Wielding the Axe

[contracycle]

OK, so I downloaded the charsheet and took a look.  My first response is "too many attributes".  This means I'm probably going to have a go at a TROS Lite after hacking off some bits of the mechanic.  So i have a couple of questions:

1) what do you think is the conceptuakl core, the skeletal minimum that must be retained?

2) what is the distribution of frequency in the use of attributes as they stand?  which attributes are used most, which least?

Ta.

[Bob Richter]

OK, so I downloaded the charsheet and took a look.  My first response is "too many attributes".  This means I'm probably going to have a go at a TROS Lite after hacking off some bits of the mechanic.  So i have a couple of questions:

1) what do you think is the conceptuakl core, the skeletal minimum that must be retained?

2) what is the distribution of frequency in the use of attributes as they stand?  which attributes are used most, which least?

Ta.

1) Well, that depends on what you're using it for, I guess. All of the Attributes are used at some point or another, and none of them really overlap.

2) That depends on what you're doing with them.

If you do a lot of melee fighting, your AG and WT will get the strongest workout (as they factor into Reflex and your combat pool,) followed by ST and TO. HT is use for bleeding, so it's probably important too.

If you do a lot of ranged fighting, your AG, Per, and WT all get a good workout (AG and Per factor into your MP, while WT determines the refresh rate thereof.) TO will come into play on one side or another (and maybe even HT too,) while ST determines whether or not you can really use the weapon.

So if you just want the combat system, there it is, more or less.

But as soon as you venture outside the lines, things like MA, EN, and Soc start to be really important.

[Jaif]

If I were working side-by-side with the developer from inception, I would have resisted splitting what's typically "constitution" in other systems into toughness-endurance-health.  I'm not saying that these aren't reasonable distinctions, just that it's a bit much for a game.

On the mental side, I think all are important for the full flavor.  However, I could see the argument for removing perception as an attribute, and introducing it into the system in other ways.  That's an old debate (how to handle perception), and I'm in the camp that says make it an attribute and roll a lot, but I do see the other side of things.

-Jeff

[Jake Norwood]

FOr an ultra-minimist approach you could just split it between Physcial and Mental and leave it at that.
For a 6-attribute approach you could combine EN, TO, and HT into "constitution," and MA, Per, and Wit into "Wisdom". Hey-then you could re-name Social "charisma!" (just joshing you, contra).
The derived attributes could then be figured from these values very quickly.

Jake

[contracycle]

Cool.  Could I write the derived attributes as stats directly?