the "outrageous attribute" problem

[tbeard1999]

Using the EP table on page 11 of ITL, I assessed the EP total required for various attribute totals (assuming a character starts at 32 points):

36 pts - 500
40 pts - 1500
45 pts - 6500
50 pts - 21,500
55 pts - 46,500

Consider that a ST 12, DX 12 warrior is worth 24 EP total. A 7 hex dragon is worth 74 EP total. A ST 12 wizard who exhausts himself will earn 11 EP. A character in a 3 hour session will earn 15 EP.

So...if characters average (say) 100 EP per game session, and if the game sessions are weekly, it will take 5 weeks to get to 36 points, 15 weeks to get to 40 points, 65 weeks to get to 45 points and 215 weeks (!) to get to 50 points.

Now, I don't really know when "attribute bloat" becomes a problem. But if it happens at (say) 45 points, then I'm not overly concerned. How many campaigns (a) meet weekly for 16 months; and (b) have such low attrition that characters routinely survive that long?

And if attribute bloat happens at 50 points, then I am utterly unconcerned. Assuming that the GM doesn't hand EP out like candy, you'd need to play every week for 4 YEARS (and survive) to get to that level.

And in my opinion, allowing massive attribute increases from job rolls is indistinguishable from Monty Haul style gaming. And if job rolls are the reason for attribute bloat, then the obvious (and ridiculously simple) solution is to eliminate the +1 attribute for a successful job roll. It is completely unnecessary to rewire the entire TFT system.

As an aside, I recall that to advance in Bushido (?), you had to kill X men per level. Applying that to TFT, you'd have to kill 895 32 point warriors to get to 50 points.