Thread: New Skills
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Old 07-09-2018, 02:00 AM   #56
David Bofinger
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Default Re: New Skills

Talents that allow a bonus attack with a primary weapon. To make whether to use this a tough decision sometimes, and to make high DX useful, make the modifier equal to his side’s initiative roll. (I like using the initiative roll this way because it means the talent will be used sometimes but maybe not always, it balances out the luck of getting a good initiative roll, and saves having to make extra rolls.)

A less powerful version might allow a bonus attack with a secondary weapon: a left-handed weapon, a kick, a trip by leg or polearm pole, a bash with a shield, a strike of the sword pommel, etc. DX modifier is initiative roll halved round down. Incidentally being punched by a character in plate armour hurts a lot more than being punched by someone unarmoured.

An extra die of defence, i.e. make them roll 4/DX instead of 3/DX. This might work against missile weapons too, it depends how cinematic you're being.

Fast Draw should be expensive enough not everyone gets it.

I think the game needs to represent the sneakiness of e.g. having a dagger hidden in your boot. This could be a talent Holdout, though I suppose there are other ways to represent it.

An effect similar to, but perhaps weaker than, Eyes Behind. Or maybe a strong and weak version of the ability.

Shield Wall allows you to lend your shield’s defence, less one, against attacks that hit certain allies. Actually it’s quite hard to write the rule as to who those allies would be, especially to handle missiles and jabs correctly. Something like this works, but it’s a bit technical, maybe there's a simpler way to do it. Figure A attacks and hits Figure B. Figure C may may use a shield to stop some of the hits, provided (a) Figure C has this talent, (b) Figure C has a shield that stops at least two hits, (c) Figure C is adjacent to Figure B, (d) Figure A is to Figure C's front, (e) Figure A is no further from Figure C than Figure A is from Figure B. The protection provided is one less than the shield's normal protection.

I don’t like it that a character who usually carries a sword but today only has a spear is so severely penalised. Heroes should generally look competent in their field, and carrying multiple weapons, expecting to switch, was a common thing to do historically. All Weapons (IQ 8; memory 1, prerequisite: 2 memory of melee weapon skills) reduces the penalty from -4 DX to -1 DX.

It’s very difficult to learn to run a small business in TFT. You end up buying Business Management, which costs a fortune, has a huge IQ requirement and seems to be mostly about defrauding people. There should be a basic skill related to accountancy, possibly something mundane.

You might need more interpersonal talents. There's one to look sexy, and one to make people like you. There isn't one to Intimidate. Or one that makes people believe you when you Persuade them it's best to stay in the barn, even if it appears to be on fire. There should be a general penalty to interpersonal attempts if you're lying (it's easier to persuade if you believe it) and a Deception talent that reduces or eliminates the penalty.

The detect lies talent of Master Thief should be spun off on its own.

A Command or Leadership talent. When your minion is not closely supervised and the GM has to roll to see if they do what they should, rather than getting lazy, confused or whatever, the minion rolls one less die against their IQ than they usually would. This would be purchased by leaders in the army, navy, merchant navy, magic foundries, business empires, nobility, etc. How this interacts with New Followers I'm not sure: technically those characters are taken over and played by the player.

I agree First Aid is needed. It could work on animals too: no need for separate talents at this level.

Archers never miss, because they have high DX for two shots a turn benefits and also get bonuses from Missile Weapons. They should miss. Rather than +3 DX consider having Missile Weapons add 1-1 damage. (It also feels more in the spirit of huge English war bows wielded by people with distorted bodies.) Two shots a turn should cost a DX penalty, rather than being free when you achieve a threshold.
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