Quote:
Originally Posted by Nils_Lindeberg
Skarg, when I say it is balanced I mean that if I make different fighters with a 39 point total, there are top contenders with mastery and there are those with just expertise, and probably even a non-expert build in there too. I was surprised by how balanced it was. Sure the different builds performed somewhat different against different opposition and a greatsword wielder with high DX and low IQ had advantages like sweeping attacks, and mastery fighters with shield mastery had better defense against many opponents, and so on. But they are balanced. So there is no need to make mastery the "ultimate" reward for an advanced character. Just like you can start with ST 16, DX8 and IQ 8. Not the best build but it works and you can have the "ultimate" ST from the start. If you want to that is.
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Maybe, but the need I see is more about what those talents represent than strictly the balance. I don't think figures with relatively low XP should be able to start with or rush to get those talents, and those characters tend to look to me like the weird by-products of trying to game the system to get the best talents as early as possible, rather than characters that seem to make sense to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nils_Lindeberg
As it stands now, weapon mastery is not worth it. The extra glitchy XP cost is to steep, better to stay an expert (that you bought from the start) and invest in better attributes if you want to be a badass. And I don't complain about the cost. I am not a munchkin that wants to get it all after five evenings of gaming. I complain that the system is slightly illogical and not consistent. I wouldn't complain if the mastery was slightly better and had higher prereqs. since that would be balanced too. It is the strange fixed cost of talents. Combined with an exponential XP system. Combined with IQ that gives extra talents from start, but not later on. And the fact that you can't save up talent points or buy a talent that you don't have the ST or DX prereqs. for (but later on when you do fulfill the prereqs. you can start using them).
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I agree that the talents should be carefully developed and tested so that they make the most sense and work well, and I have not played with them enough to be sure. but my impression is that they have some issues, yes. They offer a range of unique abilities in one talent, and have IQ and DX requirements, and the "shrewd" attacks involve a DX penalty, making the whole situation rather complex to analyze. Certainly though there are some characters who would find it worth it (those who already have the prerequisites for other reasons, and who have enough attributes that the cost of raising those it quite high as an alternative thing to do with XP). So for some range of characters (perhaps a small one), I think they are a good choice.
I'm pretty sure those talents could profit from a lot more testing and tweaking, but at this point, this thread is really probably something that should be in the House Rules sub forum.