Failure as a Modifier in Skill Advancement

[Scriven]

I love how character progression in CoC is mediated by skill improvement, versus the leveling system in other games. At the same time, I sometimes wish that the skill advancement mechanic somehow managed to accommodate failure as well as success as a learning opportunity when determining chances for improvement.

Here’s an idea I’ve been playing around with. Each time a player makes a skill attempt and fails, but scores within 5 percentiles of his or her skill level (a near miss, in other words), he or she adds a “tic” next to that skill. At the end of the scenario/chapter/game, when skill advancement is determined, the player uses the number of tics as a modifier to determine whether or not the roll for skill advancement succeeds. So, for example, Harvey Walters has accumulated 4 “tics” next to his Locksmith skill, reflecting 4 near misses over the course of the scenario. When it comes time to determine skill advancement, Harvey rolls d100 against his 35 Locksmith skill and scores a 32 but adds 4% for his “tics” for a total of 36% and so succeeds in improving that skill.

Naturally there are caveats that would have to be applied to this, but any general opinions about this skill advancement method?

[Keeper Jon]

Very cool idea. My fear is that keeping track of marginal failures could be cumbersome during game play. What if it was simplified a bit, and instead of it being a standard or marginal Failure, what if it was only with Fumbles.

This is what I'm thinking... Regardless if a character has been successful with a skill during game play or not, if that player has not had an opportunity to "roll his ticks" yet and suddenly rolls a Fumble on that skill then "the burned hand teaches best" comes into play. If a player has Fumbled any skill, when it comes time to roll for skill advancement, the Fumbled skills get an automatic +1 skill percent, and that's it. No rolling to "fail" the skill, and no other positive advancements on that skill.

An optional rule like this would encourage players to coax their Keeper for opportunities to roll for advancements in their skills. Not that they'll always get to do it, but players will both dread and enjoy Fumbled rolls.

[fallingtower]

The BRP/CofC rules are so easy to modify on the fly you, as a Keeper can do lot's of little things to make your game, 'just the way you like it'.

Like scriven, I have a lot of little things I like to do.

Fer instance:
-A 'free' 75% in your character's main skill (within reason). I usually don't allow any weapons skills, unless the player is a boxer or wrestler.
-I also award an automatic 1% skill increase if a player either makes a critical success when it's really needed or they come up with a clever way of using the skill and I'm actually thinking about rewarding them for horrific failures at un-opportune moments (cuz a failure can be a great motivator).

I'm really liking some of the rules that 7e are bringing to the table as well. I've already been using 'pushing' and 'spending' your LUCK as well as 'crit-special-normal' successes as well.

[Dr. Gerard]

All these rules are worth testing, for sure. For personal preference, I'm kind of with Jon about the extra bookeeping. The more nuanced the advancement rules are, the more focus they get during play. Many players tend to forget to check skills, and though it's courteous to remind them, I like it when that happens because it means it's not a focus. Conceptually, I love that innovation, though. It certainly simulates learning more accurately.