Basic Level Talents - A Proposal

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by Chris Rice

Or put another way: to me the TFT Talent system has 3 levels:

1. You can't do the thing at all (you don't have the Talent)

2. You can do the thing (you have the Talent)

3. Wow. You can do amazing things (you have the Expert/Master Talent)

THIS to me is essentially the correct interpretation of the basic frame-work of the established TFT Talent-System.

LARS had previously in another post summed it up quite nicely, which I will paraphrase as: "an On/Off switch for an ability". As CHRIS is also stating here, it goes from: OFF, to ON, to even more ON (if you will).

While I admire all the thought so many put into attempting to refine the Talent-system, as I have said before, taking us from this "Binary - On/Off" basic format, by trying to interpolate a "gradient" system, while admirable, takes us further and further away from the original and inspired "feel, form, and flow", of what make TFT, TFT; into something else.

DAVID B has also hit on the edge of what is root-frame work, with his proposal of "4 levels"; however, these levels - IF I am following you correctly David - really are operationally more "gradient", than "binary" in operation; so I would ask you to consider the following as you continue in your refinement of your concept. If I am misstating your idea, please forgive me, as I have not seen your fully fleshed-out proposal, so I have to knowingly make some uninformed projections as to your specific meaning and intent. If I am in error, I apologize.

From TFT:ITL, we see the Talent for Unarmed Combat I through V, which as both CHRIS and LARS have nailed, is either "On" or "Off"; you either have it or you don't - simple. The subsequent "levels" in UC serve to give specific extra unique abilities other characters do not enjoy (binary), and specific bonuses at a flat-rate (i.e. Not Gradient).

Correctly or Incorrectly, I basically view the overall Talent engine as a lightbulb, which is either On or Off; and when On can further (with the acquired level), offer the added ability to completely cast a special color to the light - such as the ability to cast: Red at I, Orange at II, Yellow at III, Green at IV, Blue at V.

Anyone without the COLOR talent just casts plain old white light.

My essential point is: I see the engineering behind the Talent System as a binary and additive platform - and NOT a gradient one, like a rheostat dimmer switch which would provide refined levels of white light - and I think many of these suggestions fall into the: "How I would install a rheostat talent system into TFT", which, by my interpretation, doesn't really fit our original binary wiring system, in terms of: form, feel, and flow.

But hey, do what you like; I love reading everyone's brilliant ideas and concepts regardless!

JK