[Rq-rules] Previous Experience

[Niall C. Shapero]

> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 02:21:06 -0800 (PST)
> From: Lev Lafayette <lev_lafayette at yahoo.com.au>
> Subject: Re: [Rq-rules] Re: Background Experience
> To: "Discussion of RuneQuest rules." <rq-rules at crashbox.com>
> Message-ID: <896364.64337.qm at web33512.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
>
> --- alan richards <alanjrichards at googlemail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > >
> > > From: Lev Lafayette <lev_lafayette at yahoo.com.au
> > >
> > >
> > > I've never been entirely happy with the background
> > > experience system in RQ III. This is simply
> > because
> > > the percentages are static (30 percentiles per
> > annum)
> > > regardless of capacity and ability to learn, and
> > the
> > > gains are likewise static (30 percentiles to
> > skills
> > > rating 05% or 60%).
> > >
> > > The following is a simple modification I've added
> > that
> > > seems to be working without much trouble.
> > >
> > > For every year of the chararacter's life over 15
> > they
> > > receive INT*2+POW skill points (average 30).
> > >
> > > They also receive the equivalent of 3 years worth
> > for
> > > the period prior to 15 (I don't have automatic
> > > percentages for cultural skills - these two have
> > to
> > > purchased).
> > >
> > > Skills may be purchased at a 1:1 basis to 50%, 1:2
> > > basis to 75%, 1:3 basis to 90% and 1:4 basis from
> > then
> > > on.
> > >
> > > It's pretty quick 'n' easy and seems to work.
> > >
> > > Any thoughts?
> > >
> >
> >
> > 1. I am a big fan of starting background experience
> > at age 10 not 15. And
> > likewise not inflating cultural skills. (Query: In
> > canon RQIII I think that
> > only Weapon Skills have a cultural base all others
> > are common to all members
> > of a species?)
>
> True that.
>
> > I usually insist that the 5 Years
> > between 10 and 15 are spent
> > in a randomly rolled background and the 'standard'
> > 2d6* years may be spent
> > in a background (or backgrounds) of the player's
> > choice.
> >
> > *actually 2d6-2 as I roll human age as 2d6+13. There
> > is no compelling reason
> > for this the spread is just more pleasing to my eye.
>
> That's probably not so bad either.
>
> > 2. (Int+Int+Pow) points per year instead of 30.
> > It doesn't float my boat.
> > For a start 'average human' Int in RQIII is 13 so
> > your 'average' human
> > character would have 36 points per year not 30. So
> > only use this if you want
> > to inflate the number of skill points received
> > (which is not necessarily a
> > bad thing).
> > Secondly it seems clunky to me.
>
> How is it clunky? It just means that they have a
> variable number of skill points to spend rather than a
> fixed amount.
>
> Not everyone learns at the same rate and it's probably
> largely due to intelligence and partially due to
> motivation (POW).
>
> > I suppose I'd prefer (Int x3) points per year. But
> > that is even worse in
> > terms of inflating skill points(!)
> >
> > Inspired by the old RQIV:AiG (Adventures in
> > Abbreviations) I like being able
> > to start characters off at different levels of
> > experience and power. And do
> > this by varying how many skill points a character
> > has per year over 10 (or
> > 15 if you prefer)
> >
> > Untrained         0  (they're like untrained dude)
> > Novice             15
> > Trained            30
> > Skilled             45
> > Expert             60
> > Master             75
>
> I'd rather use these as representative of power level
> (which they are very good at).
>
> > 3. 1:1 basis to 50%, 1:2 basis to 75%, 1:3 basis to
> > 90% and 1:4 basis from
> > then on.
> > Blurgh, Yuck. I hate it. I must be missing something
> > here coz a rule like
> > this seems to find its way into most people's House
> > Rules for RQIII. I
> > really cannot be bothered with double-entry book
> > keeping. That being said
> > your version seems to be as good as any other.
>
> I've encountered versions which are harder ;-)
>
> The basic idea is that skills are relatively easy to
> pick up and get harder as the percentages go up. Not
> something really simulated in the current (RQ III)
> occupational experience rules.
>
> And I must say that I'm thoroughly charmed by the fact
> that one can still reasonably call RQ III "current"
> without sounding silly after 22 years!
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Lev

One system I developed as a quick and dirty previous experience for OTHER
SUNS (and is quite applicable, I think, to RQ as well) is to allow 100
"skill points" per year of experience/training.  Then allow trades of skill
points for percentage points of skill at a rate of 1:1 up to 50% skill, 2:1
up to 75%, 4:1 up to 100%, then 8:1 above 100%.  This assumes "full time"
spent learning.  If you're assuming an "apprenticeship" system where there's
a lot of work in addition to learning, 50 "skill points" per year might be
more appropriate.

This means that with two years at the 100 skill points/year rate you're
going to have at least one skill at the 100% level (six months/50 points to
get to 50%, six months/50 points to get to 75%, one year/100 points to get
to 100%).  Double the time, obviously, if it's going at 50 points/year.  Too
fast, you say?  Well, remember that the individual is going to need several
skills and a "good" master might insist on a reasonably "even" development
of key skills.  So a soldier might be trained (in an RQ environment) in
sword attack/parry (two skills), shield parry, sense ambush, set ambush,
move quietly, hide in cover (7 skills).  With an apprenticeship lasting
from, say, age 13 to age 18 (500 skill points, divided among 7 skills, or
roughly 72 points per skill) this would give a "starting" character roughly
61% in each of those skills (assuming that you've gone to a true 1D100
system, rather than the 1D20 represented by "all skills are in 5%
increments", and assuming that the character has no bonuses in any of the
categories into which these seven skills fall).

This also results in no battle magic for the starting character, but I'm
sure a few tweaks might be added to equate battle magic points to, say, so
many skill points (25?  50? Whatever might be appropriate to produce the
desired amount of battle magic in starting characters for your campaign).

-- Niall C. Shapero