P&P v2 [Was: Re: Idea bounce]

[Larry D. Hols]

Hallo,

>> ||        This approach is being considered as optional material.
>> ||        I'm also looking at placing examples of skill selection in
>> without
>> || having them as packages to be bought.
>>
>> Actually, I wonder if a variant of the above system might provide a
>> nice mechanic to set the system apart.
>>
>> 1) Character rolls age
>> 2) Character gets 7 years in the proper "background":

>> 3) Character gets (age-17) years in any careers he chooses

>> 4) At the end of the career path, add up the points in each skill to
>> determine actual EL (a table would help here)

>> This way, rather than a strict "any skill I want", they are somewhat
>> restricted by their career path in focusing what they learn (career
>> paths may also provide goodies like contacts and the like).

>> Social careers would funnel a lot more into contacts and the various
>> social perks Larry described.

>> This whole thing would need some hammering out (you could have, if you
>> wanted to get gutsy, backgrounds for each culture, some with varying
>> social levels, and a ton of careers (each obviously requires some
>> pre-requisites ... CLIMAN NAVAL obviously limited to Climan citizens
>> only.  And MERCENARY life might require a few years in some military
>> first.

        This last is why I didn't consider such for long.  There are too
many cultures and possible professions to include a package for each.  On
the other hand, limiting the number of packages severely shortchanges the
entire concept and limits the game too much.
        I have thought seriously of offering a range of example templates.
These are just to show how to take a background and choose a cohesive set
of skills with that background in mind.  The GM would be able to give a
break on cost of skills for such, but it wouldn't be necessary.
        I want to keep the players free to develop a set of skills they're
happy with and not tie them down with unnecessary restraints.  Perhaps a
decrease in cost for a cohesive package would do the trick, and leave the
determination for cohesiveness to the GM.  If he thinks it'll work in his
campaign, it's fine by me.  If he doesn't want to give a break on cost to
anybody, that's okay, too.
        I can see the demands of priesthood keeping a character guided on
the straight and narrow, and possibly the study required to be a mage.
These cloistered folk would have difficulty learning many skills outside
those they are exposed to (where would an acolyte learn to pick pockets?)
and could reasonably be locked into a given course of study.  Others,
however, wouldn't be so limited and I don't want to tie them down.

Larry