Splitting off Memory Points from IQ completely

[hcobb]

Memory Points (MP) indicate the amount of training a character has achieved to date.

A starting character starts with 12 MPs, whatever their IQ is. These are then allocated for starting talents, spells, and languages as usual.

As the character progresses they can buy additional memory points for 500 XPs as usual.

[Terquem]

Well, that seems simple and effective

[Chris Rice]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Memory Points (MP) indicate the amount of training a character has achieved to date.

A starting character starts with 12 MPs, whatever their IQ is. These are then allocated for starting talents, spells, and languages as usual.

As the character progresses they can buy additional memory points for 500 XPs as usual.

Why would every starting character have the same amount of MP? Surely the smarter character would have more?

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Chris Rice

Why would every starting character have the same amount of MP? Surely the smarter character would have more?

Smarter characters have more distractions, but not more time on Cidri. Therefore they tend to learn more nerdy stuff.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Chris Rice

Why would every starting character have the same amount of MP? Surely the smarter character would have more?

Exactly! IQ is still best way for starting characters to distinguish themselves as far as background, education and training. The choice between those elements and physical attributes needs to remain part of the trade-off that players weigh during character creation.

A flat pool of 'memory points' would remove that.

[phiwum]

An IQ 8 starting PC is going to have a lot of weapon skills, I suppose. The only non-combat skills available are

• Carousing
• Area Knowledge
• Boating
• Horsemanship
• Literacy
• Mundane
• Running
• Seamanship
• Sex appeal
• Swimming

Most of those are pretty useful, I reckon -- especially running. But I'd expect that IQ 8 characters become much more knowledgeable in fighting skills than they are now. In any case, low IQ characters will benefit from this suggestion and high IQ characters will be much less well-rounded.

Of course, whether that's good or bad is a matter of perspective. I kinda like that higher IQ starting PCs are more versatile than lower.

[Kieddicus]

Originally Posted by phiwum

An IQ 8 starting PC is going to have a lot of weapon skills, I suppose.

Just don't spend all your points right away. I almost always hold back 2 or 3 points.

With that said though I don't actually think removing MP from IQ is a good fix. I see Memory Points as a key part of IQ; perhaps the most important part. Just like I wouldn't want Hit Points taken away from ST.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Kieddicus

Just don't spend all your points right away. I almost always hold back 2 or 3 points.

Same, but you can't do that anymore under the Legacy rules.

Originally Posted by Kieddicus

With that said though I don't actually think removing MP from IQ is a good fix. I see Memory Points as a key part of IQ; perhaps the most important part. Just like I wouldn't want Hit Points taken away from ST.

I was hung up on that for awhile too, but I ultimately realized that I actually preferred not having IQ as an intermediary attribute. Why not just purchase talents and spells with XP directly rather than buy stat points that then get used to buy something else? How the new acquisition model is implemented in the Legacy rules is problematic, however. The base XP cost is too high (initially, at least) and it should scale up as the character advances.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

Same, but you can't do that anymore under the Legacy rules.




I was hung up on that for awhile too, but I ultimately realized that I actually preferred not having IQ as an intermediary attribute. Why not just purchase talents and spells with XP directly rather than buy stat points that then get used to buy something else? How the new acquisition model is implemented in the Legacy rules is problematic, however. The base XP cost is too high (initially, at least) and it should scale up as the character advances.

I agree with the bolded. As a solution, I allow characters to buy the first two talent points for 250XP instead of 500XP. This is intended to encourage diversification rather than the first 1000XP going straight to attributes for every character.

Otherwise, I'm happy with the system as is. I also can see why my house-ruled solution shouldn't be part of the official rules, since simpler rules are by and large better.

To be sure, I haven't played ITL prior to Legacy (played Melee some decades ago), so I don't have any sentimental preference for the original rules or experience with them.

[Skarg]

It might help if the cost to add talents started low and increased as the character gained talents (not attributes).

I think there's probably a need for an ability to train talents with study time, rather than (and/or in combination) with XP. And probably some more thought into what's required to learn some of the talents, and whether or not they _can_ just be "learned" or not (Charisma? Acute Hearing? Can I really just "study" those, or gain them from adventuring experience?).

I.e. I want it to be possible to take some peasants and train them to use weapons, by spending time training them, and without giving them XP that could be spent to raise attributes. And I don't want it to be possible to learn Charisma or Acute Hearing, or at least not as easily as it is to learn Ax/Mace.