Re: (TFT) Skill, knowledge, tricks and talents

["Ty Beard" <tbeard@tyler.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Michael Grouchy II" <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>

>     Once it gets to the point that there is a specific skill for any known
> ability, it sets the precedent that a character cant do something new
> unless they get the required skill.  In my view of TFT talents, and new
> trick or skill can usually be served by an existing talent.  Consider the
> sample character sheet for Fox Moulder that was posted to the list a while
> back.  It had stuff like detective, and land-vehicle driver.  Now I dont
> want to offend anyone so let me say, I like the character as posted.  But
> for the sake of this argument I would have described Moulder with only
these
> four talents.  Guns, Literacy, Detect Lies, and Scholar.  In fact, I find
> that the majority of what Moulder does, knows, and the entire FBI is about
> can be handled under a Talent for Scholar.
>      Probably not a popular perspective.  But, there it is.  My two cents.

I agree! While I still think that TFT is a bit stingy with talents, I agree
that the TFT approach is to have "macro" skills -- "sword", rather than
"light braodsword, heavy broadsword, rapier...etc". For a semi-literate
fantasy setting, I think that this was perfect. It also has the heavenly
virtue of being *fast*. You can create a TFT character in 2-3 minutes. Care
to try that with GURPS? Or even D&D 3rd?

A relatively simple fix (I'm sure that others have suggested this) is to
give a free talent to reflect the character's vocation -- sword, thief,
physicker, whatever. Another idea would be to reduce some IQ requirements
(or at least allow the talent to be taken at a lower IQ and used at a lower
level). I've also created a package of common talents, that everyone knows
(literacy, computer use and driving would be good 21st century examples).

Whatever the fix, I'd resist the urge to create micro-talents.

--Ty Beard
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