Query on starting a business

[Bevan]

Being a new player to this, I may have read this completely wrong, or not taken something into account that I should have, but I came across a rather odd situation regarding the action to create a business.

bobsworlds.x10.mx/Actions/Action%20Descriptions/Create%20Business.htm

Now assuming I have this right, if you manage to succeed in the action, you roll a d10 on the chart and that tells you the result. If that is the case, there is a problem.

1. 100% loss, 10% chance (-10)
2. 25% loss, 10% chance (-2.5)
3. 10% loss, 10 % chance (-1)
4-6. No result
7-8 10% gain, 20% chance (+2)
9. 20% gain, 10% chance (+2)
10. 50% gain, 10% chance (+5)

Net result = -4.5

Therefore by doing this action you, on average, will significantly lose money even if you succeed in passing the skill check 100% of the time!

Have I misread this in some way or is the mechanic broken?

 

[Bob (DM)]

You are reading it mostly correctly, however it is not as bad
First, the action check is only made once, to establish the business.
And second, your profit/loss roll is modified by your skill in the particular craft, which I very didn't actually mention - thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Bob (DM)]

It has been fixed. Again, thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Bevan]

No problem - I'm afraid I am one of those irritating people who cant see a chart without subconsciously calculating the probabilities Makes much more sense after you explained it!

[Bob (DM)]

Feel free to continue doing so, details like that were explained to my players and the documents were not always modified so it is a great help to have discrepancies or gaps brought to my attention.

[Bob (DM)]

Actually, I think I will make a board just for rules questions.