Ageing

[MasterGwydion]

If a character fails an aging roll in play and loses a point of INT or EDU, does this reduce their maximum number of total skill points allowed? If a character's skills are maxed out, would this cause them to lose skills?

 

[agentwigggles]

Yes.
In practice, no one reaches their max skill total.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Yes.
In practice, no one reaches their max skill total.

I have never seen anyone maxed out either, but maybe if they had really low INT and EDU scores.

Thank you for clarifying this for Me. I appreciate it.

 

[Sigtrygg]

These days everyone cheats on characteristic generation. I laugh when I see people post their character here and on CotI.

2d6 produces a very different spread to 3d6 choose the highest 2.

In CT having a character with Int 5 Edu 5 would be unusual, the average is 7, 7. 14 levels of skills is likely enough.

There is also the CT experience section that makes increasing your Edu to be equal to your Int something you can do during downtime during jump.

 

[Reisender]

These days everyone cheats on characteristic generation. I laugh when I see people post their character her and on CotI.

You do know EVERYONE?

 

[Nelphine]

I roll 2D, 7 times, drop the lowest, take them in the order remaining. Definitely homegrown, so I accept my inclusion as part of everyone

 

[Sigtrygg]

You do know EVERYONE?

Yes, don't you?

 

[Limpin Legin]

If a character fails an aging roll in play and loses a point of INT or EDU, does this reduce their maximum number of total skill points allowed? If a character's skills are maxed out, would this cause them to lose skills?

Rules as Written don't appear to say. Agree with @agentwiggles during career mode. In game time, keeping track of 4 year intervals is hassle.

What seems a fair interpretation to me is that once you have learned a skill between 34 and 68 (twice 34), then you don't lose it but cognitive decline makes it harder to learn new skills.

After age of 68, then it is both harder to learn new skills and maintain your set of current skills.

The threshold changes if the PC lives on a TL 0 to TL 2 world, where quality of life is much harsher. Then new skill decline = current skill decline = age 34 and above.

 

[Condottiere]

Alzheimer's?

You could modify dice rolls using specific skills at minus one.

 

[agentwigggles]

Rules as Written don't appear to say. Agree with @agentwiggles during career mode. In game time, keeping track of 4 year intervals is hassle.

What seems a fair interpretation to me is that once you have learned a skill between 34 and 68 (twice 34), then you don't lose it but cognitive decline makes it harder to learn new skills.

After age of 68, then it is both harder to learn new skills and maintain your set of current skills.

The threshold changes if the PC lives on a TL 0 to TL 2 world, where quality of life is much harsher. Then new skill decline = current skill decline = age 34 and above.

In my experience, most games, dont even go a full in game year.

 

[Micky]

In my experience, most games, dont even go a full in game year.

amen to that. I've had a D&D campaign going since 1997. We've done 15 years of campaign calendar time...

and maxing our ability scores is rough isn't it. I did a character sketch for a 138 year old pureblood Vilani sector Duke and gave up on the doing up the ability scores with near maxs in all the pertinent things plus some 'hobbies' mixed in... and still only got 2/3'rd of the way to his max.

 

[Limpin Legin]

most games, dont even go a full in game year.

We've done 15 years of campaign calendar time...

I was referring to four years of character time which doesn't seem that long when you factor in down time and FTL jump time.

 

[Arkathan]

These days everyone cheats on characteristic generation. I laugh when I see people post their character here and on CotI.

2d6 produces a very different spread to 3d6 choose the highest 2.

In CT having a character with Int 5 Edu 5 would be unusual, the average is 7, 7. 14 levels of skills is likely enough.

There is also the CT experience section that makes increasing your Edu to be equal to your Int something you can do during downtime during jump.

I have my guys do two boon stats, 1x pick 6 (1D6+6) and 3x 2d6. I can't count the number of times the boon dice failed, and the best stats came from the 2d6.
We recently had a new guy come in. He used an NPC to see if he liked it. After the game he rolled up his own character.
He kept failing his survival rolls. He wound up with a STR 1 and a DEX 2 as a combat specialist. Yeah... roll another one.
You haven't lived until you've died during character generation is STILL (almost) a valid meme.

 

[Arkathan]

Rules as Written don't appear to say. Agree with @agentwiggles during career mode. In game time, keeping track of 4 year intervals is hassle.

What seems a fair interpretation to me is that once you have learned a skill between 34 and 68 (twice 34), then you don't lose it but cognitive decline makes it harder to learn new skills.

After age of 68, then it is both harder to learn new skills and maintain your set of current skills.

The threshold changes if the PC lives on a TL 0 to TL 2 world, where quality of life is much harsher. Then new skill decline = current skill decline = age 34 and above.

I definitely do not remember all of my nuclear power training. Ditto Calculus. I can confirm that failed aging rolls delete skills.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Alzheimer's?

Yes, that sort of thing. Although now you mention it, other signs of aging could limit skills learning or skills execution in other ways, such as loss of dexterity and strength for example.

You could modify dice rolls using specific skills at minus one.

Yes the net effect would be the same. Although a Dice Modifier approach is best for temporary effects, like poisoning, concussion damage, etc.

The approach I was suggesting might be better when considering ageing is a one-way irreversible process. IMO, that needs to feel more destructive.

But, there again, this is Sci-fi, and therefore it is questionable that the effects of "aging" are indeed permanent and irreversible at certain Tech Levels?

 

[Limpin Legin]

I have my guys do two boon stats, 1x pick 6 (1D6+6) and 3x 2d6. I can't count the number of times the boon dice failed, and the best stats came from the 2d6.
We recently had a new guy come in. He used an NPC to see if he liked it. After the game he rolled up his own character.
He kept failing his survival rolls. He wound up with a STR 1 and a DEX 2 as a combat specialist. Yeah... roll another one.
You haven't lived until you've died during character generation is STILL (almost) a valid meme.

Yes I like boon dice too. As the TC kinda points out, Players are meant to be heroes, and thus should benefit from decent stats in at least a couple of characteristics.

 

[Micky]

Yes I like boon dice too. As the TC kinda points out, Players are meant to be heroes, and thus should benefit from decent stats in at least a couple of characteristics.

for sure... roll 4 2d6 and 2 boon. And let the player put the scores where they want. It is their game.. their character. No one wants to be a gunslinger or a starship pilot... with a SOC of 11 and a DEX of 3. Might as well play Iron Man and kill off the unfortunate bastard of a character rather than have something worse.. a character a player isn't going to be happy playing when they do survive and get left asking.. what the hell do I do with this guy. Drink smoke and party all day.. great for real life. .sucks for role playing. At least till virtual reality role playing hits next century but we will all be dead and buried by then....

 

[Geir]

No one wants to be a gunslinger or a starship pilot... with a SOC of 11 and a DEX of 3.

Actually that could be hilariously fun to play:
"It's my safari ship and I'm going to fly it. And now I'm going to go hunting off the back deck."

 

[Micky]

Actually that could be hilariously fun to play:
"It's my safari ship and I'm going to fly it. And now I'm going to go hunting off the back deck."

with a warped enough mind... hell yeah it would be to play. One of my favorite D&D characters ever was like a 5 STR 17 INT fighter. SO much fun to roleplay.

 

[MasterGwydion]

In my experience, most games, dont even go a full in game year.

We played PoD for almost 5 years of in-game time.