[HR] Making Techniques Viable (as more than "one-trick" specialists)

[arnej]

A loooooong time ago, in a 3e discussion far, far away, someone proposed that a PC could get "Technique Points" equal to the points put in the base skill. This had the effect of making low-stat high-skill characters feel very different than high-stat high-skill characters. The low-stat ones had tons of techniques that they could use (reflecting better their years of experience) where the high-stat types got the benefits of high stats, but had few techniques. So two Broadsword-16 fighters could feel way different.

arnej

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by arnej

A loooooong time ago, in a 3e discussion far, far away, someone proposed that a PC could get "Technique Points" equal to the points put in the base skill. This had the effect of making low-stat high-skill characters feel very different than high-stat high-skill characters. The low-stat ones had tons of techniques that they could use (reflecting better their years of experience) where the high-stat types got the benefits of high stats, but had few techniques. So two Broadsword-16 fighters could feel way different.

arnej

I rather like that. I'm not sure about straight points in skill, at least at the start. But for every point (or two points) you spend above 4, you get a free point in a technique of your choice might work well.

A similar effect can be had by inverting the phrasing "if you have at least 4 points in a skill, every point you spend on a technique also counts as a point (or half a point) toward buying up the base skill." Which still allows you to ignore techniques if you want but negates (or halves) their cost for PCs that want them and are happy to spend the saved points on the base skill.

[Trachmyr]

Originally Posted by malloyd

A similar effect can be had by inverting the phrasing "if you have at least 4 points in a skill, every point you spend on a technique also counts as a point (or half a point) toward buying up the base skill." Which still allows you to ignore techniques if you want but negates (or halves) their cost for PCs that want them and are happy to spend the saved points on the base skill.

This scheme sounds pretty effective, I might actually end up using that in the long run...

After the posts in this thread, I decided to base my campaign on the Talent theme, using Style Familiarity as the Talent in question.

----------------------

Style Familiarity 1 for level 0 (ala Magery)
1 point per additional level for 1-6 techniques
2 points per additional level for 7-12 techniques
3 Points per additional level for 13+ techniques
Add your level to all of your style's Average Techniques, upto max level for that technique.
Add your level-1 to all of your style's Hard Techniques, upto max level for that technique.

Once a Technique is Maxed, I'll allow a TA or Combo to be substitued, or to reduce the cost of subsequent levels if applicable.

-----------------

A new Combat Style advantage works the same way but for custom skill/technique design without requiring a style. The cost of "Level 0" equals the number of different skills that the techniques use.

[OldSam]

Some time is gone since the last posts, does anyone now has experiences with any of the suggested ideas?

And/or what do you think of the following solution...?

I also want to have a bit more differentiation via techniques, recognizable styles etc, especially for advanced characters in an ongoing campaign, though at the same time I try to stay close to the RAW. So in my solution the effect is more subtle (just an extra perk) but does not change any rules... ;)

My version is based on Trachmyr's idea in the first posting but is a more limited version of it:

New Perk: Style Techniques (Name of Style) [1/lvl]

Requires Style Familiarity. Increase the default by +1 for four Average techniques of the specific style per level.
The GM sets the maximum level for this perk in a campaign, suggested limit for starting characters is level 1, or level 2 for those with Trained by a Master or Weapon Master. Suggested maximum level is 3 (to reach this a character needs further teaching in the style).

Multiple levels of this perk allow you to increase defaults for four more new Average techniques (these have to be different ones, thus you cannot gain more than +1 per technique from this perk). Techniques improved must come from the listed techniques for the associated style, but do not need to share a single skill. A Hard technique counts as two Average techniques in all cases. Increased defaults stack from all sources, but the total cannot exceed the technique’s maximum level.

This is a Style Perk, and should be considered part of any style’s available perks, however buying this perk counts as one of the maximum number of style perks allowed (at start).
Write down these techniques as "Name of Technique/Name of Style (Skill)", e.g. Breakfall/Combat Wrestling (Wrestling) (A) [0]-11