I'm torn on this equipment idea. On one side, I think it is more elegant to think that having the "right" equipment means you get to use the skill at the normal level. Without the equipment, the skill simply isn't available in the direct sense. OR only available with a modifier. I'm not convinced of the Wealth idea below (although it is intriguing).
I'm wondering if in the end it makes a whole hell of a lot of difference, though. If we're keeping relative differences, does any of this matter (seeing as the game is a game of relative difference as is?).
For weapons, what do you do with animals and their natural weaponry? There are many uses of a skill (not only in augments) that might be possible without the equipment. (Surely using Sword and Shield combat to assess and opponent's ability in sword and shield combat makes sense, although different Narrators will apply different improv modifiers one might assume.)
What about appropriate magical equipment for rituals? Does that get figured in here? What does that do to "fixed" external resistances like opening 10W3 portals and the default magic of 14?
The "chalk it all up to relative situations" appeals to me, but I'm not sure (as mentioned by someone above) that it ends up just as (if not more) intrusive in the end.
LC
On 17 May 2004 at 23:58, flynnkd2 wrote:
> What a great epiphany ). I see the light!
>
> All my players are using fine/heavy/masterwork
> weapons/armour/shields... so if that is the base line then why not
> ignore it.
>
> Essentially everyone comes with the equipment they need to do their
> job, a warrior has appropriate equipment by default. So the real
> difference can easily be replaced by their function and their
> quality.
>
> A heavily armour spearmen fighting a lightly armed skirmisher...
> heavy vs light, give him +3.
>
> A rich warrior vs a poor one, give him +3.
>
> This gives an extra use for Wealth as a rating as well. A wealthy
> person will have the best equipment, so Wealth could be used as an
> augment, setting a base line of average (17). So Wealth 22 (5 over
> 17) might give you +1 over an average person in some cases.
>
> Elite unit vs average unit, their equipment will be better, give
> them +3 on top (note that an elite unit doesnt mean it is better
> trained, quite often elite units had more money spent on them, got
> better equipment etc. A veteran unit might easily defeat an elite
> unit due to skill).
>
> The other advantage of this idea is that magical weapons become more
> powerful. A Spear of Sharpness might have been +3 (spear) +1 (Fine) +2 (17
> magic sharpness) = the magic component was 1/3rd of the power of the
> spear. By eliminating the base line the spear becomes a +2 spear and much
> more valuable.
>
> Essentially you replace equipment with a quality rating, based
> around average. Poor units have poor quality materials (usually) and might
> be at -2. Good uits have good equipment and might get +2.
>
> The added advantage is that you also remove the starting player
> having fighting skill 5w and then adding +10 for weapons and armour
> immediately, pushing your games baseline starting skill into the 10w area
> before you even begin.
>
> Great idea )).
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