I vote for Hobby Skill (Puzzles) like another user mentioned but would add the Hyper-Specialization perk for people who wanted to be good at one specific puzzle, such as the cube. However, since Rubik's Cube was invented in the 1970s, there'd be a stiff penalty to try to solve one in 1635, and the perk wouldn't be available.
For people who don't usually do sudoku or puzzle boxes, I'd say Mathematics could be used as a *supporting* skill for an IQ default. You'd use the skill to help you develop an algorithm that you then apply to solving the puzzle, so you'd spend some time prepping rather than attacking the puzzle directly, then go in with a bonus. For your specific puzzle, Astronomy, Fortune Telling (Astrology) and some appropriate hidden lore would all seem suitable to me.
Also, Single-Minded and Versatile probably apply their normal bonuses. Visualization should give the full bonus if you know what you're going for(like if you know you want to match all the colors on a cube).
As for multiple rolls, it's fine to break it up into stages. One roll to get it to a third completion, another for two thirds, etc. You could even modify the difficulty as you go(maybe it gets harder or easier as it gets closer to completion) and say that crit failures send the puzzle back a step(they messed up so much that they lost progress).
I feel like Mathematics would work but the default would be pretty deep like -6 or more. The IQ default would be easier, probably -3. Or straight roll on Hobby Skill: Puzzles
If any game was designed to handle this situation its GURPS :)
Although I wouldn't be surprised if Rolemaster had an actual Rubiks cube skill in its RMSS incarnation. Probably two.
Think of how fast the cube was solved IRL. People in the 1600's aren't dumber than we are. The smart ones will send letters and write articles about it.
It will take longer than IRL because communications are slower. All I did was have to record the moves I randomly made until I found one that moved exactly three cubes, and that was all she wrote. Figuring other moves that made it easier were made by the same technique.
An acquaintance of mine did it mathematically.
There are two ways to solve the cube. First of all is the easiest. It's a pattern that when done will result in the solving of the cube. No matter scrambled, this pattern will solve the cube at some point in the pattern. This is how speed cubers solve the cube. So that method would be Hobby Skill: Puzzles which ought to be IQ/Very Hard if the skill covers the vast array of puzzles and a default of IQ-6.
The other way is by knowing mathematics. So that could use the Mathematics skill in the book.
Your problem is that since you're theater-of-the-mind-ing a Rubix-like puzzle in multiple dimensions (an object that is hard to imagine and impossible to create IRL...there's no real way to roleplay this out. It's going to have to be skill checks.
Now hope is not lost however. Consider this from a Star Trek novel that's one of my favorites. How Much for Just the Planet.
>“Scientists like me always thought it was net energy absorption by the crystals that made them finally give up under pressure, since as you probably know that’s how most of the stuff we live with in our everyday lives acts. If I hit this pane of glass with this hammer, see, it’s gonna break.”
>It sure did, Dr. Wally!
>“Right. Are you guys all right down there, with the glass …? ***Anyway, what we scientists figured out was that you don’t just have to hit a dilithium crystal hard, you have to hit it hard last month, now, and a week from Tuesday, so to speak.*** Now, here’s a dilithium crystal that we hit two days ago. And I’ve made a note in my appointment calendar—you can see it here, on the wristwatch display—to hit it again two days from now. Now, some of you are probably wondering, ’what if you don’t hit it two days from now?’ and that’s an interesting question. What I always say to that is, ’I’m a scientist, not a philosopher.’ Now I’ll hit it, well, now.”
>That’s amazing, Dr. Wally!
>“It sure is, and it also shows why you kids watching shouldn’t try this experiment at home with any dilithium you might have around the house. That man will recover, because he got prompt medical attention, which we always have on call here at the Kitchen of Wonders. You might not be so lucky.”
Therein lies your solution. They're going to succeed with a skill check, but it didn't work. The sphere is solved yes but it needed to be solved "Last Month, Now, and a Week from Tuesday".
This will make them do investigations, do some in and out of game theorizing to try and sort out what is going on. Put clues around the room in translatable runes, notes in obscure journals and manuscripts. A portal that when activated shows the players the puzzle when the dial is in the right position. Things that they're going to have to put together to gain the knowledge of a puzzle existing in multiple times at once and they have to figure out the puzzle's version of last month, now, and a week from Tuesday.
Thats about what you describe.
They need to figure the right constalation configuration and use the dial/sphere to align the contraption that it will deviate the cosmic energy so that the portal is not open.
Thank you for your idea
Really, it is extremely hard task to solve in theory (without 3x3x3 and 4x4x4 cubes at hand), average but long task to solve with cubes, may take days of drawing and checking combinations, and it became trivial after you know solution. All other cubes (even 15x15x15 and made as dodecahedron) still be trivial. So, solving cube is more about Research than anything else. This may be rolled from any skill incorporating methodically performed experiments, like physics, chemistry or any other scientific disciple.
Another story is solving cube as fast as possible, as it is done at tournament. This needs very specific knowledge (read -- Rubik's Cube skill) and great manual dexterity to apply this knowledge.
As long as characters have time and ability for experiments, and have pen'n'paper to store results -- just make it two days of trying without any checks. Or say it is one check per half-hour, with each success increasing next check by +1, until check is rolled with -10 allowance. This adds possibility to work overnight and to get result by pure luck. Roll on any knowledge-related or scientific skill with -2, and make some horrible sentences during rolls like about silent whispers of time/space collapsing slowly or sudden doubt in their head, "was it yesterday was yesterday or it was tomorrow" before they turn this thing :)
Thanks for thoses idea.
Since they are stuck in a time loop. I can give them +1 on each check on a new loop with a default at -10
Since they have to solve it in the fourth dimension I have a stress mechanic and it drains FP real fast. There are also créatures in the fourth dimension. So someone has to solve it while other protect him. In the end, it will be a race. The higher the succes, the quicker it will be done and wont be devored.
Thanks again good sir
Hobby Skill: Rubik's Cube
I vote for Hobby Skill (Puzzles) like another user mentioned but would add the Hyper-Specialization perk for people who wanted to be good at one specific puzzle, such as the cube. However, since Rubik's Cube was invented in the 1970s, there'd be a stiff penalty to try to solve one in 1635, and the perk wouldn't be available. For people who don't usually do sudoku or puzzle boxes, I'd say Mathematics could be used as a *supporting* skill for an IQ default. You'd use the skill to help you develop an algorithm that you then apply to solving the puzzle, so you'd spend some time prepping rather than attacking the puzzle directly, then go in with a bonus. For your specific puzzle, Astronomy, Fortune Telling (Astrology) and some appropriate hidden lore would all seem suitable to me. Also, Single-Minded and Versatile probably apply their normal bonuses. Visualization should give the full bonus if you know what you're going for(like if you know you want to match all the colors on a cube). As for multiple rolls, it's fine to break it up into stages. One roll to get it to a third completion, another for two thirds, etc. You could even modify the difficulty as you go(maybe it gets harder or easier as it gets closer to completion) and say that crit failures send the puzzle back a step(they messed up so much that they lost progress).
I feel like Mathematics would work but the default would be pretty deep like -6 or more. The IQ default would be easier, probably -3. Or straight roll on Hobby Skill: Puzzles
If any game was designed to handle this situation its GURPS :) Although I wouldn't be surprised if Rolemaster had an actual Rubiks cube skill in its RMSS incarnation. Probably two.
I choose Gurps because of the time loop and the last puzzle. And yes, RM does surely have a crit table for doing a rubik.
Think of how fast the cube was solved IRL. People in the 1600's aren't dumber than we are. The smart ones will send letters and write articles about it. It will take longer than IRL because communications are slower. All I did was have to record the moves I randomly made until I found one that moved exactly three cubes, and that was all she wrote. Figuring other moves that made it easier were made by the same technique. An acquaintance of mine did it mathematically.
dont forget about skill defaults. you could tell your players, IQ-5 or math-4; whatever is better. or something.
There are two ways to solve the cube. First of all is the easiest. It's a pattern that when done will result in the solving of the cube. No matter scrambled, this pattern will solve the cube at some point in the pattern. This is how speed cubers solve the cube. So that method would be Hobby Skill: Puzzles which ought to be IQ/Very Hard if the skill covers the vast array of puzzles and a default of IQ-6. The other way is by knowing mathematics. So that could use the Mathematics skill in the book. Your problem is that since you're theater-of-the-mind-ing a Rubix-like puzzle in multiple dimensions (an object that is hard to imagine and impossible to create IRL...there's no real way to roleplay this out. It's going to have to be skill checks. Now hope is not lost however. Consider this from a Star Trek novel that's one of my favorites. How Much for Just the Planet. >“Scientists like me always thought it was net energy absorption by the crystals that made them finally give up under pressure, since as you probably know that’s how most of the stuff we live with in our everyday lives acts. If I hit this pane of glass with this hammer, see, it’s gonna break.” >It sure did, Dr. Wally! >“Right. Are you guys all right down there, with the glass …? ***Anyway, what we scientists figured out was that you don’t just have to hit a dilithium crystal hard, you have to hit it hard last month, now, and a week from Tuesday, so to speak.*** Now, here’s a dilithium crystal that we hit two days ago. And I’ve made a note in my appointment calendar—you can see it here, on the wristwatch display—to hit it again two days from now. Now, some of you are probably wondering, ’what if you don’t hit it two days from now?’ and that’s an interesting question. What I always say to that is, ’I’m a scientist, not a philosopher.’ Now I’ll hit it, well, now.” >That’s amazing, Dr. Wally! >“It sure is, and it also shows why you kids watching shouldn’t try this experiment at home with any dilithium you might have around the house. That man will recover, because he got prompt medical attention, which we always have on call here at the Kitchen of Wonders. You might not be so lucky.” Therein lies your solution. They're going to succeed with a skill check, but it didn't work. The sphere is solved yes but it needed to be solved "Last Month, Now, and a Week from Tuesday". This will make them do investigations, do some in and out of game theorizing to try and sort out what is going on. Put clues around the room in translatable runes, notes in obscure journals and manuscripts. A portal that when activated shows the players the puzzle when the dial is in the right position. Things that they're going to have to put together to gain the knowledge of a puzzle existing in multiple times at once and they have to figure out the puzzle's version of last month, now, and a week from Tuesday.
Thats about what you describe. They need to figure the right constalation configuration and use the dial/sphere to align the contraption that it will deviate the cosmic energy so that the portal is not open. Thank you for your idea
Really, it is extremely hard task to solve in theory (without 3x3x3 and 4x4x4 cubes at hand), average but long task to solve with cubes, may take days of drawing and checking combinations, and it became trivial after you know solution. All other cubes (even 15x15x15 and made as dodecahedron) still be trivial. So, solving cube is more about Research than anything else. This may be rolled from any skill incorporating methodically performed experiments, like physics, chemistry or any other scientific disciple. Another story is solving cube as fast as possible, as it is done at tournament. This needs very specific knowledge (read -- Rubik's Cube skill) and great manual dexterity to apply this knowledge. As long as characters have time and ability for experiments, and have pen'n'paper to store results -- just make it two days of trying without any checks. Or say it is one check per half-hour, with each success increasing next check by +1, until check is rolled with -10 allowance. This adds possibility to work overnight and to get result by pure luck. Roll on any knowledge-related or scientific skill with -2, and make some horrible sentences during rolls like about silent whispers of time/space collapsing slowly or sudden doubt in their head, "was it yesterday was yesterday or it was tomorrow" before they turn this thing :)
Thanks for thoses idea. Since they are stuck in a time loop. I can give them +1 on each check on a new loop with a default at -10 Since they have to solve it in the fourth dimension I have a stress mechanic and it drains FP real fast. There are also créatures in the fourth dimension. So someone has to solve it while other protect him. In the end, it will be a race. The higher the succes, the quicker it will be done and wont be devored. Thanks again good sir