Re: (TFT) Should talents be linked to attributes?

[pvk@oz.net]

Hmm, well, I was never content with TFT's limit of total skills/spells
based on IQ. This suggestion has pros and cons.

I like that some skills would be related with DX and ST rather than IQ.

I like the idea of gaining skills through adventure experience - but only
if the skill was closely related and used in the adventure. A system that
makes it more of a system for determining when this would be an
appropriate advancement would be interesting to me.

But if the system is just that the player uses EP to freely choose ST, DX,
or IQ, and then freely choose any talent corresponding to the chosen
attribute increase, then that seems gamey and not to make any sense, which
I wouldn't generally like much.

Throwing out the costs associated with different talents also loses the
meaning and game balance contained in those values. Scholar costs three
times the IQ points of Cooking because it makes sense that the former
involves much more learning.

I'd rather see a system that brings in some other factor, such as study
time, and links character creation with character development, cleaning up
the weaknesses in both areas. For example, rate each talent for the amount
of learning needed. Then apply modifiers based on prerequisites and/or
attribute levels, that can multiply or divide the time required by
appropriate descrete amounts. Also have factors for whether study is done
alone without books, alone, with someone who has the talent, or with
someone who has the talent and is a good teacher, and then through
adventuring (and/or define an exchange rate between EP earned actually
using the skill, to days of study). Then for starting characters, define a
base average amount of time that any character gets to apply to talents on
creation, and allow them to spend some free attribute pick points (and/or
some of their youth) towards getting more talent study time. Since IQ
affects the effectiveness of time spent, the IQ spending limit would not
be needed any more.

Lots more complex than the suggestion, of course.

PvK

>  Been relatively quiet on here lately and I don't know if this
> idea has sufaced before or not so I'll toss it out for discussion.
> I've been fiddling around with the TFT/ITL rules and the Legends
> rules lately and came up with a new (to me)way to handle
> talents/skills.
>
> Anyway here is what I've been thinking about in a nutshell. I
> think that any talents(or skills, used interchangably) should be
> linked to the corresponding attributes of a Npc or PC. In other
> words talents should be arranged into three basic groups ST or
> Physical Skills,  DX or Coordination Skills and IQ or Mental
> Skills. Whenever a PC increases his basic attributes he should be
> able to gain a talent from one of the groups listed above. In
> other words if a PC increases strength ST he should be able to
> gain a Physical Skill (depending on what rule system you are using
> he may need to gain several attribute points to gain a particular
> skill, ie missile weapons 3pts)
>
> What I have done to make this work (haven't playtested it yet so
> it may be a deadend path) is eliminate any IQ requirements for
> Talents/Skills and make them all a 1:1 gain ie gain one point in
> ST, DX or IQ and gain one corresponding skill. Every talent/skill
> can be added to to increase its effects up to +4 whether it
> changes a DX rating, to hit roll or damge from a weapon.
>
> I think this will help balance players a bit better or maybe not.
> I hope to find out in the near future.
>
> So what are your thought?
>
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>
>
> Robert Morger
> Boerne, TX
> You never cross the same river twice.
> Happiness lies in the joy of achievement
> and the thrill of creative effort.
>
>
>
>
>
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