So, I was rooting through blackjack's site and I found this gem about opposed rolls:

http://blackjack.dumpshock.com/stuff/RULEjoyoffour.htm

I think I like it. Does anyone have some experience with this rules mod? Is it good or should I sooner give Argent a swirly than use this?

For some context: I like stripped down rules and am not afraid to improvise if I have to. I'm thinking of trying it at next weeks session, but I'd love some insight from you folks.

In a fit of coincidence, there is a thread about this exact topic right here

I personally dislike the Joy of Four and think it's a solution in search of a problem. YMMV.

~J

I like how it makes so many of the bothersome ratings not related to Skills, such as Attributes, Power in a Damage Code, armor rating, spell, focus, and spirit Force, maglock ratings, etc., irrelevent or vastly less important. Way to gut the SR system.

Let's look at his test example: if the TN is always 4, why the hell bother casting a Powerbolt with a Force above 3? Or any other combat spell for that matter? The primary role of force in this case, as the Power of the Damage a target must resist, has been taken away.

I thought that rant only applied a change for the cases where the TN for person 1 is the skill/attribute being rolled by person 2 and the TN for person 2 is the skill/attribute being rolled by person 1.

In that case, it only affects things like banishing, breaking wards, and some social skills.

I still probably won't use it, but I never thought he meant to discard all PC influence on the TN for the opponent.

It's a good replacement for Open Tests, but that's about it. I wouldn't use it in most other situations for the very reason GunnerJ and the others have pointed out.

I'm certainly not going to use it in any other case than the symmetrical two-skills-being-used-overall case. On the other hand, in that case, a single point really does turn into an incredible advantage.