Editing Setting:Nutopia/Rules/Older Attempts (section)

=Hiver Mechanics Discussion=
Hiver Operation Mechanics
This is discussed generally, without a specific system in mind, but one can see how it might be adapted to any system that rolls for success against a set difficulty.

A Hiver wishing to perform an action with his Implants in the world needs to worry about two things on his character sheet. Firstly, what programs relevant to the task at hand he has slotted into his implants at the moment, and what skills he might have that would allow him to better know how to achieve his task.

Programs are general instructions that help gear a Hiver’s (dis)assemblers towards a specific task, and assist their utility fog reach optimum density and power distribution for a given type of task. Programs come in many varieties, perhaps broadly split into construction and deconstruction, or some other method of categorization. They can be as broad as a simple “Deconstruct” program, or as specific as “Deconstruct: Organic Tissue” or even “Deconstruct: Aluminum”. The more specific the program, the greater a bonus it provides to its niche and a Hiver should be able to work with computer literate team mates to write new software, and work out the bonuses and purview of that software with their Signal Man.

Skills are anything in the Hiver’s repertoire that the SM considers relevant to the task at hand. General skills like “Hiver Implant Use” that come with the character package would be the base part of every test, and others might be added on depending on the situation. Again, like with programs, Hivers who find themselves doing a lot of the same thing or want to specialize in a specific task might be given leeway to create their own niche skills that give them higher rates of success within their narrow purview. Also, skills not directly associated to Hiving but related to the task might also be included. For instance, a Hiver attempting to weaken the supports of a decaying suspension bridge to halt an advancing horde of shelljacked husks would be best off specializing in deconstruction of metals, or perhaps something even more specific. However, a Hiver who did not have such a specialization, but who had knowledge of structural engineering, should be able to substitute speed and power with accuracy, picking out the weakest supports and accomplishing the job in a comparable amount of time. If he had both, then it’d be over all the quicker.

The net effect of these two factors governs both what a Hiver can do and with what speed/efficiency/effectiveness he might do it. Still needed for clarification is the precise way in which skills interact. The two ideas that I have are thus: Either skills provide a bonus directly to a single check governed by how high the skill is and its relevance, or more skills equals more chances. That is to say, factor in the relevant program, and then roll against a DC with the highest, most relevant skill. If that fails, move on to the next highest and so forth, effectively giving the Hiver another shot albeit at a lesser chance of success. The second option prevents having to cap bonuses in order to prevent automatic successes in percentile systems (like DH or EP). Critical successes increase speed or effectiveness depending on the situation or even have unintended bonuses at SM discretion, while critical failures vary similarly.

Anyway, that’s the way I've got it arranged in my head, I await your input eagerly. Tell me what you think works, what doesn't etc. This is just the best way I've seen yet that allows a Hiver to be creative whilst still operating within realistic constraints.