[RPM] Granting Skill

[Humabout]

I know the standard way of doing this I to use Bestows a Bonus, but I'm curious why it costs what it does, especially when it is so pricy at low-end skill granting.

Frex, Bestows a bonus, narrow, +4 costs 8 energy. This will equate to a single cp in an easy skill. It's not even as efficient (in terms if cp/energy) as altered traits. Frex, it costs 10 energy to give someone Super Jump, and 32 energy to boost an untrained subject's Flying Leap to the +0 level.

I get why bestows a bonus is pricy, but I don't get why that's what we use to grant skill in things people lack skill in. Is there a reason I'm missing?

[vicky_molokh]

Hmm. Now you gave me the idea of granting limited Modular Abilities with RPM. Probably Path of Mind to tap the global unconscious.

[Mathulhu]

I think bestow bonus is based on the idea that there is some existing skill already.

You could do one spell with two lesser effects, one to give them a point in the skill and one to give them the bonus to the skill.

[Humabout]

This is an idea. Frankly, I'm really on the fence about altering the convention. There are cases where it seems too expensive (mostly involving defaults), but outside those instances, it seems to work. Perhaps 1 energy per -1 of default for a skill in altered traits for that perk that reduces default penalties? I suppose that'd be a raw way of addressing it.

One energy to treat a skill as if it had a cp in it might work, also. I'd love to hear from ghostdancer or pk especially for the reasoning on the original convention.

[Walrus]

Originally Posted by Mathulhu

I think bestow bonus is based on the idea that there is some existing skill already.

Not necessarily. Especially for Chance effects.
Moreover, sometimes the roll doesn't involve skills at all. And anyway, it's magic!

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Humabout

I know the standard way of doing this I to use Bestows a Bonus, but I'm curious why it costs what it does, especially when it is so pricy at low-end skill granting.

Frex, Bestows a bonus, narrow, +4 costs 8 energy. This will equate to a single cp in an easy skill. It's not even as efficient (in terms if cp/energy) as altered traits. Frex, it costs 10 energy to give someone Super Jump, and 32 energy to boost an untrained subject's Flying Leap to the +0 level.

I get why bestows a bonus is pricy, but I don't get why that's what we use to grant skill in things people lack skill in. Is there a reason I'm missing?

As always with ritual path magic, there is more than one way to do something. In this case, there are at least 4 I can think of:

• You can use the Bestows a Bonus route and give yourself a bonus to default rolls of that skill.
• It's not explicitly stated, but I remember PK signing off on it somewhere. Regardless, I've used it in my campaigns before and there isn't any real downsides. Use Altered Traits to grant the target a skill. This is best for skills that don't have defaults. I suggest you set a hard cap on how high this skill can go or the Bestows a Bonus modifier loses much of it's punch. I use up to Attribute+0. So 1 energy for Easy skills, 2 energy for Average skills, 4 energy for Hard skills, 8 energy for Very Hard skills, and 24 energy for Wildcard skills. You can use this to grant techniques temporarily as well. Again, I suggest you don't go higher than Skill+0 (even if the cap is higher than that). If you want a higher skill level, use Bestows a Bonus; for the purposes of a spell effect, I'd let you bundle Altered Traits and Bestows a Bonus, skill.
• You can use Altered Traits to grant a particular Talent, which might be cheaper, depending on the skills or number of skills you want to increase. It should definitely be limited to the campaign's cap on Talents, or, if allowed higher, then as a Greater effect.
• You can use Altered Traits to grant Modular Abilities. This can get crazy expensive compared to other stuff.

You can use combinations too, if a skill doesn't have a default (like Flying Leap) then you could add that using Lesser Strengthen Mind (3) + Altered Traits, Flying Leap IQ+0 (4) + Bestows a Bonus, +5 to Flying Leap rolls (16) + Duration, 30 minutes (2). 25 energy (25x1).

[Humabout]

For some reason, I thought altered traits couldn't be used for skills. Why would you limit using it to avoid skill defaults? The hard cap seems sufficient to prevent abuse. If you are running off of a default, enjoy a benefit you paid for. Just preventing altered traits from boosting a skill above attribute+0 should suffice, I'd think. I like the idea of boosting techniques, too. I hadn't even considered that yet.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Humabout

For some reason, I thought altered traits couldn't be used for skills. Why would you limit using it to avoid skill defaults? The hard cap seems sufficient to prevent abuse. If you are running off of a default, enjoy a benefit you paid for. Just preventing altered traits from boosting a skill above attribute+0 should suffice, I'd think. I like the idea of boosting techniques, too. I hadn't even considered that yet.

I'm pretty sure I said I've used it for skills that don't have defaults, rather than only for skills that don't have defaults. :-)

[Varyon]

Granting skill (rather than just bestowing a bonus) should probably be a Greater Effect. Suddenly functioning as though you have decent training is far more reality-bending than managing to get consistently lucky, at least in my opinion.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Granting skill (rather than just bestowing a bonus) should probably be a Greater Effect. Suddenly functioning as though you have decent training is far more reality-bending than managing to get consistently lucky, at least in my opinion.

I disagree. Lesser Strengthen Mind can increase a target's IQ, Will, or Per up to +30%. It also states specifically that it can add any mundane mental advantage (which I'd be willing to extend to skills).