Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign?

Almenac · 03-20-2019, 02:10 AM

For context let's say I was running a fantasy game where magic is fairly common and champions are able to pull of fantastic feats.

I understand that many advantages are strictly inborn and if the character doesn't take it at chargen, they'll do without. But on the other hand there are several advantages that can make sense to be taken with character points earned through adventuring.

There's also the point that many players like getting new abilities mid-game and just increasing skills may feel a bit dull to them. I could see how advantages could work as a feat-like mechanic from D&D. The game divides opinions, but feats-like powers are a thing at least my players like in most games. And I know my players would hate the idea of being locked into a concept they decided on chargen.

How have you handled this in your games? If you allow this, what advantages do you think are well suited for learning between adventures?

Gef · 03-20-2019, 02:47 AM

I'm generally in favor. Combat Reflexes makes sense to buy with cp earned on an adventure that involves combat. In a supers campaign, I allow purchase of new powers related to existing powers, especially alternate abilities ad especially if the character has been using power stunts along that theme. I allow improvement of existing Talents including Magery. Social advantages as well. I could see an argument for Flexible or High Pain Threshold, Fit or Very Fit as a result of training. I generally don't allow Voice or improved appearance but might make an exception for young characters, and I'd need to see an unusal justification for Empathy, Danger Sense, Intuition, or Luck. -GEF

Icelander · 03-20-2019, 03:09 AM

I allow any Advantages that make sense given the setting and the PCs' situation.

In a world with magical transformations and divine gifts, nearly any ability should be available after the start of play, assuming that the PCs have impressed any divine beings or anyone with the kind of power needed to bestow such gifts.

Even in a realistic setting, I would be pretty conservative with what kind of abilities I declared 'must be inborn'. Plenty of people that in the real world are viewed as emblematic for Charisma, high levels of Talents or similar abilities have periods in their lives where they did not appear to their peers as anything out of the ordinary.

Charisma seems like something that can fluctuate wildly, depending on the ambitions, self-confidence and belief of the person in question. Yet it was the arch-typical trait in 3e that had to be bought at character generation, or not at all. Needless to say, I consider the removal of that rule a good thing, not just for gameplay, but also for realism.

Anthony · 03-20-2019, 03:19 AM

My experience is that skills are somewhat more common, but that's because you can spend 1 point and get something meaningful. I certainly allow advantages gained in play as long as there's justification for how you gained them.

Sunrunners_Fire · 03-20-2019, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almenac

How have you handled this in your games?

As disadvantages may be removed, likewise advantages may be added. Characters evolve.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almenac

If you allow this, what advantages do you think are well suited for learning between adventures?

Any that were permitted during character creation, in addition to anything that can be construed as an upgrade to something already purchased ... presuming the player comes up with a way to explain how their character picked up the ability. This doesn't have to be a huge thing, either; just something that makes sense in context.

coronatiger · 03-20-2019, 05:07 AM

I would allow most advantages, if the players can justify them. Been injured many times? High Pain Tolerance. Been in a few lethal fights? Combat Reflexes. Spent time with a shaman? Spirit Empathy. And so on.

In a fantasy campaign, some advantages would be harder to get, like Extra Arm, but if the character meets the right wizard/artificer/whatever, I can't think of any advantages (without going through the list) that I'd flat out refuse.

Anaraxes · 03-20-2019, 05:14 AM

Another vote for gaining whatever makes sense given the character and story. Few Advantages are truly unobtainable, particularly in settings with magic, ultra-tech, or mystical mountaintop gurus complete with training montages.

Social Advantages are probably the easiest. Reputation, Favors, Contacts, Patrons, etc, are common changes, maybe even intended rewards from adventures.

~~evileeyore~~ · 03-20-2019, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icelander

In a world with magical transformations and divine gifts, nearly any ability should be available after the start of play, assuming that the PCs have impressed any divine beings or anyone with the kind of power needed to bestow such gifts.

I'm with Icelander.

Dalin · 03-20-2019, 05:34 AM

I’m generous with this. In DF, pretty much anything goes as long as the player provides a vaguely plausible explanation. In our more serious games, the justification needs to be better, but that’s not much of an obstacle.

Ultimately, as GM, I want players to enjoy their characters, so I try not to make character advancement too onerous.

Note that I’ve also played in games that explicitly don’t involve earning CPs. In those game, new advantages (like everything else) could only be awarded by the GM for accomplishments in play. Thus, they were mostly social in nature.

khorboth · 03-20-2019, 07:03 AM

In general, I allow more advantages as well.

One thing I've had good results with is breaking advantages down into small parts. For instance:

Make someone buy weapon master for one weapon then upgrade it every few sessions.

Sensitive has to be bought and used before upgraded to Empathy.

This makes for a more natural-feeling growth curve. Of course, there may be in-game reasons to make big jumps, but in general the slower growth feels better.

03-20-2019, 02:10 AM	#1
Almenac Join Date: Dec 2018	Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? For context let's say I was running a fantasy game where magic is fairly common and champions are able to pull of fantastic feats. I understand that many advantages are strictly inborn and if the character doesn't take it at chargen, they'll do without. But on the other hand there are several advantages that can make sense to be taken with character points earned through adventuring. There's also the point that many players like getting new abilities mid-game and just increasing skills may feel a bit dull to them. I could see how advantages could work as a feat-like mechanic from D&D. The game divides opinions, but feats-like powers are a thing at least my players like in most games. And I know my players would hate the idea of being locked into a concept they decided on chargen. How have you handled this in your games? If you allow this, what advantages do you think are well suited for learning between adventures? Last edited by Almenac; 03-20-2019 at 02:23 AM.

03-20-2019, 02:47 AM	#2
Gef Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Yucca Valley, CA	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? I'm generally in favor. Combat Reflexes makes sense to buy with cp earned on an adventure that involves combat. In a supers campaign, I allow purchase of new powers related to existing powers, especially alternate abilities ad especially if the character has been using power stunts along that theme. I allow improvement of existing Talents including Magery. Social advantages as well. I could see an argument for Flexible or High Pain Threshold, Fit or Very Fit as a result of training. I generally don't allow Voice or improved appearance but might make an exception for young characters, and I'd need to see an unusal justification for Empathy, Danger Sense, Intuition, or Luck. -GEF

03-20-2019, 03:09 AM	#3
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? I allow any Advantages that make sense given the setting and the PCs' situation. In a world with magical transformations and divine gifts, nearly any ability should be available after the start of play, assuming that the PCs have impressed any divine beings or anyone with the kind of power needed to bestow such gifts. Even in a realistic setting, I would be pretty conservative with what kind of abilities I declared 'must be inborn'. Plenty of people that in the real world are viewed as emblematic for Charisma, high levels of Talents or similar abilities have periods in their lives where they did not appear to their peers as anything out of the ordinary. Charisma seems like something that can fluctuate wildly, depending on the ambitions, self-confidence and belief of the person in question. Yet it was the arch-typical trait in 3e that had to be bought at character generation, or not at all. Needless to say, I consider the removal of that rule a good thing, not just for gameplay, but also for realism. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!

03-20-2019, 03:19 AM	#4
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? My experience is that skills are somewhat more common, but that's because you can spend 1 point and get something meaningful. I certainly allow advantages gained in play as long as there's justification for how you gained them. __________________ My GURPS site and Blog.

03-20-2019, 05:07 AM	#6
coronatiger Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Trondheim, Norway	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? I would allow most advantages, if the players can justify them. Been injured many times? High Pain Tolerance. Been in a few lethal fights? Combat Reflexes. Spent time with a shaman? Spirit Empathy. And so on. In a fantasy campaign, some advantages would be harder to get, like Extra Arm, but if the character meets the right wizard/artificer/whatever, I can't think of any advantages (without going through the list) that I'd flat out refuse. __________________ You don't need to spend 100 CP on Status 5 [25] and Multimillionaire [75] to feel like a princess, when Delusion [-10] will do. Character sheet: Google Drive link (See this thread for details.) Campaign logs: Chaotic Pioneering / Confessions of a Forked Tongue

03-20-2019, 05:14 AM	#7
Anaraxes Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? Another vote for gaining whatever makes sense given the character and story. Few Advantages are truly unobtainable, particularly in settings with magic, ultra-tech, or mystical mountaintop gurus complete with training montages. Social Advantages are probably the easiest. Reputation, Favors, Contacts, Patrons, etc, are common changes, maybe even intended rewards from adventures.

03-20-2019, 05:34 AM	#9
Dalin Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Saint Paul, MN	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? I’m generous with this. In DF, pretty much anything goes as long as the player provides a vaguely plausible explanation. In our more serious games, the justification needs to be better, but that’s not much of an obstacle. Ultimately, as GM, I want players to enjoy their characters, so I try not to make character advancement too onerous. Note that I’ve also played in games that explicitly don’t involve earning CPs. In those game, new advantages (like everything else) could only be awarded by the GM for accomplishments in play. Thus, they were mostly social in nature.

03-20-2019, 07:03 AM	#10
khorboth Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Denver, CO	Re: Do you allow players to take additional advantages mid-campaign? In general, I allow more advantages as well. One thing I've had good results with is breaking advantages down into small parts. For instance: Make someone buy weapon master for one weapon then upgrade it every few sessions. Sensitive has to be bought and used before upgraded to Empathy. This makes for a more natural-feeling growth curve. Of course, there may be in-game reasons to make big jumps, but in general the slower growth feels better.