To determine whether a character successfully performs an action, a Check is made. This always consists of 1d20, thereby ensuring that a certain randomness, some may call it fate, determines the result. To influence the result, characters have Attributes and Abilities. Depending on what the Check is for, one of these must be added to influence the final result. If it is negative, it still has to be added to the result, making a Check more difficult. Thus, a strong character can handle tasks that require Strength more easily than their weaker companions.

Example: To climb up the steep cliff, Fighter Orelius must make a Check on Body STR of 14. Among his skills, he selects Body STR, and luckily, that's his passion, with a +7 bonus. Rolling a 1d20, he gets a 7. Putting both together results in a total of 14, allowing him to barely make the climb successfully.

 

If you roll a 1 or 20, it's a Critical Roll. Rolling a 1 is a critical failure, while rolling a 20 is a critical success. In both cases, the GM decides the effects. Saves against spells can not be critical rolls.

 

A character has only one chance to succeed a Check, they can not reroll endlessly. Unless the circumstances change.

Example: After failing a General Knowledge - Check to identify a symbol the character goes to the library to get a book of symbology. They can now repeat the check. Maybe even with advantage? As always: GM decides.

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For the Game Master:

For minor tasks and simple challenges, instead of a roll, the GM may ask if the character is proficient in the required abilities. If so, they automatically succeed.

The GM should inform their players about the exact difficulty of important, game-changing Checks.

Failed checks should lead to an interesting situation, not a "you failed and the task is over," but rather a "you succeed, but alert the guards" scenario.