If they are hiding, see above, of course..
If an item has been deliberately hidden, it could have a value equal to the hider’s roll, and that would add to its’ default Difficulty. Here are some guidelines on Difficulty:
Large means larger than human. Medium means man-sized or smaller. Small means fist-sized or smaller. Tiny means too small to be easily handled with fingers.
Some factors that may affect Difficulty: