New Skills

[zot]

Originally Posted by Rick_Smith

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This is equal to 32 mIQ + what ever spells you want to give him.
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Under the rules Guy was suggesting, (where each talent fits into a single slot) the Mouser would need 19 memory slots, (plus any spells), which might just be possible under the new TFT.

However, in the Unarmed Combat thread, Steve was saying that UC i thru v would take up a full 9 memory slots. This means that exotic multi-class characters like (Pirates AND Thief), (Bandit Leader AND Ranger), and (Master Merchants) are impossible in new TFT.
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I consider this THE major problem with new TFT.

What conceivable bonus to game play or role playing is achieved, by making memory so tight that you can't be both a thief and a pirate?

The old TFT would require IQ 32 for a character like that. I've never seen a character get to IQ 32 in TFT.

[Rick_Smith]

Originally Posted by zot

The old TFT would require IQ 32 for a character like that. I've never seen a character get to IQ 32 in TFT.

Hi Zot,
You are totally right. The Mouser was impossible in the old TFT, but most TFT campaigns which have lasted 40 years, have ways to give more memory.

I've seen, education attributes, memory = 2x IQ, "Elves get Naturalist, Woodsman, Tracking and Bow for free, only makes sense", everyone gets certain talents for free. I've seen David Seagraves in this Thail campaign give people the ability to buy memory like a sub attribute, On this forum, people have said that they use the rule that every talent fits in one memory slot. If I remember correctly JLV has said that talents in his campaign require zero memory slots, and are bought with experience. I've reduced the price of talents by 1/2 in many cases, and allow 1/2 memory point talents & languages.

I'm not saying EVERY campaign has founds cheats, big or small. But most do.

The number and variety of ways different GM's have found to get more memory suggest that 40 years of play testing indicates that this is a real problem.

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The new TFT will have this problem worse. In the old TFT, you could keep getting attributes, and buy more IQ. Sure, you have a dumb fighter, but to get the talents he wants, you end up with IQ 18. But with a maximum attribute limit of 40, people can customize their characters with only 8 attributes. If you want a 15 DX and a 12+ ST, getting an IQ 18 for all those talents won't be in the cards.

***
I want to write up a Monk detective like Brother Cadfael. He started out as a successful noble military leader but grew sick at the violence and greed, and retired to become a Benedictine monk. With a surprisingly modern view of evidence and criminology, he solves murders. His talents include:

Sword, Fencing, Knife, Shield, Alertness, Priest, Theologian, Language Latin, Language French, Literacy, Gardener, Physicker, Master Physicker, Tracking, Naturalist, Woodsman, Detection of Lies, Scholar (Criminology, Healing/Poisoning Herbs), Chemist.

(I could give him more based on the novels. UC 1, Courtly Graces, & Diplomacy would likely fit.)

Playing a Monk/Detective like this would be fun. I can do it in Matt's TFT campaign, but it is not in the cards for new TFT.

Warm regards, Rick.