A thought on limiting improvisation

From: bethexton <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2002 20:58:29 -0000

One topic that has come up a few times is that a skilled initiate can do most of what a devotee can, for not all that much of a penalty according to the HW rules (yes, a -3 improv penalty to do specific feets isn't trivial, but compared to the level of commitment it seems small).

Now, I know rumour has it that in HQ the improv penalty will be increased substantially, but I had another, complimentary, idea.

How about whenever anyone (initiate or devotee) tries to improvise a feat, their magic skill is capped at their mythology skill, just a those not born to the saddle have their close combat capped at their ride ability.

The thinking here is that you might be great at emulating Orlanth's fury in combat, but you can't very well emulate a specific feat if you don't have a firm grasp of the myth behind it.

You still need improve penalties on the actual magic skill, but at the very least this gives heroes another incentive to buy up their mythology skill. This also gives the possibility that initiates would suffer a substantial penalty on their mythology skill when improvising, that devotees wouldn't (devotees knowing more of the truth behind myths).

This would also give the ability to puts stats on people who are fairly tough magically, but who won't be performing the more extreme feats (i.e., the tough but non-key NPC, most followers, etc).

It is one more thing to keep track of, but some people may like the variation it adds in a simple way.

--Bryan