Max skill level

[CosmicGamer]

On page 56 it discusses skills and says "A Traveller with level 4 or 5 is probably both well-respected and well-known in his field."

How did someone get level 5 when page 16 says "Once a skill has reached level 4, any additional increases are lost."

 

[-Daniel-]

On page 56 it discusses skills and says "A Traveller with level 4 or 5 is probably both well-respected and well-known in his field."

How did someone get level 5 when page 16 says "Once a skill has reached level 4, any additional increases are lost."

Page 16 is referring to the Character Generation process. It never says an NPC couldn't have reached level 5 or that a character couldn't train later on for level 5.

However on a related subject, I wish they would cap skills at level 5 and not leave it vague as it is now.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Later training can get you to level 5. Or some uplifting.

 

[-Daniel-]

Later training can get you to level 5. Or some uplifting.

True, even higher without a stated skill level cap.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

We'll have to wait and see what the Traveller Companion has to say about all the various skill limit options to use.

 

[-Daniel-]

We'll have to wait and see what the Traveller Companion has to say about all the various skill limit options to use.

True, while some of us have received a portion to see and work with, there is more to come. Good point. 8)

 

[vladthemad]

However on a related subject, I wish they would cap skills at level 5 and not leave it vague as it is now.

Well, that's what we're all here for, to discuss what's wrong and what's right before it goes to print! Was five the limit in the CT or 1st ed MGT? I never saw a hard limit in MGT but it was pretty unlikely to get to 5. I don't think any of my players ever managed a skill of 5 before. Previously post character creation training was pretty time consuming and not likely to allow many games during a campaign. The new rules though seem set up to allow very quick training.

 

[-Daniel-]

I never saw a hard limit in MGT...

Maybe I am wrong then, if no upper limit seems fine with others, than so be it.

... but it was pretty unlikely to get to 5.

I have had a Marine character get to Gun Combat 3 in their first term. One for reaching Rank 0, one for their training roll, and one for their advancement to Rank 1. Had he rolled right he could have gotten the fourth in the skill he receives for advancing but he didn't. However, if he goes three more terms what are the odds he will get two more? Not as long as some keep saying.

The new rules though seem set up to allow very quick training.

Yes, and thus my concern. But I get that others such as you and Shawn are not as concerned as I am so maybe I am over thinking it.

 

[vladthemad]

I only said I never saw an upper limit in the original MGT, doesn't mean I didn't miss it somewhere. I know it was discussed on the forums though, and might have become one of those assumed vs. explicit rules a lot of people seem to follow.

I didn't mean to imply getting to level 5 didn't happen, only that it's not that likely to happen. A lot of the commonly used skills also have specializations too...so even if you gain five points in gun combat or engineering, you *should* split them up into different specialties. Your player though obviously created a character that was a sniper in the marines!

Also, I am concerned over the speed with which you do learn skills post chargen, it is too fast and agree it needs to be tweaked.

 

[-Daniel-]

Your player though obviously created a character that was a sniper in the marines!

That was not his intent at first, but once the dice gave him that, he did shift his thinking and that is what he did. Not real helpful on the ship, but kept the others covered real nice. :lol:

 

[phavoc]

We'll have to wait and see what the Traveller Companion has to say about all the various skill limit options to use.

Not everyone is going to buy the Companion book, so whatever is in the CRB needs to stand on it's own. So either 4 is the limit, or 5 is the limit. This can be easily fixed by clarifying the skill levels in CRB so there isn't any question.

And the Companion can offer some alternatives or options, but allow the CRB skill definition to remain the accepted norm. Having a skill level of 5 would be an exceptional skill level (which relates to the "known" comment in the rules).

It may be that only NPC's should have level 5 to allow for story lines and such. And adventurer would be too busy adventuring to stop and study and train to get a level 5 skill.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

We'll have to wait and see what the Traveller Companion has to say about all the various skill limit options to use.

Not everyone is going to buy the Companion book, so whatever is in the CRB needs to stand on it's own. So either 4 is the limit, or 5 is the limit. This can be easily fixed by clarifying the skill levels in CRB so there isn't any question.

And the Companion can offer some alternatives or options, but allow the CRB skill definition to remain the accepted norm. Having a skill level of 5 would be an exceptional skill level (which relates to the "known" comment in the rules).

It may be that only NPC's should have level 5 to allow for story lines and such. And adventurer would be too busy adventuring to stop and study and train to get a level 5 skill.

The "limit" is whatever your character has after chargen. If you can achieve Level 5 in a skill using chargen, more power to you. You are the cream of the crop. The Skill Limit on page 16 is probably just a typo. Should be a 5 instead of a 4. Like anyone will get a 4 even during chargen. Such worry about a limit you'll likely not reach anyway unless you fudge dice rolls.

 

[-Daniel-]

The "limit" is whatever your character has after chargen. If you can achieve Level 5 in a skill using chargen, more power to you. You are the cream of the crop. The Skill Limit on page 16 is probably just a typo. Should be a 5 instead of a 4. Like anyone will get a 4 even during chargen. Such worry about a limit you'll likely not reach anyway unless you fudge dice rolls.

Shawn, so you are saying the section on page 16 where it clearly says that during CharGen the limit is 4 is wrong?

Skill Limits
A skill may never be increased beyond level 4 during
Traveller creation. Once a skill has reached level 4, any
additional increases are lost.

Not that many of the characters I have created could break that anyway, but just saying, I took it as written with the assumption that a Character could move up to a level 5 using after career training.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I think it's just a typo from an alpha draft. I'm sure it will get fixed. Or... everything else will get changed so that Level 5 is very unlikely, and 4 stays as the limit. But Mongoose Traveller has always been a Level 5 game for the extremely lucky chargen. So I'm thinking 5 will be the official limit at chargen time. During Connections, is there a chance to change a 4 to a 5?