tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post7855896217013546689..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: Skill ContextsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-53198162057957677992011-08-02T12:25:39.411-04:002011-08-02T12:25:39.411-04:00The "leapfrogging" approach offers, I th...The "leapfrogging" approach offers, I think, the best of both worlds. Our "Soldier of the Empire 2d6" can become "Swordsman 3d6" without needing to make it broad. It's ust if he ever wants to push it up to 4d6, he needs to broaden that Swordsmen 3d6 into Brotherhood of the Blade 3d6. <br /><br />Mechanically, it's not much of a challenge, but practically it means you are effectively creating your own peer group as you go.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-10489150201095135792011-08-02T11:39:13.134-04:002011-08-02T11:39:13.134-04:00I'd buy Culture as the base skill. You can do ...I'd buy Culture as the base skill. You can do interesting character things like transplanting: He's human, but he as raised by elves, so he starts with Forest Kingdoms 1d. And if your character moves from, say, the US to France, you'll need to relearn much of your daily routine starting with language. Or resist the change and play through the handicap of your character dealing with culture shock.<br /><br />Things get a little fiddly here because it's far easier to move cultures in Western Civilization vs. a Third World Country vs. an aboriginal tribe. There's much less overlap when you move spheres, and almost zero overlap when you move to a completely alien species and culture (Tau Ceti natives, anyone?).<br /><br />That said, working with culture shock and consciously not choosing to buy a base culture skill opens some neat opportunities for playing your character.<br /><br />Could there be penalty dice for skipping aspects? For instance, if a character spent the time to master the Klingon Bat'leth while avoiding society, could that be modeled with Klingon 0d, Bat'leth Warrior 3d? I can't imagine defending specialization with this approach, but a 2d or 3d without cultural basis could work.<br /><br />I'm probably crossing the threshold into munchkin territory here, but that sort of "one-off" skill could open up some interesting play lines as well.<br /><br />You've got me thinking and tinkering, Rob. That tells me you're onto something here. *grin*Jim Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10238994819794067525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-74770425771440130112011-07-30T19:19:23.922-04:002011-07-30T19:19:23.922-04:00PS Rob this is one of the most inspired mechanics ...PS Rob this is one of the most inspired mechanics I've seen on a blog that consistently impresses. Very well done!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01066409334411354268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-77275796006852640272011-07-30T19:18:21.654-04:002011-07-30T19:18:21.654-04:00@noumenon
Culture makes a lot more sense as a ski...@noumenon<br /><br />Culture makes a lot more sense as a skill category when you think of skills not in terms of what one can <i>do</i>, but in terms of what a person <i>knows</i> (knows how to do, knows about, knows how to distinguish, etc etc). <br /><br />Perhaps skills are better called "expertises" or "identities", but we've culturally as gamers decided on the word "skill" to refer to the mechanical segment of a system that these fit into, and I think it makes sense to keep using that nomenclature at least in the idea stages.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01066409334411354268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-88808808139025436602011-07-29T20:08:40.466-04:002011-07-29T20:08:40.466-04:00@Arashi - Yes, roughly, though I'm trying not ...@Arashi - Yes, roughly, though I'm trying not to pin it down that hard yet, since i think there are still edge cases. The progression chain up through "Noble" for example.<br /><br />@Noumenon - it won't actually be called culture, it'll be called whatever the culture is (American, Gondor, whatever) which I distinguish from General Knowledge because part of the point is that there are differences (and similarities) among them.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-32269955796791000772011-07-29T19:54:40.813-04:002011-07-29T19:54:40.813-04:00"Culture" just seems like the weirdest t..."Culture" just seems like the weirdest thing to put a skill point in. Can we call it "General Knowledge"?Noumenonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01597461989960782762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-91976740465953826662011-07-29T18:38:47.925-04:002011-07-29T18:38:47.925-04:00It looks like it would boil down to:
1d6: [Culture...It looks like it would boil down to:<br />1d6: [Culture]<br />2d6: [Occupation/Interest]<br />3d6: [Focus]<br />4d6: [Specialization]<br />5d6: [Technique]Arashihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536961829640913987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-34046624579413491652011-07-29T15:28:52.905-04:002011-07-29T15:28:52.905-04:00As a bonus, this also demands that advancement occ...As a bonus, this also demands that advancement occur through engagement ot the setting. If you're a Swordsman 3d and you want ot become a Duellist 4d, you need to find the appropriate context for a group of swordsmen, such as duelling clubs, mercenary companies or the like. "Training" is now only half the story, with "Socializing" being the other half.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.com