RE: Re: Building an Experienced Character

From: Stephen R. Marsh <srmarsh_at_...>
Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 19:10:42 -0500

At 01:41 PM 6/20/2005, you wrote:
> >From: "Thomas Bagwell" <tom.bagwell_at_...>
>
> >The reason I want to give them the extra Keywords and boost their Keyword
> >levels is that I want to reflect the breadth of experience they've gained
> >over the years.
>
>Note that the proposal I made included the ability to spend AE levels on
>gaining a keyword at 13 for one level, and then you can raise it up like any
>other. So it's up to the player to purchase any such keywords, and can have
>as many as they like (as long as they have the points, and the narrator buys
>it).

I have to admit that in porting a campaign over, players do tend to feel cheated if they don't keep some of the advances they have made over what a "starting" character will have. On the other hand, until you have a solid handle on the system, it is important not to give the players too many points or too much.

My usual approach would be to break the "extras" into starting "extra" and 2-3 waves of "adjustment" extra -- both to keep from giving too much in the "extra" and to make sure the players use the extra points wisely or at least in a better way than they would have if they had gotten them all at once.

This lets you keep your current campaign intact, lets the players keep their characters with all the gains they've made over the past several years, lets you get a handle on things and keeps them from overwhelming themselves or jumping too far down rabbit trails they would not have followed if they had more familiarity with the system.

That way you can have the advantage of breadth from an extra keyword, yet let the points be applied in a way to bring them up to the level you feel their best skill(s) should be as they get a handle on the system.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I've put a bestiary on-line from my current story campaign.