Alternate attributes

[RyanW]

I'm making a few experimental changes to attributes in my new campaign:

• Will starts at 10, regardless of IQ.
• Per starts at 10, regardless of IQ, and costs +/-10 per level.
• Move starts at (DX+HT)/4 and costs +/-1 point per 0.25. This is the basis of movement speed.
• Reaction starts at (DX+Per)/4 and costs +/-4 points per 0.25. This is the basis of Dodge and initiative.

I had considered trying to split DX into agility and manual dexterity, and spin off more IQ skills to Will (maybe the social skills) and manual dexterity, and try to make every attribute be 10 points. That seems a little more drastic than I'd like to do all at once, though.

[Maz]

Makes good sense to me.

What do you charge for IQ, still 20 pts?

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Maz

Makes good sense to me.

What do you charge for IQ, still 20 pts?

Unless someone makes a good case otherwise. When compared to other traits that give a +1 to a range of skills (e.g. Talent, Magery), IQ is certainly greater than 10/level even before taking into account all the miscellaneous IQ rolls.

[Joxer]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Unless someone makes a good case otherwise. When compared to other traits that give a +1 to a range of skills (e.g. Talent, Magery), IQ is certainly greater than 10/level even before taking into account all the miscellaneous IQ rolls.

Being Will and Per independent of IQ why not charge 10/level, since RAW 20/level buys Will and Per (5/level each)? Every other stat covers miscellaneus rolls as well, and your intent to change some IQ skills to Will should make it less valuable.
Talents should cost less or give some other advantages besides bonus to skills (like magery).

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Joxer

Being Will and Per independent of IQ why not charge 10/level, since RAW 20/level buys Will and Per (5/level each)?

Because I think RAW underprices IQ if it includes Per and Will. If I was rebalancing the skill list as well, 10/level might be made more fair (and the 10/level for all attributes is just too elegant not to try to work toward), but that is far beyond the scope of what I wanted to do right now.

Edit to add: I should note that my games are far from the hack-and-slash mold, so the benefits of IQ might be weighted differently than what others may be used to. My upcoming game's PCs are a two-man team of a scientist and an engineer.

[Celti]

Originally Posted by RyanW

I had considered trying to split DX into agility and manual dexterity, and spin off more IQ skills to Will (maybe the social skills) and manual dexterity, and try to make every attribute be 10 points. That seems a little more drastic than I'd like to do all at once, though.

I've got a house rules document I've been fiddling with on and off doing exactly this:

• Strength (ST) is as per the Knowing Your Own Strength article in Pyramid 83.
• Agility (AG) is gross physical gracefulness, covering things like Dancing, Stealth, &c.
• Dexterity (DX) Is fine manual dexterity, covering things like Filch, Pickpocket, Sleight of Hand, some uses of Surgery and Lockpicking, &c.
• Health (HT) is basically unchanged.
• Charisma (CH) is "social intelligence" and general likeability. Reaction rolls become a standard success roll versus Charisma plus all applicable reaction modifiers, or substitute an appropriate Influence skill.
• Intelligence (IQ) is "analytical intelligence" and general education, and basically unchanged other than reduction in scope.
• Perception (PE) is "spatial intelligence" as well as general awareness and some degree of coordination. Obviously covers observational skills, but I'm also tentatively categorising long-range missile weapons under this (e.g., Guns, Bow, Crossbow, &c.).
• Will (WL) is willpower, self-control, and volition. Most skills that use this won't change, but it also becomes the basic attribute for Stability Points (see Mad as Bones, Pyramid 103).

Given those attributes, all ±10 points/level (and I take the note from KYOS and charge a five-point Unusual Background for each attribute at 15 or ten for each attribute at 16), Basic Speed becomes (AG+PE)/4 (not rounded), while Basic Move becomes (AG+HT)/4 (rounded).

[dataweaver]

I've considered using Perception as the basis for various artistic skills, the premise being that aesthetics are essentially about the senses. In particular, I base Singing off of Perception instead of HT; but I've also considered making Cooking Per-based.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

I've considered using Perception as the basis for various artistic skills, the premise being that aesthetics are essentially about the senses. In particular, I base Singing off of Perception instead of HT; but I've also considered making Cooking Per-based.

Singing requires a lot of stamina and good vocal projection so HT seems the best fit to me.

[Celti]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

I've considered using Perception as the basis for various artistic skills, the premise being that aesthetics are essentially about the senses. In particular, I base Singing off of Perception instead of HT; but I've also considered making Cooking Per-based.

If I based Singing off of any alternative attribute for my system it would most likely be Charisma — but most Connoisseur specialities would certainly make sense based off of an extended Perception attribute!

[dataweaver]

So I've heard. I'm something of a singer, myself; and it really doesn't require much more in terms of stamina than, say, a trumpet.