Re: Keyword ratinga vs character age

From: Tim Ellis <tim_at_...>
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2005 10:56:43 -0000

The Keyword is "shorthand" for the list of skills it encompasses, so if your argument is "My character should be able to know/do <skill> because they are a <keyword> then <skill> belongs in the keyword.

I think I'd go further than Jane, and say that something that is applicable to many of the holders of the keyword belongs there - you are not, after all, forced to use all the abilities - just because the Soldier keyword has "swear like a trooper" doesn't mean every single soldier is foul-mouthed. (You'd probably give the sailor keyword some sort of "sea-legs", yet Nelson was sea-sick every time he put to sea...)

If it becomes important to differentiate then you could produce increasingly narrow keywords ("Bison Rider Scout", "Sable Rider Scout") but I'd generally aim to avoid this if possible

> Do you put limits on how many things should be in a keyword?

Not specifically, but you might need to find a way to curb an overenthusiastic player who tries to make *everything* part of his keyword... ("Well, when I was a soldier on guard duty we would be listening to all the bird song so I should get 'Identify Bird Calls' as part of my Keyword...")

> If I come up with something that should be in a
> keyword later, does it start at the level the keyword is at now?
>

Absolutely, since it is part of the Keyword...

Note that in general, keywords do not improve during play (although it is given as an option for "Saga" style play, so you can't "pump up" the keyword then "discover" lots of abilities belong in it to get them "cheap"

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