1e combined force skill use question

[munkieboi 2]

This is an old question I've always wondered about for force skills in first edition star wars. Would it break anything if instead of making multiple rolls against separate difficulties if by combing the dice pools and making a single roll against the combined difficulty would work? I'm not good with the math of it but I thought it would streamline the process a lot and keep the game moving as intended

[Grimace 34]

That's kind of difficult to ascertain.  You would definitely be increasing the number of dice that need to be rolled, and your difficulties would be increasing possibly above 31, which kind of smells a bit of "inflated munchkinism".  

Honestly, if you're going to work with the concept of just one roll for activating Force powers, it would probably be better to just use the one primary Force power and then subtract a couple dice for each added Force activation that would normally be needed.  So if it's a Two Force Power activation ability, you just figure out which is the best Force power, subtract a die or two from it, and roll vs. the regular difficulty.  Success means the ability is active, and it's done in one roll.  Failure means they couldn't concentrate enough to activate that Force ability.  

[Whill 13]

On 7/19/2020 at 1:41 PM, munkieboi said:

This is an old question I've always wondered about for force skills in first edition star wars. Would it break anything if instead of making multiple rolls against separate difficulties if by combing the dice pools and making a single roll against the combined difficulty would work? I'm not good with the math of it but I thought it would streamline the process a lot and keep the game moving as intended

I've thought about doing that in the past too, because I do not fear the "bucket of dice." But a player could leave their PC's Alter skill low and let those powers that include Alter just ride on the other skills being high, which would be the player making difficult Alter rolls with the other skills.

So if you are going to make individual Force skills less important anyway, it would be easier to just go with Grimace's suggestion to reduce rolls.