Several times in our last session, I had situation where modifiers kicked a test up to 100 or higher! I ruled that in these "sure thing" situations you still fail on a natural roll of 100. Are there any rules for this though? I know you can only add +60 to a test, but that's still enough to kick it up that high. Two were in space combat (shooting a crippled and wounded ship, which was also surprised) and the other was a melee strike on an unaware opponent.

Did I miss some obvious rule? Is there such a thing as an automatic hit? Is there supposed to be some threshold at the top that's an automatic fail? I know there is with Ballistics Tests...

Thanks for any help!

You haven't missed anything. It's probably a gap in the system to be honest.

The jamming rules for ranged weapons are the only auto-fails built in that I can think of and they can be avoided by picking up a best quality weapon.

When I run 40k rpgs I make 01-05 an automatic success, 96-100 an automatic failure and 99-100 a potential fumble or other complication. Those numbers are taken from BRP/Cthulhu and I find it keeps things tense as there is always a risk. YMMV

There is one big problem with 100 being an automatic fail: Fate points. If a PC has modifiers that high, then fate points mean that they can reroll with a small chance of failure. However, most NPCs will not get fate points, so you're just making things easier for the players.

I have seen this from experience when my GM decided that any roll of 100 is an automatic botch. When a PC botched, we just spent a fate point and re-rolled, even on tests where we wouldn't mind a simple failure, because botches were nasty. NPCs didn't get that luxury, when they rolled a 100, they took the full effect.

I also must point out that Acquisition test have a rule that states that getting the modified profit factor over 100 means an automatic success. My thoughts are that this should follow through for all tests: If a player had managed to modify their test to over 100 through character stats and planning/luck, then they deserve to be rewarded it.

Though the errata does say that if an astropath rolls 91 or higher, then it's time to spend a fate point and reroll.

That's the way I do it - 96-100 is always a fail.

BYE

Bilateralrope said:

Fair points above but I have noticed as a GM that players do feel the pinch of having to reroll that potential complication. Particularly if it is not a truly vital roll at that stage in the session. The rerolled dodge or the d5 wounds may be missed later when traitor marines are kicking their heads in.

As regards acquisitions I would totally agree and as the rules say you don't need to roll - then don't roll so no chance of auto-fail. Having the rogue trader dynasty have to roll to pay a cab fare or hire a hotel room would be unkind.

I would be of the opinion that in any rpg rolls should generally be made only when something is at stake and if that is the case then to create drama or tension there should be a little risk thrown into the mix.

I would also put forward the opinion that the roll of 100 need not be a total disaster but should be an interesting complication informed by story and character. For example if a PC rolls a 100 while investigating a potential destination in a seedy spaceport perhaps his inquiries have alerted a rival rogue trader who decides to steal a march on the explorers and claim the prize fo himself.

I have to say I'm partial to Cromwell's concept of 96-100 being an automatic failure. It's rare enough that I don't think it will happen often, and really how much should just be automatic? I will probably do that. Thanks for the ideas, guys!

The explorator-player managed to roll 100 in tonight's session when trying to find out where the Adeptus Mechanicus had their temples on Footfall, possibly to check if they could be of assistance, but something that should be really easy for the tech-priest. I ruled that he found the "other" Mech-cult's temple instead, mostly because this was his first time in Footfall! Described to him a temple that looked like the Adeptus Mechanicus type, but with slightly different symbols and lots of visible weapons. They managed to avoid problems and got out of there asap.

Cromwell Bootstrap said:

I've always run it the exact same way. There is no such thing as never, ever being able to bodge something up, no matter how good you are at it.

I, on the other hand side, would simply go with the value given. There is no auto-success and no auto-failure, there's just the roll. If that means you have to roll a 120 or lower to succeed, then that's what happens - on the other hand side, there's no million-to-one chance that devolves to a 1-in-20 either. With space combat rolls in particular, it's often more interesting to see by how many degrees they succeeded.

As Cifer said. Many times the true issue is how many degrees did you succeed by. Performing some space maneuvers, for example. Even a "simple" one such as moving a full Speed 8, but wanting to turn 2 VU into the move. That would require 5 degrees of success on the Pilot roll for Adjust Bearing (success = turn after 7 VU, -1 VU for every degree of success, and wanting to turn after 2 VU).

My voidmaster, for example, has an effective Pilot(Spacecraft) at 105 (Agi 60, +35 for Ancient & Wise Sword Frigate w/retros Maneuver rating, +10 for MIU implant). Rolling 100 on a piloting roll will technically succeed, but wouldn't allow anything close to the result (turning 2 VUs into the move) that we were looking for. In fact, a mere success in this instance has nearly the same result as a failure (move 7, turn, move 1 ... vs move 8 and turn)

So, yeah, I don't think there needs to be an auto failure value.

There's no magic numbers for success or failure in RT except for attack rolls.

If something has over a 100% chance after modifiers, it will succeed. If 0% or less, it will fail.

DarknessEternal said:

As the other players have mentioned, I too have been going with the 96-00 being a fail, and to hell with what the rules say.

Remember, in any game the rules are a guideline, not a straightjacket. Just remember that when you stray too far from the rules, the players may exercise their option of leaving the game for 'greener' pastures.

One thing I've considered doing, is allowing a 96 to 125 roll to be a hit, but then allow the defender an extra dodge (or parry as applicable) for it. This 'extra' defensive manoeuver would not allow multiple dodges or parries for one defense, just give an extra one not counted against their normal limits. In this option, if the player can get a 130 or higher chance to succeed, it would always do so.

Denmar1701 said:

So I guess I'd only last in your game for one roll. No auto-failures outside of attacks and psychic rolls is an important rule in RT since degrees of success tend to matter more than a pass/fail.