06-01-2021, 03:08 PM | #11 |
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
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Re: Skill Advancement
As others have said, there are diminishing returns. Moreover, it really depends on the feel of the campaign. For example, if you're a bunch of faux-medieval superheroes (i.e., dungeon fantasy characters), then it's fine to have a bow or rapier skill of 25+ so you can do ridiculous things like Legolas or Zoro. (In my current DF campaign, with five PCs in the 400 point range, the highest skill level is currently only 21.)
If the campaign is grittier, then it makes sense to impose a limit, like "No skills over __ without a GM-approved Unusual Background." Since that varies from game to game, and points don't really reflect anything in the "reality" of the game world, it makes sense to leave it to each table to determine. Kromm has also pointed out in various places that true mastery is reflected as much by the breadth of skills as depth. A legendary swordmaster will have a high weapon skill, but also a slew of other support skills. Depending on the genre, a swordmaster might invest points in acrobatics, armoury, blind fighting, connoisseur, leadership, observation, psychology, tactics, strategy, etc.). This is in addition to the advantages, attributes, and secondary attributes that support the archetype. |
06-01-2021, 03:22 PM | #12 | ||
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Skill Advancement
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GURPS Overhaul |
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06-01-2021, 04:15 PM | #13 | |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
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Re: Skill Advancement
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Player A buy DX 16 at creation : DX 16 cost him 80 cp Player B buy DX 14 at creation and belong to a race with DX+2 : DX 16 cost him 45+20 cp Player C belong to a race with DX+2 and purchased two professional template including DX+2 : DX 16 cost him 20+20+20 Also, attribute up to 13 were cheap for the return, and there was very little reason not to buy them - especially DX. |
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06-01-2021, 07:08 PM | #14 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
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Re: Skill Advancement
Strictly speaking, in the third edition, what we now call a racial template was very much a black box proposition: the cost was the cost, and how it ended up with what it gives you was the black box. Wanna be an elf? It costs 40 points. You get ST-1, DX+1, IQ+1, Combat Reflexes, Magical Aptitude 1 for "free." Never mind how that comes out to 40 points, being an elf is just an advantage you can add to your character sheet for 40 points. Mathematical precision wasn't really a concern.
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06-01-2021, 07:35 PM | #15 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Skill Advancement
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
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06-01-2021, 07:37 PM | #16 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Skill Advancement
I have thought that if one of my next campaigns is GURPS, I might do a more drastic version of diminishing returns, with the cost per level of skill being 1, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and so on. That would make Talents a much more worthwhile investment.
__________________
Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
06-01-2021, 07:37 PM | #17 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Skill Advancement
(Iirc) in 3e, the cost for a 'level' of an attribute varied, so "DX+2" or whatever wouldn't have a constant cost, yet templates were given constant costs.
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06-01-2021, 07:56 PM | #18 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Seattle, WA USA
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Re: Skill Advancement
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There are marginal cases, such as using skills with other stats, but for the most part those aren't really going to be worth the geometrically increasing cost, and in the best case will only extend it out to the 32-point level as raising all four stats only costs 60 points. It's similar to the reason that there is never a good reason to buy more than 3 techniques that default to the same skill, since you can just raise the skill for 4 points, raising all of the defaults by 1, instead of raising 4 techniques at 1 point each. |
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06-01-2021, 08:25 PM | #19 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Skill Advancement
The 3e template values were calculated assuming the stat mods were modifying a stat of 10. Once you bought a 13, then the racial +1 would take it to 14 -- normally a +15 point jump, but in the template, it only cost +10. So you saved 5 points.
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06-01-2021, 08:42 PM | #20 |
Join Date: Jul 2015
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Re: Skill Advancement
I was thinking this a while back too. It is odd that you can go from +10 stat just as easily as +4 stat.
3rd edition was pretty extreme. I think a +1 point cost for the next level would probably have worked well. Like an easy skill would be 1 point for stat level, 2 points for +1, 3 points +2, 4 points +3, etc. I also think stat increases should be that way as well. 3rd edition made more sense that way to me. But, it is what it is. Make a house rule and hope your players are on board, or just stick with the book rules. There will never be a 5th edition Gurps...very sad. |
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