Rank 13 in a non-combat skill is considered a master at that skill. Masters of a skill rarely fail in task.
Whenever a master makes a skill roll, and the result is Blunder, Absolute Failure or Failure, they can make a second roll. If the second roll comes out to Partial Success or better, the result is treated as Partial Success.
This rule applies to any non-opposed skill roll that has no negative modifiers. The GM is free to use this rule, or a variation of it, for rolls that have a small negative modifier.
For example, Delana is rank 13 in Power Perception and is studying the enchantment of a magical door. She rolls a "04" on her skill roll which requires a second roll that is subtracted from the first. Her second roll is a "92", giving her a total of 4 - 92 = -88. Her skill bonus of 75 brings this up to a -13: Absolute Failure. Because she is a master (rank 13+) at this non-combat skill, and because their were no negative modifiers and the roll was unopposed, she can invoke this rule to roll again. Her second attempt is a "52". With her 70 bonus, the result is a 122 which would normally be Success but, because this rule states that the maximum result is Partial Success, the result of her effort to study the enchantment on the door is Partial Success. Not as good as Success, of course, but much better than Absolute Failure. |