Re: Starting ability scores

From: BEThexton <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 19:01:57 -0000

Pro: let's a non-keyword ability be as good as a keyword one. Con: Still penalizes you overall versus someone who wishes to focus on a key-word skill (to some people, this would not seem to be a con, I realize).

The second was to give some sort of bonus to points spent on nonkeyword  

> abilities. For instance, for every 2 points spent to increase a nonkeyword
 

> ability, the ability increases by 3.

Pro: for your focus skills you get around the same ability level, keyword or not, yet you still keep some skills at a secondary level. Con: More math! (not so much of a con for me or for some people, but a huge one to others).

> I thought about increasing the starting score for non-keywords and
even thought
> about making it higher than keywords. However, I actually like them
starting
> lower. Those abilities from your narrative or your list are what
set you apart
> from the next warrior/Heortling/initiate of Rufelza. It doesn't
mean you're
> necessarily better at them than the staple abilities from your
keywords.

I agree that overall, I like the flavor of those being things you know "a little bit."

> Chances are, your character is using those keyword abilities in his
daily life
> more than most of his other abilities so he probably should be
better at the
> keyword stuff. I do like the idea, though, of giving a player the
option of
> specializing in one of those unique skills.

Ditto. So that a charming warrior, philosophizing entertainer or singing merchant don't suffer too much in their core competency to be capable at this distinguishing characteristic.

For what it is worth, here is an idea I had under HW rules, where cultural keyword skills also started at 13: - first increase four (background or cultural) skills from 13 to 17. - Then increase two from 17 to 1W, and one skill from 17 to 5W. (The two step was just to prevent too much min/maxing abuse).

I figured four skills was about right for cultural or background things that you used enough to have them equivalent to your professional skills.

--Bryan

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