Chapter Two covers how to make a Tellings character from Attribute generation through an Example of Character Creation. For the most part, the chapter can stand except for a revision to the Example of Character Creation and thinking about a few of the Attributes. Here are the chapter headings and the revision possibilities are (*) asterisked:
Generating ATTR Scores
Attribute Descriptions & Information
Agility
Charisma
Constitution
Dexterity
Essence
Knowledge
Perception *
Strength *
Given the fact that I have not played Tellings consistently in a while, now that I am running a table regularly, I am finding combat to be a little slower than I remember it. Actions happen less often than I recall. This might be because a) I am not used to it and b) starting characters are a little on the slow side (without any increased ATTRs or EASE skill levels).Experience and ATTR-Gained *
I am considering modifying either the PER INIT bases (probably not) or Weapon Ease scores.
Moreover, starting characters seem to have difficulty with penetrating armor. Again, I doubt this will be solved by changing STR DAMAGE bases, but rather it might mean bumping Weapon Damage up a point.
I am going to look at the whole ATTR-gained system. I still like the idea of power levels and caps being based on ATTR-gained, but it needs some smoothing out. This will be handled moreso in Chapter Nine.Generating Body Points (BODYpts) and Endurance Points (ENDpts)
An Example of Character Creation *
This section is useful but needs an overhaul (especially if rules change). Mainly, the character needs updating, the character sheet scans need cleaning up, and I have to make sure everything adds up correctly.
10 comments:
I remember my characters attacking every 3 segments. We went to great lengths to ensure that we attacked often as possible and did not incur undue penalties (tweaked our str to buy down init and all that and selected weapons that fit our abilities).
As far as penetrating armor, did your characters select bad weapons or are your NPC's overgeared? I don't remember this being a particular problem but if people are using light weapons they need to make sure they use coordinate and those kinds of tactics.
Those are my recollections. I don't remember having those problems when we played here.
Currently, I think most everyone has a PER of 12, which gives them an INIT base of 4. STR reductions help only with lowering their Weapon EASE. So, if they roll above their total score, they default to BASE. I think I'm just forgetting that we played mostly in medianhood, which allowed for the buying up of PER and Haste magics and such.
I think this is the same problem with damage. It basically makes me think about starting characters a little more. An average character with a STR of 12 has a Damage BASE of 4. Even with a Long Sword, which has a Damage Score of 7, they're doing 1d10+1 damage. Against someone in chain (CUT def of 8), they'd have to roll a 8, 9, or 10 to do any damage.
Any melee character I remember playing amped their Per so that they had a base of 3 but I understand your idea. You are looking at average stats and how they play out.
Yeah, we spent the bulk of our time in Median. So, how do you help Startling characters without making median and major that much stronger? I felt like median was well balanced when we played.
to be fair, it doesn't help that our group rolls as badly as any I've ever been a part of, but I do think that part of it is that the majority of our party is more on the light/quick/magey/assassin side, which means that our weapons don't tend to be as heavy as they could be ... plus we're still inexperienced enough that I'm not sure we're all playing our characters to their abilities. It does seem a wee bit slow in combat, though.
I don't think the problem here is with the system so much as the power gamers of the past. If you make armor less effective or weapons do more damage then the power gamers gain even more benefit from maxing Per and Str and breaking the magic damage number of 10 in order to prevent returning to base damage.
I think adjusting things up to make it easier for more average characters (with stats spread more even then the 15 per, 15 str, 10int 10 cha type) to do more damage and penetrate more armor with have greater repercussions when the power gamer uses it to their advantage.
Well, one of the things that I'm thinking through -- and everyone's comments are helpful -- is to consider the skill-based characters perspective -- 'straight' warriors and rogue types.
This is also primarily a CUT damage/defense issue, I think.
Shifting damage up by 1, even for cutting, has some issues. It boils down to: should a great sword do as much damage as a great axe?
Now that I look at the numbers... it would throw a lot of things off...
I might change
Short Sword: 5/3 instead of 5/2
Bastard Sword +2 DS (length) if used 2-handed
So, based on your last post, you don't think it's systemic, just a couple of weapons need tweaks?
Should starting characters be fighting bad guys in chain?
Skinner: I think if I change some things it might require a more systemic change and I am loathe to do that. So, I am through whether I want to go through that rigamaroll.
Shawn: This is part of the issue. The weapon system should be realistic enough that people should be able to damage common armors. If a starting character can wear chain, why wouldn't they encounter it?
As Mike said, part of the issue is poor rolling.
But I think this can be resolved by thinking about CUT damage (because I think PRC and IMP are okay) and with a shift in the "levels of power" design, caps, and such. Even allowing a starting character to buy a +1 Damage Level helps tremendously.
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