[UA] RE: Varying skill costs . . .

[Mattias Östklint]

I wouldn't use variable skill points. The trick to balance it is
"penumbra". I think "Distracting Breast Implants (45)" has pretty
interesting penumbra. If you feel the need to make it more powerful, give
it a wider penumbra. This skill should probably include: seduction,
make-up, fashion, dress for the occasion, find discount, getting past
security and give you the ability to hide a surprisingly big gun on your
person.

seems useful...


Message: 5
Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 16:12:55 -0500
From: "Susan Dohnim" <bibadoo at hotmail.com>
Subject: [UA] Varying skill costs . . .
To: ua at lists.unknown-armies.com
Message-ID: <Law10-F845Bl8LgFuoe000521a5 at hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

I don't think I've seen this mentioned before, so here goes --

Do any UA GMs out there play with skill costs? Usually, 1XP = 1Skill Point.

The fact is, though, that some skills are incredibly more valuable than
others. "Distracting Breast Implants (45)" is a fun skill, but in most
cases
it's just not going to rank up there in importance with "Notice" or
"Gunplay" or "Initiative" or, of course, Avatar/Adept skills.

Of course, I hasten to point out that a given skill's usefulness will vary
depending on the character of the game. In a primarly investigative game,
Notice and Charm will be exceedingly important. In a more combat-centered
game, combat skills are more important. In a lot of UA games that have a
decent amount of both, both will prove useful.

But "Distracting Breast Implants" and "Squirrely Reflexes" and "Big and
Hard
to Move" and "Know a Language" and "Hold Your Breath" are never going to
match up with any of them, except in the oddest and most specialized of
campaigns.


This general skill flexibility is nice when creating NPCs, but for PCs --
well, I was wondering whether anyone out there has changed the system. One
possibility is to make certain skills cheaper to start with/buy. Another is

to create a list of "lesser" skills that one only needs to hit a certain
level before they work all the time. If you have "Spanish: 5" then you know

Spanish. If you have "Big and Hard to Move: 15" then you automatically
succeed in resisting being moved unless your opponent beat his Struggle
roll
to move you by 20+, or somesuch.


I'm probably more sensitive to this because I'm playing a character right
now who has practically no mojo, and I feel guilty squeezing every single
one of my skill points into the "prime" skills -- but on the other hand I
kind of have to because I can't control/explode people with the Power of my

Mind. I'm wondering if there's a fix that doesn't violate the KISS
principal.

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