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CRMcNeill
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 Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 12:39 am Post subject: Alternate Rules for Specialization |
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In the Classic Heroes netbook, there is an optional rule listed for specializations, whereby a specialization costs a flat rate of 10 CP, and provides a flat +2D bonus on top of the base skill. While I like this as a basic concept, there is one shortcoming that is not addressed, neither in the RAW or the optional rule. Specifically, when choosing to specialize, there is no incentive to take a narrow focus, as any wise player would want his character's CP to get the biggest bang for their buck.
For example, why specialize in Blaster: Blastech DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol when you can just specialize in Blaster: Heavy Blaster Pistol and be equally proficient in all heavy Blaster Pistol types for the same CP cost?
My idea is to provide some incentive to players to narrow their focus by increasing the specialization bonus as the focus of the specialization narrows. The criteria and bonuses would be as followsGeneral category = +2D
Specific Model or Scenario = +3D
Unique = +4D
For example, Han Solo could specialize in Space Transports: Light Freighters for a +2D bonus, Space Transports: YT-1300 for a +3D bonus or Space Transports: Millennium Falcon for a +4D bonus. All three classifications would cost the same (10 CP), but to get a higher bonus, the player must accept that the bonus will not be useful in as great a variety of situations as a lesser bonus.
Thoughts?
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garhkal
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| Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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If anything i would see the narrower focus be more costly.. So 10cp for the base spec, 15 for the specific one and 20cp for the last level.
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garhkal
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| Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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Also one thing you need to address, do they still have to improve the specialty on it's OWN, or does it go up if they improve the base skill?
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shootingwomprats
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| Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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My current rule is that specialization gives a one time +1D to a skill and costs normal to improve. I ask characters to narrow the specialization down to a type and model.
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:30 am Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | | If anything i would see the narrower focus be more costly.. So 10cp for the base spec, 15 for the specific one and 20cp for the last level. |
I considered that, but decided against it. My thinking is that 10CP equals a set value of time spent studying, so if you spend a month studying heavy blaster pistols of all types, you will end up with a scope of knowledge that has breadth at the expense of depth. However, if you spend that month focusing on a specific model of heavy Blaster Pistol, you're going to have greater knowledge of that particular model, but not so much of other heavy Blaster pistols.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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CRMcNeill
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Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:31 am Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | | Also one thing you need to address, do they still have to improve the specialty on it's OWN, or does it go up if they improve the base skill? |
10 CP buys the flat bonus based on the degree of specialization. Any further improvement would have to be done through the basic skill.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| shootingwomprats wrote: | | My current rule is that specialization gives a one time +1D to a skill and costs normal to improve. I ask characters to narrow the specialization down to a type and model. |
I considered chopping the bonus to 1D/2D/3D, but I don't think Knowledge subsets can be so easily classified into big or little. Plus, having multiple layers works well with WEG's character stats, where characters have multiple specializations with varying degrees of focus.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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garhkal
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| crmcneill wrote: | | garhkal wrote: | | Also one thing you need to address, do they still have to improve the specialty on it's OWN, or does it go up if they improve the base skill? |
10 CP buys the flat bonus based on the degree of specialization. Any further improvement would have to be done through the basic skill. |
That's a lot different than the RAW on spec, where once you get the spec, you raise IT at half cost, but if you raise the base skill, the spec doesn't go up..
interesting.
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jmanski
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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I've been pondering the idea of having specializations work like Advanced skills. For instance Blaster: Heavy Blaster would look like such:
Dex: 4d, Blaster 5d, Heavy Blaster +1d.
The net effect being 5d for blasters and 6d for heavy blasters.
An increase in Blaster would be as normal with no effect on Heavy Blaster, and the increase in Heavy Blaster would have no effect on Blaster.
I haven't decided on whether the specialization should be double cost like an advanced skill or not.
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Whill
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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| jmanski wrote: | I've been pondering the idea of having specializations work like Advanced skills. For instance Blaster: Heavy Blaster would look like such:
Dex: 4d, Blaster 5d, Heavy Blaster +1d.
The net effect being 5d for blasters and 6d for heavy blasters.
An increase in Blaster would be as normal with no effect on Heavy Blaster, and the increase in Heavy Blaster would have no effect on Blaster.
I haven't decided on whether the specialization should be double cost like an advanced skill or not. |
But increasing the base skill would still effect using the specialty. An increase on Blaster still would still help Heavy Blaster because Heavy Blaster is +1D to whatever Blaster is. Which is ok if you want to do it that way, just sayin'. Since the specialty skills would be lower die values, and also be more valuable since improving the base skill would likewise increase all specialties for that skill in total dice rolled, I would make the cost to increase specialties more than RAW if using this.
Hmm, this gets me thinking. I've been considering doing away with advanced skills and instead just having some skills and/or specializations have an unskilled penalty (while most skills still default as normal).
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jmanski
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| Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, Advanced skills never did sit quite right with me.
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| jmanski wrote: | I've been pondering the idea of having specializations work like Advanced skills. For instance Blaster: Heavy Blaster would look like such:
Dex: 4d, Blaster 5d, Heavy Blaster +1d.
The net effect being 5d for blasters and 6d for heavy blasters.
An increase in Blaster would be as normal with no effect on Heavy Blaster, and the increase in Heavy Blaster would have no effect on Blaster. |
The only thing I don't like about this (and with my own idea, to a lesser extent) is that knowledge is not so easily sub-divided into completely separate groups. Specializing in Heavy Blaster Pistol or generalizing in Blaster would not eliminate all overlap, by which I mean that, just because one is learning more about blaster weapons does not mean that that knowledge won't carry over into sub-sets of that knowledge (i.e. specializing in Heavy Blaster Pistols does not make heavy blaster pistols become something other than blasters).
| Quote: | | I haven't decided on whether the specialization should be double cost like an advanced skill or not. |
I'd say no. Advanced skills tend to be either broader scopes of knowledge or higher level, so an added CP cost makes sense. With this, we are talking about smaller, more specific knowledge sets, so charging a higher cost to learn less doesn't make sense.
I've always thought Advanced skills were underutilized, myself. IMO, the CP cost is a bit much for them to be truly useful on their own, but they can make a real difference when combined with their prerequisites.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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jmanski
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| Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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I've been thinking along the same lines, have the specialization increase like a normal skill.
In my mind this would allow (and maybe encourage) more specialization, which I think is lacking.
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garhkal
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| Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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I see plenty of people specialize, allowing it to get boosted when the base skill gets raised will just make that even more encouraging.
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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| garhkal wrote: | | I see plenty of people specialize, allowing it to get boosted when the base skill gets raised will just make that even more encouraging. |
That's part of why I capped it, with a maximum of +4D for specializing in a unique skill or object.
How about this:-Use jmanski's idea of using specialties as a modifier to the base skill rather than a separate skill.
-Rather than charging 1/2 CP value to increase a specialization, you pay full price, but use the number in front of the specialty modifier to set CP cost.
-Specialties can be improved up to the maximum modifier value I put in the first post (2D, 3D or 4D, depending on how narrow the focus of the specialization is).
-Once the maximum modifier is reached, all further improvement must be done by improving the base skill.
So, for example, a smuggler character with Space Transports 6D and a modified YT-1300 (the Bum Rush) could increase Space Transports: Light Freighters to a maximum of +2D, Space Transports:YT-1300 to +3D, and Space Transports: Bum Rush to +4D.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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