[UA] Varying skill costs . . .

[Susan Dohnim]

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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