The Utility of Multiple Talents

[AlexanderHowl]

One of the odd things that I have noticed over the years is people loading up on Talents when other traits would make more sense when effectiveness and efficiency are considered. In the case of Talents that stack skill bonuses though, there is a certain amount of utility. One possibility is an IQ 12 character with Cultural Chameleon 4 and Talker 4, allowing them Diplomacy-20 and Psychology-20 for 8 CP. Another possibility is a DX 12 and HT 12 character with Allure 4 and Born Entertainer 4, as they can gain Dancing-20 and Singing-20 for only 3 CP.

Do you see many people creating characters with multiple Talents? If so, do they make sense from an effectiveness and efficiency perspective or would a combination of other traits make more sense? What are your favorite combination of Talents?

[ericthered]

I very often see two sets of 5-point talents that don't stack. That is quite efficient, and is the main way I see talents used, perhaps even more than a single 5 point or 10 point talent.

[AlexanderHowl]

Well, the effectiveness ans efficiency of taking multiple non-stacking Talents depends on the nature of the Talents. For example, Allure and Craftiness would work because they each have skills from multiple Attributes. Conversely, Cultural Chameleon and Explorer would not make much sense, because all of the skills come from IQ (you could just take IQ+4, Per-4, and Will-4, and you have a more effective character than taking Cultural Chameleon 4 and Explorer 4).

What about multiple stacking Talents? For example, someone with HT 12 and Voice could take Allure 4, Bard 4, Born Entertainer 4, and Musical Talent 4, and have Singing-30 for 1 CP (total cost 111 CP). They also have a lot of other things that they are very good at, but they would probably be the best singer on Earth.

[TGLS]

Two things on your last post

If you find that IQ! (Buying up IQ and selling down Will and Per) is making expensive talents too expensive:

1. Split off Per and Will from IQ completely and fix IQ at 20 pts.
2. Enforce a strict disadvantage limit at a low value, so if somebody takes lower Will and Per relative to their IQ, they at least run out of disadvantage space quickly.
3. Float IQ skills to other Attributes more often, so general pluses (like from talent), are better than attribute pluses.

If you're going to be enforcing talent caps, you ought to cap total pluses to a single skill from all talents. It's just silly to let a skill in lots of talents get more of a bonus than a skill in fewer talents.

[Hide]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

(...)
Do you see many people creating characters with multiple Talents? If so, do they make sense from an effectiveness and efficiency perspective or would a combination of other traits make more sense? What are your favorite combination of Talents?(...)

I don't see people taking talents very often. When they do, they usually take talents on subjects that do not overlap. The closest they get to an overlap would be when they buy a talent and a "basic" physical advantage (e.g voice, flexibility, perfect balance, etc.) that works like a talent. Said combination would be my favorite, as it makes sense (IMO) to have a character that is both physically and mentally talented for a task.

In the games I play there is a skill cap when we start. No characters can have more than 1 CP in reserve when starting. Within said settings, talents are useful to raise several skills at the same time at a relatively lower cost.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Cultural Chameleon and Explorer would not make much sense, because all of the skills come from IQ (you could just take IQ+4, Per-4, and Will-4, and you have a more effective character than taking Cultural Chameleon 4 and Explorer 4).

Originally Posted by TGLS

If you find that IQ! (Buying up IQ and selling down Will and Per) is making expensive talents too expensive:

1. Split off Per and Will from IQ completely and fix IQ at 20 pts.

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I play in this mode so often I forget others don't. I dont do it for the benefits to buying talents, but the situation I described above is very much a result of using that option heavily. And I think it's a good thing: multiple different talents make more differentiated characters.

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the multiple overlapping talents thing just kind of happens. I'm fine with it as long as the genre tolerates the resulting total skill level. I also don't enforce talent caps, though most my players don't realize or take advantage of that. It's the second most common way I see skills in the 19+ range, with the first being the primary weapon of dedicated combat monsters.

[aesir23]

I love talents because I think IQ and DX are too broad, so I'd to discourage high levels of them and because it helps distinguish between different character types.

Let's say there are three Smart Guy character types in the same game: A Tech wizard who builds all the cool gadgets, an occultist who knows all the monster lore, and a smooth-talking manipulator and social engineer. Talents prevent those three characters from dumping all their points into IQ and all coming out as jack of all trades.

In campaigns where it's appropriate, I encourage talents by capping DX, IQ, and HT at 15.