Skill Adaptation and Combat/Art/Sport

[Joseph R]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

Conceptually, is there some reason to think Skill Adaptation (Broadsword to Broadsword Art) is more far-fetched than Weapon Adaptation (Broadsword to Rapier)? I do not really think so. I also note that MA encourages GMs to eliminate the Art/Combat/Sport distinctions in cinematic games if they find it helpful. Rather than doing so, I'm wondering if a Perk might be a way of creating a half-step between using the rules and not using the rules. Requiring the Perk means that fairly realistic fighters suffer appropriate penalties as would be expected. That Perk, however, allows "balanced" martialists to both artistic and effective in combat if that character concept is desired.

I'm not sure how I can explain this to you pawsplay, if I have so far failed to put it across in a way that makes sense to you. I'm a bit relentless though, so I'll give it another go ;)

Conceptually, what you want a perk to do (eliminate the -3 default between specific Art/Combat/Sport skill) is not what the perk that is already called Skill Adaptation does. Personally, I don't see the logic in the perk that you propose, for reasons already discussed. However, if the perk makes sense to you and if you are the GM of your own campaign, then go for it. Just please, please do NOT call your new perk Skill Adaptation, but rather call it something else instead.

MA has already given us "adaptation" perks called Skill Adaptation, Style Adaptation, Technique Adaptation and Weapon Adaptation. As your perk is intended to serve a different purpose to all these existing perks, it should have a different name. My suggestion would be "Combat Adaptation". That makes it much easier to distinguish. FREX, Combat Adaptation (Karate to Karate Sport) or Combat Adaptation (Broadsword to Broadsword Art) are now more clearly examples of a new perk.

TBH pawsplay, your OP could have been much clearer. If you had said "I have this idea for a new Perk. This is what is does. Thoughts? Reactions?" Then I think that the feedback would have been different. By making it seem that you had an idea for a new specialisation of an existing perk, this gave the appearance that you misunderstood how the existing Skill Adaptation perk operates mechanically.

As I've said, I don't think that this perk is for me as a GM, but that's just my opinion. If I was a player in your campaign, and you wanted the desired "half-step" you mentioned, then I would implore you to call the perk something different from Skill Adaptation just to avoid confusion. Whether or not you go with my suggested name is up to you :)