Width vs depth, IQ vs DX skills

[johndallman]

Looking at characters I play, and others of which I have copies, there seems to be a strong tendency for them to have a large number of IQ-based skills with 1-4 points in each, and a smaller number of DX-based skills, many of whom are in the 1-4 points range, but a few of which have rather more: 8, 12, or more points. IQ skills with more than 4 points invested seem very rare.

This doesn't seem desperately surprising to me, since most of those DX skills with lots of points are the character's primary combat skill, or some other important specialisation, like Stealth on a sneak-artist. But I wondered if it was an artefact of my groups' play styles, or something that occurs widely?

[Kalzazz]

I have definitely seen 'my favorite weapon' skill hiked to the skies

It isn't uncommon on say a gadgeteer to see 'my favorite engineering skill' hiked to the skies, or say Alchemy on an Alchemist etc

Usually once you get to 4pts a level though people start looking for talents or raising the Stat. There are a lot more Talents with 'my favorite IQ skill'

[Anaraxes]

It's not just your group.

I think part of the effect is simply that the combat skills are seen as (literally) life-or-death matters. Failure there is a hard failure, whereas the IQ skills are more of a "soft" failure. You can fail that research roll or knowledge check and just suffer a bit of delay.

In some cases, it's a matter of numbers. Those DX specialists probably only need a handful of skills to implement their schtick -- a melee weapon or two, Stealth, Acrobatics, Throwing. For a space game, I made a chart showing the techy skills for running a starship, of which there were 40 after I consolidated a few. Scotty the Chief Engineer has to spread the points around a lot more than Dai Blackthorn, or even Sulu the Helmsman.

[Phantasm]

Part of it is that IQ-based skills don't normally need to soak as many penalties as DX-based ones, so topping them out at the 12-14 range is common except for the ones that are "core concept" (Alchemy, Engineering, Thaumatology, etc) or combat-useful (look at how many skills requiring TBaM are IQ, Will, or Per as opposed to DX). You kinda need Bow-30 to reliably hit someone in the jaw at 50 yards (I did that in play once o/`)... you don't really need Mechanic-30 to get the seaplane engine fixed before the storm front hits or Lockpicking-30 to rig the electronic lock to stay closed long enough to get away from the soldiers chasing you through the space station. Yeah, they help, but they're not exactly vital for those tasks.

[GodBeastX]

I tend to see the skills used most getting lots of points. If the GM gives you a place to feel good about the points, the players tend to stuff them in.

I played a char who had the most points in Smithing stuff, just so I could make awesome low-tech masterwork swords and such. Plots revolved around the char's reknown with smithing. An invasion at their home village just to try to kidnap my char, nobility coming to hicksville with custom weapon orders. It was great!

I think that it's EASIEST to just focus on combat, but if the nob-combat gets focus, giving the player making the char ideas of how these IQ skills can benefit them, they will definitely go for it.

[aesir23]

There are a two categories of skills that attract a small (1-2 point investment):

1. Skills which you don't think you'll use, but which your character would logically have based on their concept/characterization: (e.g. Area Knowledge (Home Town), Current Events, Connoisseur (any), Hobby Skills).

2. Skills which are great to have at some level, but which you don't usually need to have at a high level (Computer Operation, Swimming).

Certainly more IQ skills fall into these two categories than DX skills.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

if the no-combat gets focus, giving the player making the char ideas of how these IQ skills can benefit them, they will definitely go for it.

True.

It's also probably worth noting that the combat rules are full of common penalties and options like Deceptive Attack that make it clear that high skill has value. It's much less obvious that Biology-20 is going to let you do anything that Biology-16 didn't, and Biology-14 is probably good enough to making most rolls.

[GodBeastX]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

It's much less obvious that Biology-20 is going to let you do anything that Biology-16 didn't, and Biology-14 is probably good enough to making most rolls.

Exactly. When you look at alchemy, for example, and realize the potion you want to brew is -7 to the skill and you could be losing all your resources failing, you're going to be upping alchemy.

The burden is on the GM to get a broader view of the skills people are interested in and how they can make their use more enjoyable. Then you will see players spending more points and maybe missing a couple times in combat to afford to employ the skills.

[Eukie]

Taking time is often an option for the academic IQ skills. Taking time in combat is often not an option. Accomplishing a difficult academic task can often be done at lower skill levels, whereas combat competency requires "raw" skill.

[weby]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

you don't really need Mechanic-30 to get the seaplane engine fixed before the storm front hits or Lockpicking-30 to rig the electronic lock to stay closed long enough to get away from the soldiers chasing you through the space station. Yeah, they help, but they're not exactly vital for those tasks.

Basic task in those situations you describe is often -9 or -10 for doing it faster so you really want the skill after that to be good, so optimally about 25 for 16- or 15-, but few points less is likely ok. Occasionally you kind of need that 30 for when you do not have the proper tools for the extra -5.


But as to the OP: yes, there as just so many IQ based skills that you "need" to have at least that one point in..

But in general I find that most players quickly find that raising IQ is better than raising IQ based skills beyond that 1 point, except for some very specific single skills precisely because they quickly have 20+ skills that would benefit from a skill raise.. That seems less common in DX.