Testing SAs (Split from "Negative Review")

[Bob Richter]

There is the further question of what your character finds tempting, though.

What if, for example, drink holds no appeal at all for your character? Should a WP roll be required in that case?

Isn't that a kind of Advantage, when you come right down to it? How would it be reflected in the rules?

[Ian.Plumb]

Hi,

There is the further question of what your character finds tempting, though.

What if, for example, drink holds no appeal at all for your character? Should a WP roll be required in that case?

Isn't that a kind of Advantage, when you come right down to it? How would it be reflected in the rules?

Ah yes, I can see it now! The crafty player assigns an F to Gifts and Flaws -- one major flaw, one minor flaw. He takes Amputee (Major) and Lecherousness (Minor), and decides to play a heterosexual eunuch. Frustrated he might be but he's beaten the system (the *real* objective of any gamer)...

To answer your question:

In TRoS Core there should be no need to roll unless the character has a defined weakness (such as a flaw or an established character trait) that is relevant in the situation. Should being a Teetotaller be a defined Advantage? Not unless the referee doesn't play any of the negatives of being a Teetotaller.

In our campaign environment Temptation is active and guided. If the character despises alcohol then Gluttony would tempt the character through some other form of excessive consumption. If the situation wasn't a spiritual attack then it would be handled in the same way as the core rules.

Cheers,

[Bill Cook]

How do you generate pro-rated PCs in TRoS? Let's say the player isn't in a position to use the Insight rules but they don't want to play a raw recuit. Would you allocate Insight Points according to a formula of, for example, 2d10 per year over the age of 18 and apply the result to Table 3.5?

Would you use a similar system for the NPCs?

I figured out that Insight bit last night during  play.  My Seneschal has been saying things like, "Ok, Billy, you get +1 for pursuing your destiny," after we finish some sequence.  Turns out you can spend those gains for all manner of advancement.

So it's getting back to D&D-style leveling up.  If your goal as Seneschal is to match challenge to ability, I assume you'll have to eyeball your group's character sheets to create meatier nasties.  I'd do it that way rather than holding to some in house rigor.

[Ian.Plumb]

Hi,

How do you generate pro-rated PCs in TRoS? Let's say the player isn't in a position to use the Insight rules but they don't want to play a raw recuit. Would you allocate Insight Points according to a formula of, for example, 2d10 per year over the age of 18 and apply the result to Table 3.5?

Would you use a similar system for the NPCs?

I figured out that Insight bit last night during  play.  My Seneschal has been saying things like, "Ok, Billy, you get +1 for pursuing your destiny," after we finish some sequence.  Turns out you can spend those gains for all manner of advancement.

So it's getting back to D&D-style leveling up.  If your goal as Seneschal is to match challenge to ability, I assume you'll have to eyeball your group's character sheets to create meatier nasties.  I'd do it that way rather than holding to some in house rigor.

Pro-ration is a reasonably important issue. Sure the referee will invariably fudge the opposition in a combat so that there is a reasonable degree of tension to what should be a climactic scene. Pro-ration though is a wider issue than balancing the opposition.

For instance, at the climax of a scenario a PC is accused of heresy and arrested. Initially he denies the accusation but soon realises denial will result in a far harsher penalty should he be found guilty than immediate renunciation of his heretical ways. So he renounces. His punishment is harsh -- pilgrimage to Rome, Constantinople, Acre, and Jerusalem by land. His political enemies have indeed stitched him up and he'll be out of play for a year or more -- should he survive the journey.

So the PC's pilgrimage is played ex-camera, with periodic notes from the referee to the player in regard to the character's adventures while on pilgrimage. In-camera the player's new character and the rest of the PCs have various adventures. Time passes. 18 months of game time later the pilgrim returns and rejoins the PC group. Much has happened on both sides. But has the pilgrim remained in stasis as far as his skills and proficiencies are concerned?

For NPCs, particularly the NPCs that will be a constant over the length of the campaign, there needs to be some capability to sensibly estimate the level of their skills, attributes, and proficiencies at various stages of their career. This will vary from referee to referee as it will be dependent on the rate of SA acquisition within the referee's own campaign.

Looking at the rules I can't see an obvious way for creating a character and then advancing that character five or ten years. Some sort of guideline would be handy.

Cheers,