Let's talk TN's


#1

I am finalizing my 5e/d20 hack with a LOT of ICRPG rules and tricks ingrained. Some of the big changes are using Hankerin’s (and Dungeon Craft’s) ideas of flattening out HP for PCs and Monsters and using the TN for all encounters and rooms. Likewise, bonuses will be lower even as players progress with PCs and Monsters rarely gaining more than +6-8 for anything. Most skill and attack rolls will hover around +1 to 5 for most of the campaign. With those as the basis for roll resolution, I am guessing that TN’s need to be in the 10-13 range early and 13-16 later on, with 17 and 18 saved for rare challenges.

Does that sound about right?

Does anyone use similar rules for HP/bonuses, if so what TN range do you use?

Any input is appreciated!


ROLL OFF
#2

Your spread is dead on. Generally 10-13 is good early, with 13-15 later. Once you’re into targets of 17+, generally that’s an epic tier game.


#3

Well I’ve been using this little hack for a while and also boons/banes for difficulty adjustments and player facing rolls.

So having all that in mind, I’ve never needed to set the TN higher than 13-14, even for “late game” campaigns that I ran. This is partially because I don’t need monsters to have stats in order to compensate for the TN (the higher the TN, the easier their rolls). A minimum of 9 is also fine for me.

Really, the TN depends a lot on the GM “feeling” the situation and adjusting depending on their desire to challenge or help players. I once planned an encounter at TN 11 and realised it was toooooo easy, so I “second staged” it, added minions and upped the TN to 13 so the players started to feel some presure, I did that on the fly.


#4

This is similar to what I am running this weekend. However, a lot of stuff I will narrate depending upon the flow of the game. But nice work!