[Sindri]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I suppose it's a semantics argument, then. Also, while I said I could see a case for it, I would need more convincing before I implemented such a rule - I'm perfectly fine with defaulting working the same at every level. A character who hasn't put a lot of points into a combat skill doesn't get the benefit of the doubt, and will need to invest a bit more (possibly in the form of a Dabbler Perk) to get competent with a wide range of weapons.

The best kind of argument :). I also need more convincing. I'm far from certain that defaults need to behave like this. The discussion has already helped my thoughts upon the matter.

Originally Posted by Varyon

"Five" is my generic assumed party size. You heavily implied there would be multiple characters at such a level but, regardless, I don't see a problem with an extremely skilled character being extremely skilled. We'll likely just have to agree to disagree on this point.

I'm not sure where I implied that, I've attempted to stay consistent in maintaining that one person is enough to make it matter.

If I'm being honest it's a bit cinematic to have a group of typical PCs hanging out together rather than dispersed around the world doing seperate things no matter how varied their skills, but while you can get rid of that it's inexpensive in terms of suspensive load as a convention of the medium.

I'm fine with agreeing to disagree on this point though.

Originally Posted by Varyon

I have difficulty understanding what you mean here. If he isn't using a weapon with which he has achieved mastery, he isn't using his mastery - but he can "float" the lessons from that skill for using a closely-related one (that is, get a default).

I was just musing that it would be nice for him to be able to try using stuff built around the mechanical precedent of resisting feints where he is attacking them where he is strong (in highest combat skill) rather than attacking them where they are strong (in combat skill of weapon used). Just an idle sidetrack, not really significant to the discussion at hand.

Originally Posted by Varyon

The way I would build Musashi (using my Overhaul), he'd likely have Broadsword as his primary skill, and most else would be defaulting off of that (possibly with a few bought up from default). If a character's default is higher than it would be just from skill, I assume they essentially have points invested in it - that is, Musashi's Polearm skill represents him having trained with such weapons, despite not having any explicit points invested there.

I presume you mean just from attribute. It's not a bad method, you could even make "going above attribute default" what makes one trained in a skill.

Originally Posted by Varyon

Again, we'll have to agree to disagree. If for some reason a player wanted to build a Musashi-clone who had never touched a Polearm-type weapon, I'd probably let them go back to their DX-based default with a Quirk (which would need to be bought off before they could start advancing in the Polearm skill). Alternatively, they could make it a flavorful Feature, wherein they'd simply suffer Familiarity penalties if forced to use a Polearm. I would not, however, make this state of incompetency the default.

Sure, my argument against using Musashi as an example was that since we can't drag him over here and put him through the GURPS Stat Scanner 2000 there are lots of way to represent him ruleswise. This goes both ways though. I have my personal preferences but the single skill defaulting method is a legitimate method and I'm fine agreeing to disagree.