Character Advancement

[casquilho]

I was in a conversation where someone brought up the character advancement “system” in MGT and asked “is that all there is?” So I wanted to get your guys thoughts on character advancement. What are you going to use/do? Will you use something original you made up, use something from a past edition, or leave it alone?

Daniel

 

[GypsyComet]

By "advancement" you mean the experience system for skill improvement?

The strong CT flavor of the game means that a lot of the old players really don't need a rigorous experience system; they're getting the expected experienced character out of character generation.

If I wanted to make what is presented a bit more rigorous, I'd consider replacing "weeks" with Referee-metered EXP, and/or attach some sort of rolls to the process.

Traveller, and especially something strongly like CT, really doesn't need a strong book-keeping mechanic attached to in-game experience.

 

[Echo]

You can learn new skills by setting time aside for your character to learn them. The more experienced you are, the longer it takes to learn new skills (an old dog can't learn new tricks).

The real development 'drive' in the Traveller game though isn't aquiring new 'powers', as in D&D, it's in accumulating wealth, and the social power that brings along with it.

 

[Kobold Curry Chef]

Gaining levels in skills in mere weeks doesn't match up well with the "long view" of time in chargen, especially when characters tend to spend so much time in jumpspace with relatively little to do. Since each level is a pretty hefty jump in skill, I'd want to change that from weeks to months, at least. Get it out of the realm of "adventuring time" and into the realm of "stuff you do when the referee wants to jump the campaign forward a year or two."

 

[casquilho]

Gaining levels in skills in mere weeks doesn't match up well with the "long view" of time in chargen, especially when characters tend to spend so much time in jumpspace with relatively little to do. Since each level is a pretty hefty jump in skill, I'd want to change that from weeks to months, at least. Get it out of the realm of "adventuring time" and into the realm of "stuff you do when the referee wants to jump the campaign forward a year or two."

After I reread that section on skill increasement I am leaving it at weeks. The formula is weeks x (present skill levels of all your skills+the level you wish to have). So my three term Marine who has 12 levels of skills and wants her Tactics to go to a 2 would need 12+2=14 weeks or 3 and a half months to get a single level of a single skill. If you make it months then it is now over a year in game time to improve a single skill.

Keeping in mind that 3 and a half month number in mind: My last game lasted over a year in real time, but when I looked back at game time, it was less then four months of game time. So that Marine would have gained 1 skill level in a year of real play. Not a large amount to be honest.

To be fair to you though, I have never jumped a campaign forward a year or two just saying it has passed. So if you do that then I can see where you may still want to change it to months.

Daniel

 

[Klaus]

That's weeks of training, too, isn't it? Doesn't include the day job (unless it does!!).

Could a merchant crewman count weeks in jump toward his training total? Probably if he was training for Engineering (Life Support), but what about Advocate? Does a weeks heavy partying count toward Carouse?

I'm also assuming bonus weeks can be added as a kind of XP.

I think the system is basically sound, but it needs more commentary or exposition.

 

[casquilho]

That's weeks of training, too, isn't it? Doesn't include the day job (unless it does!!).

That is a good point, the ability to train and spend time focused on a skill may not always be there. The character has more things to do etc.

Daniel

 

[Kobold Curry Chef]

Yeah, it appears I misread the example on the length of time it takes to increase skills.

What's still not clear is the whole "day job" thing. We've always played Traveller such that being in jump meant having quite a bit of free time. (In fact, a lot of our role-playing was based on that fact, heh.) If jumpspace doesn't give you enough free time for effective study, then the rules would work for me.

 

[elstreak72]

Yeah, it appears I misread the example on the length of time it takes to increase skills.

What's still not clear is the whole "day job" thing. We've always played Traveller such that being in jump meant having quite a bit of free time. (In fact, a lot of our role-playing was based on that fact, heh.) If jumpspace doesn't give you enough free time for effective study, then the rules would work for me.

I don't have a problem with the characters having enough free time in jumpspace to advance their skills. A 4-term character will usually need 12 weeks or more to pick up a new skill at level 0 based on their current skill total, so with the typical "one week in jumpspace/one week in realspace" schedule starships tend to keep, that character will only advance two skills per year. And he'll only get slower.

 

[Berg]

If I wanted to make what is presented a bit more rigorous, I'd consider replacing "weeks" with Referee-metered EXP, and/or attach some sort of rolls to the process...

You could add a die roll component like...

You have to roll over the skill level being attempted on 1D6, or another block of time is required.

For skill level one it's easy, but to get a level 4 or 5...