Cidri's Got Talent!

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Terquem

I always liked the way T&T sorted weapons, I feel that those sortings would work for me in creating weapons talents.

Sadly, Tunnels & Trolls was not part of my early FRPG education. We went from Basic to AD&D in Middle School, followed by TFT and then Rolemaster in HS (with a sprinkle of Bushido). Of course that was only one of the varied branches we climbed in those heady days of RPG yore.

[Terquem]

There were extensive lists sorted by "Bashing Weapons," "Slashing Weapons" "Stabbing Weapons" those sorts of categories

[Steve Plambeck]

I forgot we had this thread. Seems like a good place to drop this. My latest version of a revised magic system based on talents for magic users. These intended for use with certain caveats: wizards pay the same for talents as everyone else; no one can learn or cast spells without taking at least the first of these talents; wizards can know as many spells as their IQ, separate from talents; there is only the one basic IQ 8 Staff spell; Staff Mana cannot be bought with XP, but the wizard can focus increasing amounts into their Staff with higher talents for magic. The plan is also to confer an "automatic" spell with each of the higher talents, activating it as a free action but still having to pay the ST cost. For example, the Arch Mage might get to activate Diamond Flesh at will, as a free action -- still sorting that bit out.

IQ 8 - Adept (2) [prereqs Literacy (1) and Sorcerers Tongue (1)]
May learn and cast spells from the IQ 10 Spell Table and below, provided IQ is as high as the spell. May create a Staff for themselves, but may not store Mana in it yet.

IQ 11 - Wizard (2) [prereq Adept]
May learn and cast spells from the IQ 13 Spell Table and below, provided IQ is as high as the spell. May store Mana in their Staff equal to their own ST minus 6 (a minimum of 2).

IQ 14 - Sorcerer (2) [prereq Wizard]
May learn and cast spells from the IQ 16 Spell Table and below, provided IQ is as high as the spell. May store Mana in their Staff equal to their own ST minus 4 (a minimum of 4). May take a +1 DX bonus on all Thrown (T) type spells. Staff is now immune to all drop weapon and break weapon results.

IQ 17 - Thaumaturge (2) [prereq Sorcerer]
May learn and cast spells from the IQ 20 Spell Table and below, provided IQ is as high as the spell. May store Mana in their Staff equal to their own ST minus 2 (a minimum of 6). May now put a maximum of 5 ST at a time into Missile (M) type spells. Unlocks knowing (my version of) Weapon/Armor Enchantment.

IQ 20 - Enchanter (2) [prereq Thaumaturge]
May store Mana in their Staff equal to their own full ST (a minimum of 8). Unlocks knowing Lesser Magic Item creation.

IQ 23 - Arch Mage (2) [prereq Enchanter]
May store Mana in their Staff equal to their own full ST times 1.5 (a minimum of 12). Unlocks knowing Greater Magic Item creation.

[TippetsTX]

Inspired by David Bofinger's house-rule about talents for common weapons providing basic familiarity with other weapon groups...

IQ 8 - MAN AT ARMS (2):
Common to soldiers and those who have served in paramilitary roles, this talent represents a broad familiarity with all IQ 7 weapon talents. This training allows the character to use the weapons that he does not have a specific talent for at -2 DX rather than the normal non-proficient penalty (4d vs DX).
Note: This talent will not serve as a prerequisite to WEAPON EXPERTISE.

Prerequisite: Any TWO weapon talents or ONE year of military service as a 'recruit'.

[JohnPaulB]

I think this concept has been mentioned in many past threads.

IQ 8 – Military Discipline (2):
Drilled into recruits of armies. This is chain-of-command, marching, making camp and bivouacking, whatever the army deems a soldier should know and do.
It also includes close quarter formation fighting with whatever style this army uses: Shortswords and Scutums, Pole-arms and Shields, Massed Arrows…
The discipline could be of benefit to navies for their Marines. It is applicable to cavalry too. and maybe even militant wizards. Army recruits are taught to fill formation holes when a front rank soldier dies.

Military Discipline allows soldiers to march 1 province map hex (5 miles) further each day.

Though individual breaking points (flee) are up to the player characters and their talents, those NPCs with Military Discipline tend to get a +1 willpower against fleeing. And if they do flee, will usually soon rally around an officer, NCO or heroic PC.

My main reason for creating this is to differentiate between a warrior and a trained military man.

Its a low IQ talent to serve the many morons the players create so they can get High DX, High ST characters. Cost 2 because of the time involved and the willpower benefits against breaking.

Military Discipline Talent allows one to get a Dangerous Job - Army (ITL p 58) with 1 less weapon skill.

A career sergeant may get
IQ 9 Career Military Discipline (1) Pre-req Military Discipline
As above, but the sergeant exudes competence, gaining +1 on military related reaction rolls from his soldiers. He can get his troops through Military Discipline drilling quickly.

If he has literacy, he can read maps and has experience using them to help strategize the best way to get somewhere or defend something (GM rolls 4-die IQ vs CMD; if successful the GM confirms the players strategy is good). He gains a form of Tactics in that he guesses where his troops should be best placed on the Melee Map. (Requires a 5-die roll against IQ with GM making roll. A crit-fail causes a blunder, regular failure means he can't perceive a plan, crit-success means the gets Tactics talent for this one encounter.)

[TippetsTX]

My replacement to the SEX APPEAL talent...

CHARMING (1):
Whether the result of natural good looks, a practiced silver-tongue or their engaging personality, a character with this talent is adept at social interplay, especially where the goal is to charm, impress or seduce. In most interactions, you will receive +1 on reactions rolls. When interacting with characters who are (or could be) sexually attracted to you, however, roll 4 dice against your highest attribute. If successful, add 2 to the reaction roll towards the character (3 if a critical success). If you fail, the GM will subtract 1 for your clumsy approach. This is a talent where the GM should reward good roleplaying.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

My replacement to the SEX APPEAL talent...CHARMING (1):

In RAW we have Charisma (non-sexual charm) and Sex Appeal (sexual charm). That seems like a reasonable split to me. You've created a replacement for Sex Appeal that has a lot of the characteristics of Charisma. What are you trying to do here?

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB

IQ 8 – Military Discipline (2):

I like the idea. I might name it Soldier, but Military Discipline is also OK. I would call it overpriced at 2, it seems to me comparable with talents like Climbing and Swimming.

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB View Post
IQ 8 – Military Discipline (2)

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

I like the idea. I might name it Soldier, but Military Discipline is also OK. I would call it overpriced at 2, it seems to me comparable with talents like Climbing and Swimming.

I was thinking it would include something like your Shield Wall as part of a phalanx close quarter fighting formation.

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

This one is complex to write but I think it's mostly intuitive once you understand it. You can protect people adjacent to you, a bit. I've tried to write it so it handles jabs and missile attacks naturally.

IQ 8: Shield Wall (1)
If Figure A attacks and hits Figure B then Figure C may may use a shield to stop some of the hits, provided (a) Figure C has this talent, (b) Figure C has a shield that stops at least two hits, (c) Figure C is adjacent to Figure B, (d) Figure A is to Figure C's front, (e) Figure A is no further from Figure C than Figure A is from Figure B. The protection provided is one less than the shield's normal protection.

Or whatever 1 point close-quarter military discipline thing the GM could come up with: Formation Cavalry Charges? Ramming Speed for naval attacks? Rotational Volley Fire?

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Originally Posted by David Bofinger

Physicker junior.

IQ 9: First Aid (1)
Like Physicker, but only heals 1 point instead of 2. If you have this talent then Physicker only costs 1.

I like this as it makes sense to have sequential healing talents. Someone who takes this is not trying to go into the medical field, but could later on.
It should only work with a First Aid Kit or Physicker Kit.
The handicap with someone working First Aid when there is a Physicker around is that doing First Aid would preclude having the Physicker help afterwards.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

In RAW we have Charisma (non-sexual charm) and Sex Appeal (sexual charm). That seems like a reasonable split to me. You've created a replacement for Sex Appeal that has a lot of the characteristics of Charisma. What are you trying to do here?

To create a more interesting and useful social talent, of course. SEX APPEAL is too narrowly focused IMO and I disagree that CHARISMA is charm-based or, more accurately, I disagree with the RAW presentation of that talent. There should be more to it, I think. CHARISMA isn't about "making friends", it's about convincing people to take a course of action. I use CHARISMA as the skill to motivate, persuade and inspire. It's a stepping stone towards DIPLOMACY and LEADERSHIP (another new talent I've been playtesting).

It's also worth noting that the BARD talent does not exist in my game. That role is generally served by someone with CAROUSING, CHARMING and one or more 'performing' talents.