discipline
- Thread starter philabbot
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Discipline, IMHO, is used as a limited use Jack of all Trades, and, as such, having it at value 0 does not have game effect. I think you gave a good answer (and don't forget he also smartly salutes an officier, whenever he meets one).
EDIT: If you want to give it some game significance (after all it may be frustrating having useless skills), you may allow characters with discipline skill, even at level 0, a saving throw against frustrating/angering/scaring situations, where other characters are not given it, or are given it at negative modifiers.
EDIT: If you want to give it some game significance (after all it may be frustrating having useless skills), you may allow characters with discipline skill, even at level 0, a saving throw against frustrating/angering/scaring situations, where other characters are not given it, or are given it at negative modifiers.
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CosmicGamer
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Other than one single occurrence in Psion, I believe discipline only exists in High Guard. In Psion, there is no description of what the skill is.
Gripe 1 - I think that any skill not used in the Core Rules should be described in detail in any publication it is used. For example: Instruction skill originated in Book 2: Mercenary and is described there but it also is in Book 2: High Guard and Book 3: Scouts without any description of what it is or even a reference to what publication the description does occur in.
Gripe 2 - Why is it that an Agent or Merchant or Psion is incapable of Instruction and pretty much only a Navy character has discipline!?
Gripe 3 - These new skills are a bit broken.
Discipline: What do you do with Discipline 0?
Instruction: Compared to training via the Core Rulebook, an instructor only cuts the length of training a few days but now there is a skill check to succeed. No details are given for retrying; Does the character start all over from the beginning? And what does "depending on Timing" mean?
It's interesting that the newer books like Agent, Merchant Prince, and Dilettante didn't incorporate the new skills found in other books. The Interrogation skill seams like a good fit for Book 5: Agent. Other than being an unnecessary skill since it can easily be covered by Persuasion and Deception, it seamed well described without glaring flaws.
[/End Gripes]
For these new skills you may need to make a decision. If you like a new skill, I believe you need to find a way to duplicate them in the other careers so that characters are balanced and compatible. If you don't like a new skill, you can replace them where they show up with another skill well suited to the career.
Personally, I don't care for additional skills. The work trying to integrate it through all the prior and future publications isn't worth it. As pointed out recently by someone in another thread (possibly Icosahedron? sorry if I have the reference wrong) you can easily role play based on the career and a more limited set of skills. A marine with several terms who rose in the ranks to squad leader and platoon leader should have some leadership, admin, and instruction skill whether it shows up on a character sheet or not. The more skills in the game, the more you feel like something can't be done unless you have the skill.
Gripe 1 - I think that any skill not used in the Core Rules should be described in detail in any publication it is used. For example: Instruction skill originated in Book 2: Mercenary and is described there but it also is in Book 2: High Guard and Book 3: Scouts without any description of what it is or even a reference to what publication the description does occur in.
Gripe 2 - Why is it that an Agent or Merchant or Psion is incapable of Instruction and pretty much only a Navy character has discipline!?
Gripe 3 - These new skills are a bit broken.
Discipline: What do you do with Discipline 0?
Discipline can be gained several times in skill tables and events. What does a character with discipline do if they leave the Navy?
Instruction: Compared to training via the Core Rulebook, an instructor only cuts the length of training a few days but now there is a skill check to succeed. No details are given for retrying; Does the character start all over from the beginning? And what does "depending on Timing" mean?
It's interesting that the newer books like Agent, Merchant Prince, and Dilettante didn't incorporate the new skills found in other books. The Interrogation skill seams like a good fit for Book 5: Agent. Other than being an unnecessary skill since it can easily be covered by Persuasion and Deception, it seamed well described without glaring flaws.
[/End Gripes]
For these new skills you may need to make a decision. If you like a new skill, I believe you need to find a way to duplicate them in the other careers so that characters are balanced and compatible. If you don't like a new skill, you can replace them where they show up with another skill well suited to the career.
Personally, I don't care for additional skills. The work trying to integrate it through all the prior and future publications isn't worth it. As pointed out recently by someone in another thread (possibly Icosahedron? sorry if I have the reference wrong) you can easily role play based on the career and a more limited set of skills. A marine with several terms who rose in the ranks to squad leader and platoon leader should have some leadership, admin, and instruction skill whether it shows up on a character sheet or not. The more skills in the game, the more you feel like something can't be done unless you have the skill.
I fully agree here. While giving more skills to a game may seem to detail it more and allowing the players to do more things, in fact it reduces game freedom and abilities of the character. The kind of character you're playing should also mean he has knowledge in some fileds, even if not represented by skills.
As it happens, I agree too - our writers are under instructions (on pain of death) not to add any skills unless they clear it with me first. The Merc writer (and editor) didn't seem to get that memo (ahem). If we were to do a second edition of Merc, those skills would probably disappear...
The current skill range is remarkably flexible. Right now, I am working on a 'Wild West' conversion of Traveller and have so far managed to add... nothing. Just not needed.
(yes, I know this quote is form another thread, but IMHO fits well my point)
Seeing you also played basic D&D, it is a very good example of what I meant. There you had only some basic stats and you're assumed to know many things according to your class (riding for most characters, reading at least for Magic Users and Clerics, etc.).
As AD&D came, you began to be more limited (mostly by weapons proficiencies), but your character still was assumed to know many more things. As it evoluted to newer editions, skills appeared and you character couldn't read unless he choosed that skill, nor ride, nor tracking (except if ranger), etc...
Good call!
Be nice to have some errata on the existing ones, though.
As to Discipline. Mostly that is a character thing, IMO. But, if one wants to make use if it, I can see a Discipline check on certain exceptional actions - where someone has to apply knowledge despite instinct or pain.
Some examples:
- Maintaining a hold on a rope while sliding down bare handed.
- Not grabbing a wooden pole (ala a telephone pole) when falling (broken bones can be better than 8 foot splinters!).
- Not letting go of a burning piece of metal.
Just like with many task checks, I can see alternate skills used (Athletics, etc.) - and overall would prefer not to see a skill used here with the -3 DM, but rather difficulty DMs...
Its not only skill bloat - but counter to Traveller's use of skills and characteristics. The RPG's flavor otherwise keeps character traits roleplayed vs. rolled. [I think the authors crossed paradigms...]
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