Combat Skill is not the only Skill

[phantomdoodler]

Admittedly, this option expands the complexity of the game. It is, however an attempt to create more rounded characters - think of it as advanced lonewolf, in the same way that advanced fighting fantasy expanded upon on the core rules of the fighting fantasy rulebooks.

Each character is defined by 4 types of Skill:

Combat Skill (CS): This represents the characters skill at arms and natural leadership and courage. It also represents their athletic prowess, from climbing to riding.

Academic Skill (AS): This covers the characters reasoning, mental acuity and academic knowledge and training. If a task requires knowledge or training, Academic Skill is used.

Thievery Skill (TS): This covers the characters sneaking, sleight of hand and skill involving any underhand activity, such as disguise, burglary or deception

Wilderness Skill (WS): This covers the characters ability to operate in the wilderness and covers everything from scouting, tracking, hunting, foraging, farming and dealing with dangerous animals.

Characters must now assign 18 points between their Skills, assigning 0 to 9 in each. These values are modified by their class:


Kai Lord: CS +10, AS +10, TS +10, WS +10
Bor Gunner: CS +10, AS +10, TS +10, WS +10
Brother of the Crystal Star: CS: +5, AS +12, TS +10, WS +8
Border Ranger of the North: CS +10, AS +8, TS +10, WS +12
Herbwarden of Bautaur: CS +5, AS +10, TS +10, WS +12
Ice Barbarian of Kalte: CS +10, AS +5, TS +10, WS +15
Kloon Sage: CS +6, AS +12, TS +10, WS +8
Knight of the White Mountain: CS +12, AS +10, TS +8, WS +10
Magician of Dessi: CS +5, AS +10, TS +10, WS +10
Shadaki Buccaneer: CS +10, AS -8, TS +12, WS +10
Sommlending Knight: CS +12, AS +10, TS +8, WS +10
Telcharim Warrior: CS +10, AS +8, TS +10, WS +12
Vakaros Warrior-Mage: CS +10, AS +10, TS +10, WS +10

Tests

Whenever a test is called for, the Gm determines what Skill is appropriate, and sets a difficulty, rated from 10 (extremely easy) to 30 (extremely hard) treating 20 as an average difficulty. Pick a number from the random number table, adding it to your Skill. If this equals or exceeds the tasks difficulty, the task succeeds. A result of 0 counts as a zero for all tasks, as normal. Optionally, if you roll a 9, roll again and add to your total.


The normal Discipline bonuses apply to rolls, where appropriate.

For example, Bright Fox has CS 15, AS 13, TS 14 and WS 16. He is 5th rank, and has the Disciplines Tracking, Camouflage, Weaponskill, Hunting and Animal Kinship.

Bright Fox finds himself in a forest near a Giak war party and attempts to sneak into an ambush position. This requires a Wilderness Skill roll. with a difficulty of 22, being a difficult task. Fortunately he may add 16, plus half his rank (2) for his Camouflage discipline, so needs 4 or more to pull it off.

 

[Random Code]

Personally, I also give all classes a Willpower stat even if their disciplines don't use it as there may be occassions when I like to roll against it in some kind of challenge.

 

[phantomdoodler]

Seems like a good idea. I guess willpower could be used to resist fear or horror etc

 

[Random Code]

Those were the kind of things I use it for... Also, mental suggestion, etc.

 

[Hellebore]

Not bad, although given the theme of the stats in the game I'm not sure if they entirely fit.

Wilderness Skill for example seems to be covered by the hunting discipline for the kai - if you don't have that you don't have wilderness skills.

Currently the game has hit points and fighting ability, I think that something like 'Social Skill' is more in keeping with the CS design in the game. CS covers most physical skills as well as combat so anything else needs to fill the gaps.

Then any disciplines you possess become 'skills' in those areas.

So with the above a character has: Combat Skill (Physical ability), Social Skill (Interaction ability) and Endurance Points. Willpower for extras.


Hellebore