Playing Dice Wars, I noted again how unfair dice are, how much of your success or failure is dependent on “lucky” (or unlucky) breaks in the roll. Rather than using dice, there are other ways to make opposed actions feel more fair.
- Deck of cards (set of results)
Certain events or results will happen a limited number of times in a combat. For instance, good players can predict that all the misses or low damage hits have been used up and try to save high effect attacks for when they are most likely to work in the combat sequence. This encourages card counting. - Bell curves (predicts any dice wars attack)
Certain events are more likely to happen. As more dice are rolled, the probable total result will approach a center point of a bell-shaped graph. In D&D, for instance, the average score is 9-11, the average of three dice roll (3.5 * 3). - Arbitrary probabilities
Certain events or results are more likely to happen. Unlike a bell curve, these can be arbitrarily determined. In RoleMaster, for instance, the designers made all attack rolls under 5% a fumble, while other attacks (above 30%, 50%, or higher) would give various criticals. - Opposed skills (mathematic)
The opponent with the best game statistics, skills, or equipment will always do better against another. This is the most predictable, “fair,” and boring, hence why games like EQ or WoW still use random values in attacks. - Opposed attacks (paper, rock, scissors)
Certain attacks will always win against other attacks, and lose against another set of attacks. Some attacks may cancel out other attacks. Variations of this may make some attacks more or less offensive or defensive in nature, changing the impact of attacks. - Arbitration (LARP)
A third party examines the intent and situation of an attack and determines the outcome using any applicable method.
In each case, fairness disguises predictability. The player expects a predictable result (especially in MMOs). Unpredictability annoys or upsets the player–predictable surprise, however, is acceptable.