Non-Standard Skills in an Action/MH/DF game

[Anders]

I've been thinking about having non-standard skills in these games. Who says a Sniper can't be an expert in Literature? Or a Bard might be an Artist able to paint beautiful pictures with his brush as well as with his words? And such skills may even be useful once in a blue moon.

Still, they probably shouldn't cost as much in the Basic Set, because they are mainly there for flavour. So I'm thinking making them leveled perks (IQ/DX for 1 point and then +1 for each extra level) or making them Easy skills, effectively Hobby skills.

Thoughts?

[Icelander]

I always have lots of skills that are there to define the character's personality and background, not merely utility to some abstract gamist concept. They don't cost any less, because I simply factor this into the total point value used for the campaign and look askance at any players who try to optimize their points at the cost of their PC feeling flat, uninteresting or implausible.

[ericthered]

I like to offer players 10 points they can use for flavor. I talk about it on my blog.



I like how it fleshes out the players, and when they figure out a way to make it matter in play, it feels really good for both the player and the GM.


One thing I like to emphasize is that these points aren't coming out of their budget, they're adding to it. So MH would be 400+10 point games.

[Polkageist]

Yes, to that point of the 'characterization' budget being an excellent way to keep the characters up to par with the gonzo fightyness of MH/DF/etc.

If they DO come up as useful once in a blue moon, I would encourage it to be maybe a bit more than once in a blue moon?

Skills are the tools that players use to solve problems so if they have a specialty screw driver then make sure that more than a few screws need that bit.

[ericthered]

Official support for the idea of separate budgets for different kinds of point expenditures is in "Buckets of Points" from Pyramid 3/65.

[Kromm]

I prefer the ". . . and here are 5-10 points for totally ineffective stuff that adds a little pizzazz" approach to a fundamental change in pricing. That way, if unexpected utility comes up, well, it was paid for on the same plan as expected utility. No "HaHA! I just short-circuited the plot with a perk!"

[Pragmatic]

How skilled are we talking? Because the dilettante perk comes to kind.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

How skilled are we talking? Because the dilettante perk comes to kind.

I don't remember seeing a perk by that name. Did you mean Dabbler?

[Pragmatic]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

I don't remember seeing a perk by that name. Did you mean Dabbler?

My memory isn't great, but I think Dilettante was the original name.

Yes, Dabbler. Let's the character take a minor hobbyist level of skill.

[ravenfish]

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Yes, Dabbler. Let's the character take a minor hobbyist level of skill.

Which, given the attributes characters in an Action or Dungeon Fantasy game frequently have, may wind up being quite adequate skill levels for routine use.