Prior History
- Thread starter Stilleon
- Start date
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Hi Stilleon,
You sure can. The official word is multiclassing and varied experience is encouraged. All the better for richer and more real characters.
Its best to remember that "Prior History" and "Class" are two seperate issues (despite the confusion of them sharing the same titles).
In your own example question a Navy (prior history) character with Rogue (class experience) is fine. Maybe he's a scrounger (classic military type who can "find" what the unit needs even when its not available through official channels). Or maybe she's running a little black market operation by siphoning off Navy supplies. Or maybe the character is just a bad apple in general.
I think prestige classes should probably be for actual game play, not prior history, but I think that's just my opinion and not the rule. There's no reason it couldn't happen I guess, if the character meets the requirements.
You sure can. The official word is multiclassing and varied experience is encouraged. All the better for richer and more real characters.
Its best to remember that "Prior History" and "Class" are two seperate issues (despite the confusion of them sharing the same titles).
In your own example question a Navy (prior history) character with Rogue (class experience) is fine. Maybe he's a scrounger (classic military type who can "find" what the unit needs even when its not available through official channels). Or maybe she's running a little black market operation by siphoning off Navy supplies. Or maybe the character is just a bad apple in general.
I think prestige classes should probably be for actual game play, not prior history, but I think that's just my opinion and not the rule. There's no reason it couldn't happen I guess, if the character meets the requirements.
My group has voted (including players) that they feel prior history should require some XP be spent in that class. I have dreamed up some basic rules to use to allow this:
1. Generate Abilities
2. Determine homeworld
3. Add adjustments to abilities for homeworld and race.
4. Roll for prior history (yes, before classes are chosen). You can switch jobs as usual, and also go to university.
6. Muster out. Get all your mustering out benefits.
7. After all terms are served add up all XP gained.
8. Level up. You must buy one level for each term of employment for each term served in that employment's class (i.e. 2 levels of Marines for two terms of Marine service).
Notes:
You may not switch employment between service types, except Scouts which will allow retired members of other services to join (if you are dishonorably discharged you cannot join Scouts).
That's my concept for my game.
1. Generate Abilities
2. Determine homeworld
3. Add adjustments to abilities for homeworld and race.
4. Roll for prior history (yes, before classes are chosen). You can switch jobs as usual, and also go to university.
6. Muster out. Get all your mustering out benefits.
7. After all terms are served add up all XP gained.
8. Level up. You must buy one level for each term of employment for each term served in that employment's class (i.e. 2 levels of Marines for two terms of Marine service).
Notes:
You may not switch employment between service types, except Scouts which will allow retired members of other services to join (if you are dishonorably discharged you cannot join Scouts).
That's my concept for my game.
Commander Drax
SOC-12
Multiclassing is good, it allows you to get into Character Development as opposed to Character Advancement. Your navy character taking levels as a rougue could easily be an enlisted ranking or an officer doing shady dealings in his spare time or abusing his position for money. It makes perfect sense though try and write in a decent reason why in your character development to justify the level in a different class.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
I agree, but in my version I see that doing the term has to teach you some skills in the associated class. I mean, how could a guy spend two terms (8 years) and gain skills and feats only for a rogue? He has to learn something about being a Navy man during that time.
I think the rules for my game (previously listed) will balance the two views. You can be a Navy guy, serve two terms, get two levels of Navy AND a few levels of rougue if you want.
Thanks for the comment, though.
BrennanHawkwood
SOC-12
A guy goes into the Navy and the recruiter (or 'career councilor') notices a knack for observation, creativity and lying. As a result, he spends eight years in the Navy as an officer (or not) in Naval Intelligence and never helps run a ship once. I could easily see this character taking all their levels in rogue.
Other ideas I have thought of while typing this are: A Naval Intelligence spook that takes all their levels in Rogue and Merchant because he spent his entire career as a 'spy' working among free traders. A naval engineer or other tech-head might well take professional for all of their levels and depending on the style of the Imperial Navy in YTU, I could certainly see blue-bloods that are into the social/admin/career-advancement side of the Navy and only take levels in Noble.
In general, my characters (and those of my players) do basically what you are suggesting because it often makes sense to take at least a level or two in the matching class. It doesn't always work out that way though, depending on a character's concept.
One thing you might want to consider regarding REQUIRING that levels in the class that matches the career is the possibility that a character could get forced into only taking levels in that one class. If a player does poorly with the various opportunities to gain experience during the Prior History process they could end up with very little flexibility when it comes to building the character they want to play.
Other ideas I have thought of while typing this are: A Naval Intelligence spook that takes all their levels in Rogue and Merchant because he spent his entire career as a 'spy' working among free traders. A naval engineer or other tech-head might well take professional for all of their levels and depending on the style of the Imperial Navy in YTU, I could certainly see blue-bloods that are into the social/admin/career-advancement side of the Navy and only take levels in Noble.
In general, my characters (and those of my players) do basically what you are suggesting because it often makes sense to take at least a level or two in the matching class. It doesn't always work out that way though, depending on a character's concept.
One thing you might want to consider regarding REQUIRING that levels in the class that matches the career is the possibility that a character could get forced into only taking levels in that one class. If a player does poorly with the various opportunities to gain experience during the Prior History process they could end up with very little flexibility when it comes to building the character they want to play.
Well, that's part of the fun. Like life you may want something, but it doesn't always turn out how you wanted.
If you want players to make the character they want, maybe you should forego prior history and just pick a level and let them make a character. Or play GURPS Traveller. I think I have found the happy medium.
Similar threads
