Dealing with Talents (was Re: Three Worlds Headaches)

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_...>
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:53:47 -0000

Alex Ferguson wrote:
>> I think the problem is: losing abilities that may be an inherent
part of the person (in a Gloranthan sense), that are a part of how the character is conceived, and what make the character interesting (in a story-telling sense), and that you've bleedin'-well spend HPs, words, or whatever else on (in a bugger-me-I'm-hosed sense).<<

Ah but for a new character this possibility, that if you want to concentrate, you will loose elements from outside your specialization is clear from the beginning. Hence my observation that so far folks who want to concentrate have tended to do so from the start, not during play. In addition it does make concentration a choice - you have to give up something to get the cheap point cost. So its not for everyone. If you could just keep all your abilities who wouldn't bother to concentrate, or who might have to chose which route to follow.

>> Secondly, ask the same question about a troll devoting to
Orlanth. Or a human woman, to jump back on an old hobby-horse. Exactly which of their innate magics do they have to give up to become "like Orlanth"?<<

Remember that initiation is often a re-birth. Indeed Trollpak suggested that initiation into Kyger Litor or a human resulted in rebirth  as a troll. So that context is perhaps more obvious than those who concentrate without such a ceremony.