Believability Score (BS) System

Introduction

The Believability Score (BS) System streamlines contested skill checks in tabletop role-playing games by quantifying the believability of a character’s action. It calculates a Resistance DC that determines whether a bold move—be it deception, stealth, or persuasion—succeeds or fails.

Usage

Use the BS System whenever one character’s action is challenged by an opponent’s ability to perceive or counter it. For example, if a character attempts to deceive or persuade, an opposing character might use their Insight, History, or Perception to challenge the claim.

The system works by starting with a base value of 12, then adding the opposing character’s relevant skill bonus plus any situational BS modifiers. The resulting Resistance DC is the target that the acting character must beat with their own skill check.

This method ensures that both parties contribute to the outcome, making encounters fair, dynamic, and engaging. It can be applied during negotiations, stealth operations, acts of deception, and other pivotal moments in your game.

BS Calculator

Enter the opposing skill bonus and BS modifier below to calculate the Resistance DC using the formula:

12 + Contesting Skill Bonus + BS Modifier

Contested Skills

The following table lists each core skill along with examples of opposing skills commonly used to contest them:

BS Modifier Table