>From: Benedict Adamson <yahoo_at_...>
>...
> > Has anyone got a decent mechanic for raising keywords through
> > experience. I think its a good option, but has any one done anywork
> > on the statistics. I mean some keywords have loads of stuff, others
> > not.
>...
>
>I've done some work. Whether it is really 'decent' is currently unknown:
> http://www.badamson.nildram.co.uk/Glorantha/HQ/broad_abilities.html
I think that any system that allows "bean trading" between macro levels of ability and other levels are, in fact, problematic (in fact, I've written whole essays on the subject). This one is about as good as you can get, and it's still problematic, IMO. Not terrrible, but...
HQ avoids all this neatly in chargen by separating keyword levels and ability level currencies. I think this is key. In my game, what I've been doing is simply using the Saga system pretty much as written. That is, I don't allow Keyword levels to be purchased with HP, instead I just give them out as a separate currency based on length of downtime and pacing, etc.
There are some complications with this, in terms of what abilities a keyword is assumed to have in it when. That is, you don't suddenly gain all abilities in a keyword when it's raised neccessarily, especially those that have to be purchased up from 13 in the normal system (magic and relationships, most notably). But all this can be worked out fairly intuitively.
And it works quite well, I've found. What it's good for is changing heroes over time. It's not "advancement" in the same way as normal play, it's simply altering characters in the same way as starting with Advanced Experience does at the beginning of play - it makes characters fit the concept that makes most sense for them. Normal advancement is more about player prioritization of specifics, meant to indicate where they'd like play to go.
So my advice is simply to keep these things separate. "Experience" is not something that one gains through just a few "adventures," it's something that just takes time. This system represents that well.
Mike
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