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Old 08-28-2020, 02:58 PM   #21
Shostak
 
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Default Re: An Alternate Approach to Talents

A soldier, maybe, but a knight is going to need IQ 11 for Courtly Graces.
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Old 08-28-2020, 03:26 PM   #22
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Default Re: An Alternate Approach to Talents

At the risk of straying off onto another tangent, the issue (as well as the solution) is more tied to how TFT handles task/action resolution IMO. The default 3-die roll mechanic is fine until stats raise to the point where the chance of success is a forgone conclusion. The fix, however, is already built into the rules. Whether you stick with the 'tiers' for talent/spell acquisition based on IQ or go with something like my approach, advanced talents and spells should become harder to perform in order to stay in line with a character's rising attribute scores.

For example, what if more complex spells (say IQ 13+) required a 4/DX roll and the truly epic spells (IQ 18+) could only be cast by succeeding on a 5/DX roll? When this logic is applied consistently across all PC stats, they are much less likely to outpace the challenges that more experienced characters should be facing (and the talents/spells that they are using to face them) which in turn helps to foster much more satisfying gameplay in long-running campaigns.
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Old 08-28-2020, 03:58 PM   #23
Steve Plambeck
 
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I was looking at it from the other side: a 50% success rate on tasks for which the character is totally unprepared and has little or no experience with.
I look at it as having worked up to IQ 18 is preparation for things that might require such a high IQ. A number of deliberate trade-offs went into having that IQ of 18.
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Old 08-28-2020, 03:58 PM   #24
larsdangly
 
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Originally Posted by Shostak View Post
A soldier, maybe, but a knight is going to need IQ 11 for Courtly Graces.
I'll have to disagree with you there; Courtly Graces might be useful for a knight who wishes to succeed as a courtier, but I'd say is far from a requirement.
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Old 08-28-2020, 04:57 PM   #25
Steve Plambeck
 
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For example, what if more complex spells (say IQ 13+) required a 4/DX roll and the truly epic spells (IQ 18+) could only be cast by succeeding on a 5/DX roll? This way IQ is much less likely to outpace the challenges that more experienced characters should be facing (and the talents/spells that they are using to face them).
But isn't the goal of balance already there with 3/DX rolls? If the PC is pouring their earned XP into building that +18 IQ, they will have to have a lower DX than they would have had otherwise. Or if they still manage to have a high DX too, they'll have a dangerously low ST, even if they pay spell costs by other means.

No, the only real problem is when the roll shifts to being vs IQ instead of vs DX. Now the more difficult a spell or talent is to acquire, the easier it is to use. That's not how reality works.
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Old 08-28-2020, 06:20 PM   #26
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Default Re: An Alternate Approach to Talents

There are one or two places where the mythical ideal of balance isn't achieved in TFT's rules, but you'll have trouble finding many that matter. The new edition in particular does a noteworthy job of forcing you to choose between setting the goal of being pretty great at everything (13-14 across the board) or being truly exceptional at one thing (say 16+) and always flirting with failure at the others.
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Old 08-28-2020, 07:19 PM   #27
TippetsTX
 
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Default Re: An Alternate Approach to Talents

Unfortunately, when I hastily post things while half-listening to a conference call for work I tend to leave stuff out. It all makes sense in my head though, so I'm sure that counts for something. ;)

My point (unclearly made) is that I much prefer a mechanical incentive for ongoing attribute progression over arbitrary prerequisites based on nothing more than a number. In my game, I achieve this by increasing the number of dice required to maintain an appropriate level of challenge for characters as they advance. Using advanced talents like CHEMIST and ALCHEMY should be harder than a basic 3/IQ roll, for example.
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Old 08-28-2020, 07:55 PM   #28
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Default Re: An Alternate Approach to Talents

The 3/IQ roll tells you that it was intended to be a Healing potion.
The 4/IQ roll tells you that it is a defective Healing potion.
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Old 08-28-2020, 08:06 PM   #29
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The 3/IQ roll tells you that it was intended to be a Healing potion.
The 4/IQ roll tells you that it is a defective Healing potion.
And I would bump both of those rolls by another die.
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Old 08-28-2020, 09:22 PM   #30
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And I would bump both of those rolls by another die.
Only if you allow characters to purchase Chemist and Alchemist multiple times so they don't need Molly IQs to do their fnording jobs.
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