A Diceless Resolution Procedure

I remember in law school learning about the difference between "elements" and "factors."

Sometimes, to succeed in your case, you need to prove the elements of a legal claim.  These elements are basically the component parts of a claim, and if you cannot prove all of them, your case falls apart.  For instance, to prove the tort of negligence, you must prove the element of causation.  There is no middle-ground.  If you cannot prove causation, then your lawsuit will fail.

On the other hand, sometimes you have to make out factors.  A factor is basically a condition, that, if satisfied, is helpful for your case.  Factors are useful for the court to determine who should prevail, but you are not actually strictly required to prove them.  A judge will weigh the factors for and against the litigant.  At the end of this balancing act, the judge will determine whether the factors weigh in your favor or not.

Rolling a die to determine the resolution of an outcome in a TTRPG is somewhat similar to proving an element.  An element is a bright-line requirement - if you cannot prove it, you fail.  Similarly, if your roll  cannot beat the goblin's AC, your attack fails.  There is no balancing, no surveying the situation to weigh whether the attack should succeed, partially succeed, or fail.

On the other hand, I wonder if there can be a diceless system that incorporates the concept of factor-balancing.  Here is my attempt to design one:

The Scale System 

The GM weighs “factors” in determining the resolution to an action, rather than abiding by hard and fast rules or reviewing dice results.

Factors are defined as guidelines, principles, and conditions that the GM should take into account.  Some factors weigh in favor of the players, other factors weigh against them.

A GM’s judgment, after taking factors into account, must be perceived as fair by the players. Trust and communication facilitate fair judgments.

These factors weigh in favor of a player: 

1) The player is executing a well-constructed plan 

2) The player is using an item or spell in a creative way 

3) The player is exploiting an enemy’s weakness 

4) The player is using overwhelming force 

5) The player is well-defended 

6) The player is particularly swift 
7) The player is using the environment to her advantage 

These factors weigh against a player: 

1) The player undertakes a risky maneuver 

2) The enemy is using overwhelming force 

3) The player is fatigued, injured, or vulnerable 

4) The enemy is particularly tough or agile

When in doubt, the GM should escalate the stakes and increase tension, or release tension at an opportune moment.

Justice (1530-34) by Giulio Romano