Re: Improving magical items

From: flynnkd2 <flynnkd_at_...>
Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 22:57:43 -0000

> I just don't think that the difference in ability levels is
something that
> needs to be addressed by rules (house or otherwise). It's a player
decision
> as to how they want to allocate their points, and if they want to
be a
> Johnny One-Note, then sometimes they won't be able to play along
with the
> rest of the band. The second or third time that Johnny uses Sword
and Shield
> inapprpriately and gets everyone in trouble, social pressure from
the rest
> of the players should do the trick.
>
> RR
> It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of
this has
> done what he has done.
> - Richelieu

But you should be worried about it if you want the game to sell.

A lot of the new people you want to move into HQ will be moving in from games like D&D, where broadening your skill base occurs automatically with the leveling system (mostly). Those players will ONLY be looking to improve the one skill they know they need and love - combat skills.

My point here (now) is that the rules make no effort to clarify this, or warn players of this. I suppose you could argue that it isnt the place of the rules to talk about how players play, but the rules should go to the trouble of explaining the weaknesses they may reveal when used in certain, well known ways.

To me the first warning I would give players and GMs is that they need to play the game 'broadly', or the following is a possible outcome.... and then explain what happens when you put all your pts into a small number of skills.

(as a last ditch escape clause, the rules may well say this, but I am at work and I dont recall them saying that... ))