Talent translations

[hcobb]

My rough estimate is that a Physicker would be a starting nurse while a Master Physicker would be a GP doctor.


Modern Earth has a much more involved talent tree. "Yes, I'm a medical doctor, but I really don't know much about heart attacks." But then we don't have wizards who can heal everything except a broken heart with a wave of a wand.

[TippetsTX]

I think there's room for expansion of certain talents following the Apprentice/Journeyman/Master paradigm.

I've been working on a number of new and revised talents to support this idea... FIRST AID as a prerequisite to PHYSICKER, ACOLYTE preceeding PRIEST, etc.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

I think there's room for expansion of certain talents following the Apprentice/Journeyman/Master paradigm.

I've been working on a number of new and revised talents to support this idea... FIRST AID as a prerequisite to PHYSICKER, ACOLYTE preceeding PRIEST, etc.

There's some merit to that, but it means a PC would spend at least two talent points to be a Priest, while some complain that Priest already seems expensive at one talent point (because there's no explicit in-game benefit).

If you don't reduce the cost of Physicker to 1 talent point, then you'll be effectively increasing the cost as well, of course.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by phiwum

There's some merit to that, but it means a PC would spend at least two talent points to be a Priest, while some complain that Priest already seems expensive at one talent point (because there's no explicit in-game benefit).

Which presents an opportunity to rewrite those talents since I prefer at least one explicit in-game benefit for ALL talents.
;)

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

Which presents an opportunity to rewrite those talents since I prefer at least one explicit in-game benefit for ALL talents.
;)

Do you have any in-game benefit in mind?

There are certainly some possible unwritten benefits. A priest will gain favorable reactions from adherents, I'd reckon. Though likely negative reactions from those who follow other gods. There are various other social benefits that the status would have, but none of these are well-suited for an explicit rule.

Of course, you could give explicit benefits that are effectively gifts from the god -- blessings and such. But that would seem strictly houserule, since TFT does not require the gods to have any ability to affect the earth (or any real existence) at all.

Just curious where you'd be go.ing with Priest and apologies if you've mentioned it previously

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by phiwum

Do you have any in-game benefit in mind?

There are certainly some possible unwritten benefits. A priest will gain favorable reactions from adherents, I'd reckon. Though likely negative reactions from those who follow other gods. There are various other social benefits that the status would have, but none of these are well-suited for an explicit rule.

I disagree. The social aspects of authority and general deference is core to those who choose the path of faith. Their acceptance in most societies will be similar to that of Bards. Even those clergy who serve less savory powers will enjoy a certain respect that likely comes more from fear than devotion, but it will have a positive effect on reaction rolls regardless

I'm still tweaking the specifics (and will post all three religious talents in my 'Cidri's got Talent' thread when ready), but I'm not intending to change the status quo for divine involvement in the default setting.

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

I think there's room for expansion of certain talents following the Apprentice/Journeyman/Master paradigm.

I've been working on a number of new and revised talents to support this idea... FIRST AID as a prerequisite to PHYSICKER, ACOLYTE preceeding PRIEST, etc.

Well, if a PHYSICKER (w/ Physkit) automatically heals 2 hit points on injured figure and a MASTER PHYSICKER (w/ Physkit) automatically heals 3 hit points on injured person, then a "ParaMedic" might be the following:

IQ 10 Talent
MEDIC* (1): Novice healer's ability. A Medic can heal one new point of damage on any humanoid figure (wounds only - not exhaustion) within an hour after any combat or accident. He must have a physicker's kit to do so. [The rest of the talent is basically the same as PHYSICKER.]
MEDIC healing is NOT automatic. This character has not had sufficient theory and training of a full-fledged PHYSICKER. A MEDIC will roll MEDIC Test vs IQ to see if his 'victim' responds to treatment. No success, no healing.
PHYSICKER costs 1 if you already have MEDIC: you've been through the practical side of illness, injury and health consequences.

*or whatever term you'd like to give it: First Aid, Nurse, Barber...

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Vet Talent (ITL p41) notes that if you already have Physicker Talent, you can get Vet at half cost and vice versa because "you already have medical knowledge."

I would go even further and say that if you have Physicker Talent you should be able to perform simple veterinary acts on mammals that would easily translate to humanoid problems: Arrow wounds, broken bones, burns, delivering babies, etc. And vice versa for Vet Talent.

Since these talents are not the same (you do have to buy each talent separately), they are not automatic heals. A Physicker would have to roll a healing check against his IQ to see if he applied the right method to heal.

If you feel that this is too generous, make it an IQ-1 roll.

[Shostak]

It certainly seems believable for someone who knows how to sew up gashes and pack a person’s puncture wounds to also be able to do so on a horse, dog, cat, or other mundane critter. Disease, poisonings—and the closely related pharmacology—though, are best left to the specialists.