Leveling up skills

[timm meyers]

What if?
Talents were tracked and given a progressive cost the same way as attributes.
This could be done in several ways, but the goal is to give learning new skills the same lowered XP costs for the PC early in their careers just like the hard Stats of ST, DX, and IQ.

1. Simply marry the xp threshold of the character to the cost per 1 point of IQ using the same progressive cost of attributes.
Example- 32 to 34pt character only spends 100 xp per IQ slot needed for any new talents/spells. When they level up to 35, talent IQ now costs 200xp each and so on up to level 37 and beyond where they cap out/revert to the RAW of 500xp each.
OR
2. A characters IQ record will always show their beginning IQ level. This is used to note how much a PC "levels up" their IQ.
At zero (they are the same IQ as when they started) talent points/spells cost 100xp
At level 1 (One above the original IQ) talent points/spells cost 200xp
At level 2 (two above the original IQ) talent points/spells cost 400xp
At level 3+ (Three " ") talent points/spells cost 500xp

I can see some abuse power build problems with either system. The most basic would be maxing out IQ from the start and trying to become the uber talent/spell nerd before raising your stat levels.

[Bill_in_IN]

I have adopted a more simple approach. I stole it from a GM that wanted to promote obtaining talents/spells early in character development. That is, the first two IQ points spent only cost 250 XP and then revert to 500 XP per RAW.

In my game, this is now the policy across the board. All IQ points for talents/spells cost 250 XP. It has had no impact on the game. PCs are still focusing on attribute increases until approximately 37 points.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by timm meyers

2. A characters IQ record will always show their beginning IQ level. This is used to note how much a PC "levels up" their IQ.
At zero (they are the same IQ as when they started) talent points/spells cost 100xp
At level 1 (One above the original IQ) talent points/spells cost 200xp
At level 2 (two above the original IQ) talent points/spells cost 400xp
At level 3+ (Three " ") talent points/spells cost 500xp

What do you mean by 'levels' in this context? GURPS-like incremental skills (i.e HORSEMANSHIP 1, 2, 3, etc.)?

[timm meyers]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

What do you mean by 'levels' in this context? GURPS-like incremental skills (i.e HORSEMANSHIP 1, 2, 3, etc.)?

Im just noting the increase in the IQ "level" of the character ie starts at IQ-10 then at some point raises that stat to IQ-11 = he is now +1 or a "level" above their original build. Not sure if I can phrase that better, sorry?

I like the idea of a flat 250 xp per talent point too. Simple, easy, both things I like the best! I presume spells are treated the same?

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by timm meyers

Im just noting the increase in the IQ "level" of the character ie starts at IQ-10 then at some point raises that stat to IQ-11 = he is now +1 or a "level" above their original build. Not sure if I can phrase that better, sorry?

I like the idea of a flat 250 xp per talent point too. Simple, easy, both things I like the best! I presume spells are treated the same?

Yes. Talents/Spells cost 250 XP per IQ point. That's my house rule.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Bill_in_IN

In my game, thus is now the policy across the board. All IQ points for talents/spells cost 250 XP. It has had mo impact on the game. PCs are still focusing on attribute increases until approximately 37 points

That's pretty close to the cost model I adopted too.

My rules break talents into TAP-based 'tiers'. They retain fixed XP costs (continuing the LE model which requires characters to purchase talents directly w/ XP), but the costs for more potent skills and abilities get progressively higher. I removed the IQ dependency entirely which creates some nice opportunities that wouldn't exist otherwise (like a primitive IQ 8 woodsman). As the character advances and TAP increases, they gain access to higher 'tier' talents, but can always purchase the lower ones at their original XP cost. So CLIMBING, for example, costs the same (250 XP) if acquired early in the PC's career or much later.

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

That's pretty close to the cost model I adopted too.

My rules break talents into TAP-based 'tiers'. They retain fixed XP costs (continuing the LE model which requires characters to purchase talents directly w/ XP), but the costs for more potent skills and abilities get progressively higher. I removed the IQ dependency entirely which creates some nice opportunities that wouldn't exist otherwise (like a primitive IQ 8 woodsman). As the character advances and TAP increases, they gain access to higher 'tier' talents, but can always purchase the lower ones at their original XP cost. So CLIMBING, for example, costs the same (250 XP) if acquired early in the PC's career or much later.

What I noticed was that at even at 250 XP for the first two IQ Talent/Spell points used, there was still a reluctance to vary from bumping up attributes that were getting more expensive. It seems that there is still a natural tendency for PCs to progress toward 37 points before spending XP on talents/spells. Hopefully, the 250 XP cost per point as a flat cost should truly promote more broadening of PC talents. Each spell costing 250 XP will add quickly to a wizard's list of spells. There are lots of interesting talents that cost 1 IQ point. Spending 500 XP instead of 1,000 for most talents is and average of 5 or 6 game sessions. We aren't teenagers with all the time in the world to play this game. High XP costs prohibit PC development before many of us die of old age.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Bill_in_IN

High XP costs prohibit PC development before many of us die of old age.

Which is why you have to modify attribute progression as well IMO.
;)

The key (for my table, anyway) was in keeping the choices at each 'tier' balanced. XP costs for talents or stat increases should remain close enough for it to make the choice difficult or at least require careful consideration on the part of the player.

[Drakenbow]

The Legacy TFT rules seem to suggest to me that once a character is made, all new spells or talents cost 500XP per point.

I give some leeway. If the character's IQ is raised, that will include 1 point for talent or spell purchase. The player can always purchase points at 500 XP per point, but they will always get a point through raising IQ.

I'm still trying to figure out a good monetary cost for paying for training. I consider the character is always in training, then pays with cash when the character has the IQ and available points. It tends to be a simple system.

Character has an IQ of 12, that's 12 points, and has purchased 5.
Total is 17.

[timm meyers]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

That's pretty close to the cost model I adopted too.

My rules break talents into TAP-based 'tiers'. They retain fixed XP costs (continuing the LE model which requires characters to purchase talents directly w/ XP), but the costs for more potent skills and abilities get progressively higher. I removed the IQ dependency entirely which creates some nice opportunities that wouldn't exist otherwise (like a primitive IQ 8 woodsman). As the character advances and TAP increases, they gain access to higher 'tier' talents, but can always purchase the lower ones at their original XP cost. So CLIMBING, for example, costs the same (250 XP) if acquired early in the PC's career or much later.

Sorry I am unfamiliar with the "TAP" reference, could you elaborate? (I just know I am going to slap my forehead in embarrassment the minute you reveal the meaning...)