Technical (Thieving) Skills-

When I first began this project as a BFRPG product, I had envisaged a substitution of the established Thieves' Skills with something like the following:

Alpha-Tech : Traps : The most delicate of powered technology and micro-precision tools necessary to perform these sorts of tasks. This includes fine surgery, such as brain or heart operations. It is consulted at x2 listed % for knowledge or calculations of this magnitude (Hyperspace Geometry, the properties of Aluvrynial ore, etc.). Hypothetical and currently impossible feats of physics and chemistry are the subjects of Alpha-Tech.

Beta-Tech : Open Locks : Less demanding and more forgiving than Alpha-Tech issues and procedures, Beta-Tech is still a force to be reckoned with, as it represents the best of what is currently possible, even the news of the latest developments as it arrives by post or telegram. Beta-Tech is currently capable of telegraphy and wireless transmission of signals and raw energy via wind and chemical derived electrical current; of seeing in the dark; anaesthesia, and of forging strong metalloids for use in deadly weapons, self-powered armoured vehicles, surgical instruments, and towering architecture on a grand scale. 3x % for consultation or conjecture of known parameters.

Delta-Tech : Pick Pockets : Delta-Tech represents all technology on the order of magnitude from telegraphy and the afore mentioned devices, down to the rudiments of basic tools (wedge, lever, etc.). Technical tasks ranging from picking a pad-lock to pulling a tooth to setting a compound fracture and suturing the wound in as sterile a fashion as possible under the circumstances. 4x % for knowledge checks.

I then went on to list other skills, such as Tracking, etc., each of which had a per %-point cost, allowing for complete customisation, paid for in earned XP. There was even the ever popular, Psychic Tracking. O.o

I abandoned that after I found that players became...obsessed... with gaining percentages in every skill they could lay their hands on. It reminded me of WoW, and I quashed that after about a year of use on several characters.

My current take is confined to ten Spheres, each of which has potential Concentrations (Rank +1), and Specialisations (R+2). Some, such as the tinkering skill sphere, determine one's bare employment income if a job were taken. Others impart small combat bonuses. Not having any skills is no more detrimental than not having high scores in Classic-play games, and none are required to fiddle with or attempt any action -- although brain surgery is best left to the trained Professional.

[RPG] Speak your Mind on Skills-

Prone to multi-tasking, I am working on:

* Creating pregens for two convention sessions
* Writing the streamlined PM
* Re-designing the Character Control Record
* Providing input to my map artist
* Tracking my other artist's output relative to the deadline
* Cleaning up for the SO's coming over to cook for mum and me
* Floating ideas for the weekly game
* Waiting to hear from Work regarding new assignments
* Tending to home-things

...more or less in that order.

One idea that keeps vacillating in my mind is to collapse the skills into the overarching framework I'd used for years on Guild Houses of Blood, namely:

Academic
Arcane
Athletic
Combat
Communication/Aesthetic
Covert
General (Civilisation)
Professional
Technical/Trades
Wilderness

My 'new school' players prefer micro-managing individual skills, but I am being plagued by wise admonitions to Keep It Simple/As Simple as Possible, but Not Simpler.

I think the Middle Path I'll adopt is the above with Specialisations.
--But, don't quote me on that.

Thoughts/Input/Derision?
--I'd love to hear everyone from 'Skills? Hate 'em!' to 'Skills? Natch'' folks here at TGT.

Best,

Beta Update-

So as to CMA, I will tentatively suggest that a more realistic Beta .pdf release date will be July 7th, but it may be sooner. I'd rather give you folks a better product than a worse one. I'm certain you can understand and appreciate that.

On the plus side, I have made a test-run of the .pdf creation/hosting on LuLu and found it to be very simple.


A few things have changed through the editing process, and mainly affect character creation. These changes are simplifications which reduce what I perceived as an increasing tendency for PCs dependency upon Technical Skills (Pick Locks, etc.).
Now, there are two Characteristics: Knowledge and Technical, which establish a baseline value for all persons to be able to attempt non-Combat, non-Magic actions, such as the Apothecary's Assay, Concoct, Formulate, etc. Technical Skills still exist, but play a secondary role, as bonuses to specific applications of either Knowledge or Technical. Ethnic or Species modifiers still apply.

Another change is that of an expanded Ability Score range chart, opening it up to 0 -- 21, with significant differences between many/most scores (more so than B/X, and closer to Mutant Future's, but not exactly the same, and less crunchy than 1e). With this change, the explanation of the Characteristics (and Critical Tests) have been refined and unified in description.
Like Knowledge and Technical, a character's base combat ability has also been more clearly defined/presented as part of the overall Characteristics.

A few other minor changes make the character more important than any skills and brings things back closer to the Classic-play games, while retaining UWoM's unique 'Look and Feel'.

I'll be reading and replying to your blogs during this week, but am unlikely to post much otherwise.

Best,

[RPG] Ancient Wonders Procedure-

(c) 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved

Ancient Wonders, Technical Skills, and Aberrations-

What once were the commonplace tools of living and leisure for the Ancients are now considered archaeological treasures and great boons.

While both Intelligence and Wisdom must certainly play a role in determining the type of item, and diagnosing its condition, with a strong argument that high Dexterity may illuminate additional features on most purely-mechanical devices, surely experience itself is a great teacher? So far we have something like this:

• Base Percentage Chance (BPC) based upon the item's Utility (01% -- 100+%, with higher being better). Simpler, or more 'user-friendly' items are easier to activate in their intended manner than similarly complex items with lower Utility.
• +/- 5% per Modifier on Exp, Wis, Int, and Dex
• Condition modifies the Threshold: Irreperable +100, Badly Damaged +75, Minor Damage -0, Superficial Damage -05, Display Item -10, New In Box -25, NIB still in Crate -50
• Remove Traps to Disarm/Make-Safe, Diagnose Condition, and effect Repair
• Open Locks to Diagnose and Clear Correctable Malfunctions/Reset
• Technologians have the correct skill set to perform these procedures, and receive a flat +20% bonus in addition to their rolls
  
• Certain Aberrations provide specific bonuses at various stages in the Identification/Diagnosis/Repair process
  

The Referee then rolls the dice and determines whether the character has discovered how to operate the item, provided it were working properly, and had whatever power needed.

Clearly, a series of steps are necessary to take an artefact and bring it back to operational level. To speed things along, I've come up with this procedure:

1. Spend an amount of coin on diagnosis and any possible repair at a cost equal to the item's XP value. A rush job will cost at least double (1d4+1x), and subtracts 25 from the item's Utility until the first six times it is used, decreasing by 6% each time until only 1% has degraded until the minor repair is performed.
2. Spend the XP for the Armour/Weapon Proficiency or Open Locks +%s necessary to operate the item in the field
3. Pay 1/2 the XP value of the item (if discovered, it may be a 'free cost')
   

That's it. Now the figure has legally purchased full operational usage of an Ancient wonder.