Statting a teenager--skills needed and likely

[IrishRover]

I'm working up a 14 year old middle class student, and trying to put together a realistic set of "everyday life" skills. She's a clever girl (IQ 11) and a natural athlete (before weird things happen)

I see the following as likely skills.

Savoire Faire (teenagers) is probable; she doesn't run with the cool kids, but doesn't have to beat them up to get them to leave her alone.

Bicycling (transportation)

Running

Computer Operation, if the kid spends a lot of time on computers

Area Knowlege (local)

Current Affairs, either sports or Pop Culture

She's a boxer; that covers most of her athletic skills

What skills should she have after her freshman year in high school?
It seems that even one point in history or mathematics is just a bit much, likewise in any other classes such as bio or whatever science classes she's taking. Perhaps a language at Broken, or a point in a game or sport. I'm mainly after the academic skills that would merit a point--and likewise, what would a high school graduate merit.

(I did a search, but came up empty--my Search-Fu might be weak)

[shadowjack]

Should probably have Swimming skill, no?

I think that points in high school classes are pretty unlikely; these are the classes which (in part) grant your appropriate-to-culture-and-tech-level default levels. However, if she had a particular interest in one thing, enough to pursue it heavily in free time, that might be a 1 pointer. But in a more heroic/cinematic campaign, go ahead and pump the levels up; "Junior Woodchuck"-style adventurers are always amazingly competent for their age.

I'd say a graduating senior might have the Dabbler perk in the areas they're interested in going to college to study, maybe a point in something they're really into (if any), and a point in their summer job (if any). Not to mention whatever normal adult skills are expected, e.g. Driving, Housekeeping, whatever.

If the kid's into sports, she may or may not have any points in a Sport, but probably has a point or two in Games or an appropriate Hobby, to know the rules and keep up with the statistics. Though I suppose that could go with Current Affairs (Sports), too.

Maybe a point in Housekeeping if she's well able to keep care of herself and any siblings, but I wouldn't expect it; a lot of grown-ups aren't that skilled!

Savoir Faire (teenagers) is not a specialization that ever occurred to me, but it makes sense for the right kind of game. Clever! :) Optional specialization required in one's particular generation and/or school, of course.

Otherwise, I think you've about got it for a normal kid.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by IrishRover

Perhaps a language at Broken, or a point in a game or sport. I'm mainly after the academic skills that would merit a point--and likewise, what would a high school graduate merit.

Not a lot really. At 14 I wouldn't expect most people to have *any* skills. Up to about that point the character points you are earning through education would go to buying up IQ and providing defaults. And I wouldn't expect a typical high school graduate to have more than a dozen points in skills and learnable advantages, most of them probably not in anything studied in those high school classes.

I wouldn't bounce a character concept who had points in skills at 14 mind you, characters suited for adventures are exceptional, I just don't think a 14 year old character with none whatsoever is at all unusual. As for what's plausible you might consider adding Climbing and Swimming to your physical skills listed, those are often picked up young. A point or two in a recreational or hobby skill (Artist, Dancing, Games, Literature (with an optional specialization), Performance, Riding, Sport) wouldn't be weird. If you took confirmation class unusually seriously I'd be willing to allow 1 point in Theology. I expect every adult to have at least one skill that is their normal method of influencing people, and she might be learning hers early. Connoisseur (music) is a standard teenager cliche skill, possibly with Musical Instrument. Additional languages, at anything up to native, are quite possible - lots of children are multilingual.

Oh, and I don't actually buy Savoir Faire (teens) as a separate skill. Where's it go when you grow up?

[cptbutton]

I asked a similar question a while back, you might want to look at the answers I got then:

Anime Ordinary High School Students

[Mgellis]

A lot of teenagers probably just mostly on defaults. Bicycling and Running are, I think, meant for someone who is a serious athlete. Otherwise, you can just rely on defaults (DX, Basic Move, etc.) to sprint when you need to or ride a few blocks.

High school courses...most of this will just be the default from IQ. If a student is really interested in a particular area, one point might be appropriate to model their "advanced novice" stage of knowledge.

This would definitely be appropriate for one language...maybe two if she's a serious language student. (One or two points, depending on if the character has just speaking or reading knowledge, or both. Remember that "Broken" is "clearly not native, and making lots of odd mistakes, so subtle things like influence skills get hurt, but you're basically functional."

Computer Operation and Current Affairs (Popular Culture) or (Sports)...yes, both at 1 point. Maybe even 2.

I'm not sure about Savoir-Faire (Teenager). But, I admit, I don't like skills that "fade" or don't stay relevant, etc., so that may be the reason why. For ordinary, mainstream culture, I'd assume this is just an IQ roll, covered under your Cultural Familiarity. A Savoir-Faire skill suggests a pretty elaborate set of behaviors for a particular part of society. My own experience (my daughter is 15) tells me that teens certainly have their own cultural codes, but nothing so elaborate that they should have to pay for a skill. It's basically middle class manners with an emphasis on Facebook. :)

I'd model it this way...the kid who gets beat up has an Enemy, a Reputation, etc. The kid who is in with the cool kids would have a Perk, similar to the Trivial Reputation (Perks, p. 18). Perk: Cool Kid or Perk: Popular Kid. If it is more intense than that, it's an Ally or an Ally Group or a Patron. The average person who is left alone but doesn't get invited to all the cool parties all the time...that costs nothing.

Anyway, I hope this helps. Sounds like an interesting character.

Mark

[IrishRover]

Swimming is a good, likely add, as is climbing. I forgot about languages..and Connosieur--music--works.

Where is the dabbler perk?

As for savoire faire--teenager--it's one of the skills that gets lost due to non-use over time--but at the point of the game, it's there. If I were GMing, I'd allow it--and also allow it to be replaced with Savoire-Faire for the person's culture as she grows, possibly. Perhaps (Savoire Faire--middle class, own generation?) Many of us will, as we grow, fit in with our own generation, yet not quite mesh as well with the younger one--or the older one.

Incidently, I've known (and helped teach) 14 & 15 year olds that I'd judge as having at least 4 points in boxing and related techniques. Very skilled, and with some techniques added. Since this is somewhat cinematic, she'll have at least that.

[Mgellis]

Originally Posted by IrishRover

Incidently, I've known (and helped teach) 14 & 15 year olds that I'd judge as having at least 4 points in boxing and related techniques. Very skilled, and with some techniques added. Since this is somewhat cinematic, she'll have at least that.

I agree. It would probably not be very common--the AVERAGE teenager is going to have most skills at default--but I could certainly see some students having a real knack for one or two skills and being at a semi-professional or even a professional level.

A high school student with DX 11 and Karate-11 [4]? Definitely plausible.

One of my daughter's friends probably has both Performance and Singing at about 12-.

[DanHoward]

Glutton, Laziness, Selfishness, Delusion (everyone thinks about me all the time), Delusion (I know more than my parents), Overconfidence

[Dave_67]

Well, at one time I was going to run a GURPS 'teen mystery' game - think Scooby Doo mixed with Veronica Mars mixed any of the myrid of teen/pre-teen show casts, aged a bit, from Family Channel. I actually did up an 'everyteen' package with what I thought would be the basics of what a teen in my campaign would have:

(Please note that this is more of a Southern California television 'reality' package, not what I would consider a 'real life teen package'.)

Advantage: Wealth (comfortable) [10]
Language: Accented [4]
(Either English or Spanish, the other would be native at 0.)
Disad: Social Stigma (Minor) [-5]
Skills (all at 1 point):
-AK(Oceanside)
-Computer Operations/TL
-Driving/TL (car) [Yes, the PCs would be starting the game at 16.]
-Professional Skill (Student)
-Savoir-Faire (Western)
-Swimming

Total of 15 points.

Now, the Social Stigma is basicly the old "None of the adults listen to the kids." schtick, while the PS(Student) is basically a catch-all for most of the school stuff. And yes, I know that it would more likely be English (native) and Spanish (broken or accented), but as I said before, this was going to be more 'TV reality' then real reality.

(And I will admit that I was heavily influenced in part by my friend's Buffyverse game.)

[Celjabba]

Definitively the dabbler perk. (from Power up 2).

languages are easier to learn the younger you start.
with the right background, anything from 1 at broken to several at accented or native are ok.
Of course, in some places, you can sadly argue that most teenager have
native language(broken/broken) [-4]

Actual skill in computer operation is more than likely.
(didnt i read just this week that the average middle-class teenager today in i don't remenber which western country spent more time online than we do working ?

Skills in Arts/Entertainment or Athletic are possible .

Survival, if a boy/girl scout.
First-aid, if trained.
Swimming.

An 'average' teenager probably don't have much skills above the dabbler perk.
A dedicated one can easily have a non-academic skill at professionnal level or close.

Typing(cellphone) easily and definitively deserve one or 2 CP ! (or more).

Writing is possible too.
Due to the net, the modern young write more than any average young ever did in history.
Most of them certainly don't have any point in writing, but the more people doing something, the more likely it is that some of them have actual skill.

Hope this help

celjabba