Character building and skill advances in T5.09

[dalthor]

I've been thinking about skill progression in T5.09 with an eye toward "fast" character generation.

Some baseline items to start --

- Per page 113, in the benchmarks section, in general a character receives one level of some skill in each year of his or her life
- Depending on career and roll, I've seen up to 3 skill levels in one year, and possibly FOUR! For example, a character goes to flight school, and gains 3 levels in Pilot for that year for that assignment. He could also receive one for that CAREER year, too, since the career year itself could grant one skill level.
- Default skills are still used

Now the fun part. Rather than a standard career, I want to custom design my PC. I've got some basic ideas on progression.

- The player must have a rational character profile with background and development plan required (basically a custom career)
- Allow one skill per year starting at age 18. Prior to that, it is general education, and skills based on homeworld.
- Allow +1 skill level per year for Int 10+
- Allow +1 additional skill level per year at Edu 12+

- Possibly develop a generic risk/reward process

The player can spend those skill levels as desired, subject to referee approval, and some logical constraints -- a high school dropout skipping around the universe is unlikely to learn Battlesuit.

Builds a bit more interest, and a bit more character bonding, so to speak, than random rolls.

Anyway, I'd appreciate some thoughts on this. I'm looking to intro T5 to some new recruits, and I plan to do something like this as we build their characters.

 

[Ackehece]

Thoughts on your idea.

I Think that a GM should play and lead the game as they please. That said I strongly disagree as I think it creates an overbalance situation.

I've been thinking about skill progression in T5.09 with an eye toward "fast" character generation.

Some baseline items to start --

- Per page 113, in the benchmarks section, in general a character receives one level of some skill in each year of his or her life
- Depending on career and roll, I've seen up to 3 skill levels in one year, and possibly FOUR! For example, a character goes to flight school, and gains 3 levels in Pilot for that year for that assignment. He could also receive one for that CAREER year, too, since the career year itself could grant one skill level.
- Default skills are still used

Flight school is considered a special situation, you literally breathe, sleep, eat flying during that time, you also do not get other skills during that time period as you are not in that career (you are in school) during that period. This is considered intensive training

Higher Education is quite obvious that it is one skill per year.
Basic Education grants 2 skills per year.

Skills for promotion, and reward skills are just that, reward skills not a common occurrence
​

Now the fun part. Rather than a standard career, I want to custom design my PC. I've got some basic ideas on progression.

- The player must have a rational character profile with background and development plan required (basically a custom career)
- Allow one skill per year starting at age 18. Prior to that, it is general education, and skills based on homeworld.

you could also grant an apprenticeship if you want to start at 18 with a +4 skill or knowledge, Also background skills and hobby skills but what I would not do is add extra skills for edu and int as edu already has the skills built in from doing college, university etc, and int has the benefit already of allowing easier passing of education courses and allowing easier career entry, task resolution, and career rewards. Makes the Stat to powerful ​

- Allow +1 skill level per year for Int 10+
- Allow +1 additional skill level per year at Edu 12+

- Possibly develop a generic risk/reward process

The player can spend those skill levels as desired, subject to referee approval, and some logical constraints -- a high school dropout skipping around the universe is unlikely to learn Battlesuit.

Builds a bit more interest, and a bit more character bonding, so to speak, than random rolls.

Anyway, I'd appreciate some thoughts on this. I'm looking to intro T5 to some new recruits, and I plan to do something like this as we build their characters.