Using Skills in CT (...and other thoughts)

[Supplement Four]

EVASION


I use the CTI task system, and this rule is probably better used with that system than standard, out-of-the-box, CT.

The standard 8+ attack roll is really just rolling over an average character's DEX (DEX-7). So, in my game, I reward those characters with greater-than-average DEX scores, using their DEX rating in place of the standard 8+ attack roll.

The catch is that the target character must be alert and expecting the attack. Otherwise, the standard 8+ attack roll is used.

So, if Piter has DEX-A, and he knows he's being shot at, the attack needs an 11+ to hit him instead of the usual 8+. If an attacker catches Piter unawares, it's a usual 8+ attack roll required to hit Piter.

Fritz, with his DEX-4, would never invoke this rule, of course, always opting for the standard 8+ required to hit him.



I use this same rule during melee combat, except instead of using DEX as the attribute referenced, I use END, which, in my mind at least, is more appropriate to hand-to-hand fighting. DEX for gunfights and END for sword fights.

 

[Supplement Four]

EVASION


I use the CTI task system, and this rule is probably better used with that system than standard, out-of-the-box, CT.

The standard 8+ attack roll is really just rolling over an average character's DEX (DEX-7). So, in my game, I reward those characters with greater-than-average DEX scores, using their DEX rating in place of the standard 8+ attack roll.

The catch is that the target character must be alert and expecting the attack. Otherwise, the standard 8+ attack roll is used.

So, if Piter has DEX-A, and he knows he's being shot at, the attack needs an 11+ to hit him instead of the usual 8+. If an attacker catches Piter unawares, it's a usual 8+ attack roll required to hit Piter.

Fritz, with his DEX-4, would never invoke this rule, of course, always opting for the standard 8+ required to hit him.



I use this same rule during melee combat, except instead of using DEX as the attribute referenced, I use END, which, in my mind at least, is more appropriate to hand-to-hand fighting. DEX for gunfights and END for sword fights.

 

[Supplement Four]

INITIATIVE


Again, this is a rule I use with CTI.

In my game, initiaive Leadership task roll governed by INT.

Leadership has never been a very useful skill compared with other CT skills (at least in my experience). Now, for some odd reason, my players rejoice when they create a character and roll an increase to their Leader skill on the character creation tables. Go figure.

I just have all participants in a fight roll a task using the Leader skill and INT (and if a character doesn't have expertise in Leadership, he's considered having Leader-0), with the highest roll going first.

If you're not a CTI user, you could do something similar to this by adding INT + Leader, then rolling that total or less on 2D...lowest roll wins initiative.

 

[Supplement Four]

INITIATIVE


Again, this is a rule I use with CTI.

In my game, initiaive Leadership task roll governed by INT.

Leadership has never been a very useful skill compared with other CT skills (at least in my experience). Now, for some odd reason, my players rejoice when they create a character and roll an increase to their Leader skill on the character creation tables. Go figure.

I just have all participants in a fight roll a task using the Leader skill and INT (and if a character doesn't have expertise in Leadership, he's considered having Leader-0), with the highest roll going first.

If you're not a CTI user, you could do something similar to this by adding INT + Leader, then rolling that total or less on 2D...lowest roll wins initiative.

 

[Supplement Four]

TACTICS


Like the Leader skill, I've given the Tactics skill some more umph. This is something I first saw back-in-the day DGP's Traveller's Digest, then it re-appeared, sort of, in MT, before making another curtain call in T4.

A character's skill level in Tactics is considered a point pool that can be used on any combat task roll during the night's game session. This Tactics pool "re-fills" before the start of the next game session.

So, in effect, a character with Tactics-2 has a +2DM that can be applied to any combat task roll (of the player's choosing) during the game session. Alternatively, the player could split this up, using a +1DM on one combat roll during the night, saving the remaining +1DM for another combat throw later on. I even allow this DM to be applied to Damage throws, increasing damage to an enemy.

Like the Leader skill, all of a sudden my players are very, very happy when their characters acquire skill levels in Tactics during character generation.

The Tactics pool can be, if the owner of the Tactics skill agrees, used by other members of the party. This is akin to someone saying, "You brace your weapon on that rock, point in that direction, and let fly with the trigger if anyone comes around that bend!"

If someone, not the owner of the Tactics skill, is trying to use one, some, or all of the points from the Tactics pool, the number of points used is limited by the Leader skill of the character who owns the Tactics skill. If he doesn't have the Leader skill, then he's consider as having it as Leader-0 (a Default skill), and the maxmum points from the Tactics pool that can be transferred this way is 1. Should the owner of the Tactics pool have Leader-2, then two points could be transferred to another character.

 

[Supplement Four]

TACTICS


Like the Leader skill, I've given the Tactics skill some more umph. This is something I first saw back-in-the day DGP's Traveller's Digest, then it re-appeared, sort of, in MT, before making another curtain call in T4.

A character's skill level in Tactics is considered a point pool that can be used on any combat task roll during the night's game session. This Tactics pool "re-fills" before the start of the next game session.

So, in effect, a character with Tactics-2 has a +2DM that can be applied to any combat task roll (of the player's choosing) during the game session. Alternatively, the player could split this up, using a +1DM on one combat roll during the night, saving the remaining +1DM for another combat throw later on. I even allow this DM to be applied to Damage throws, increasing damage to an enemy.

Like the Leader skill, all of a sudden my players are very, very happy when their characters acquire skill levels in Tactics during character generation.

The Tactics pool can be, if the owner of the Tactics skill agrees, used by other members of the party. This is akin to someone saying, "You brace your weapon on that rock, point in that direction, and let fly with the trigger if anyone comes around that bend!"

If someone, not the owner of the Tactics skill, is trying to use one, some, or all of the points from the Tactics pool, the number of points used is limited by the Leader skill of the character who owns the Tactics skill. If he doesn't have the Leader skill, then he's consider as having it as Leader-0 (a Default skill), and the maxmum points from the Tactics pool that can be transferred this way is 1. Should the owner of the Tactics pool have Leader-2, then two points could be transferred to another character.

 

[Supplement Four]

DEFAULT SKILLS & LEVEL-0 SKILLS


In my game, characters are considered as having a number of Level-0 Default Skills, most of which are never indicated on the character's sheet.

I consider a person to have a Default Level-0 Skill for any type of task that person can attempt without specialized training.

So, when a character tries to force open a stuck hatch, some un-named Default Skill is at work (maybe it's the Athletics skill from T4...since it's Level-0, it doesn't matter what it's called).

Most Gun Combat skills, as mentioned in the CT rules, are Default Skills, because anybody can typically pick up a weapon, know which end to use, point and pull the trigger.

When a character tries to climb a mountain (Mountaineering), he's using a Default Skill (if he doesn't have Moutaineering improved) because most of us can figure out how to climb (albeit we may not know how to climb well).

On the other hand, Swimming is not a Default Skill. People have to be taught to swim.

Driving is not a Default Skill (Wheeled Vehicle). A person has to learn how to drive (ever seen anybody try to drive a stick for the first time?).

Things like Pilot and Engineering are definitely not Default Skills. Those types of skills are obviously require extended education in specialized subjects.

A Level-0 skill is one of these types of skills, denoting the bare minimum of knowledge in that specialized area.

When you see, on the character's sheet, that he has Pilot-0, then you know he's got some rudimentary knowlege in piloting a starship--you probably wouldn't want to fly with him, but he'll do if you're desperate.

When you see, on the character's sheet, that a character has Shotgun-0, this is a Default Skill (that is normally not written on the character's sheet), but it's written on the character's sheet to designate a favorite weapon (or even that we've been down this road before during the game, and we know that this character has some rudimentary knowledge in this area).

 

[Supplement Four]

DEFAULT SKILLS & LEVEL-0 SKILLS


In my game, characters are considered as having a number of Level-0 Default Skills, most of which are never indicated on the character's sheet.

I consider a person to have a Default Level-0 Skill for any type of task that person can attempt without specialized training.

So, when a character tries to force open a stuck hatch, some un-named Default Skill is at work (maybe it's the Athletics skill from T4...since it's Level-0, it doesn't matter what it's called).

Most Gun Combat skills, as mentioned in the CT rules, are Default Skills, because anybody can typically pick up a weapon, know which end to use, point and pull the trigger.

When a character tries to climb a mountain (Mountaineering), he's using a Default Skill (if he doesn't have Moutaineering improved) because most of us can figure out how to climb (albeit we may not know how to climb well).

On the other hand, Swimming is not a Default Skill. People have to be taught to swim.

Driving is not a Default Skill (Wheeled Vehicle). A person has to learn how to drive (ever seen anybody try to drive a stick for the first time?).

Things like Pilot and Engineering are definitely not Default Skills. Those types of skills are obviously require extended education in specialized subjects.

A Level-0 skill is one of these types of skills, denoting the bare minimum of knowledge in that specialized area.

When you see, on the character's sheet, that he has Pilot-0, then you know he's got some rudimentary knowlege in piloting a starship--you probably wouldn't want to fly with him, but he'll do if you're desperate.

When you see, on the character's sheet, that a character has Shotgun-0, this is a Default Skill (that is normally not written on the character's sheet), but it's written on the character's sheet to designate a favorite weapon (or even that we've been down this road before during the game, and we know that this character has some rudimentary knowledge in this area).

 

[Supplement Four]

"SERVES AS" AND "MINUS" SKILLS


This is an idea that came from MT, and using it makes your skills, in CT, much more versitile (and therefore more valuable).

If a character has a skill that is close, in the GM's opinion, to another skill, then the GM may designate that the skill "serves as" the other skill (or maybe, it serves as the other skill at a lower level).

When this type of stuff comes up in a game, I write it next to the skill, in a "notes" section, on the character's sheet.

For example, navigators use sensors all day long. It's part of their job. So, in my game, a navigator can use his Navigation skill anytime a sensors roll is called for (the Navigation skill "serves as" the Sensors skill).

If a character has AutoRifle-3, he's a pretty damn good marksman. I would let this character pick up a revolver and use it at -2 to the skill (in this case, although I wouldn't write this on the character's sheet, the AutoRifle-3 skill "serves as" Revolver-1. It's a "minus" use of this skill.).

In the same fashion, I would this this character pick up an SMG and use it at -1 to skill. Or, I'd let him pick up a regular rifle and let him use it as Rifle-3 ("serves as").

Playing skills this way will greatly enhance (and make more realistic) the capabilities of the characters in your game.

 

[Supplement Four]

"SERVES AS" AND "MINUS" SKILLS


This is an idea that came from MT, and using it makes your skills, in CT, much more versitile (and therefore more valuable).

If a character has a skill that is close, in the GM's opinion, to another skill, then the GM may designate that the skill "serves as" the other skill (or maybe, it serves as the other skill at a lower level).

When this type of stuff comes up in a game, I write it next to the skill, in a "notes" section, on the character's sheet.

For example, navigators use sensors all day long. It's part of their job. So, in my game, a navigator can use his Navigation skill anytime a sensors roll is called for (the Navigation skill "serves as" the Sensors skill).

If a character has AutoRifle-3, he's a pretty damn good marksman. I would let this character pick up a revolver and use it at -2 to the skill (in this case, although I wouldn't write this on the character's sheet, the AutoRifle-3 skill "serves as" Revolver-1. It's a "minus" use of this skill.).

In the same fashion, I would this this character pick up an SMG and use it at -1 to skill. Or, I'd let him pick up a regular rifle and let him use it as Rifle-3 ("serves as").

Playing skills this way will greatly enhance (and make more realistic) the capabilities of the characters in your game.

 

[Supplement Four]

JACK-O-TRADES


The best use I've ever had for this skill is to use it exactly the same as the Tactics skill (see above). Except, the JOT point pool can only be applied to non-combat task throws.

 

[Supplement Four]

JACK-O-TRADES


The best use I've ever had for this skill is to use it exactly the same as the Tactics skill (see above). Except, the JOT point pool can only be applied to non-combat task throws.

 

[mike wightman]

IMTU I give each character level 0 in every skill on their career aquired skills table entry (except for the 8+ Edu advanced education table).

I have considered limiting it further to only the service skills and personal development tables, or handing out level 0 skills on a certain number per term basis.

 

[mike wightman]

IMTU I give each character level 0 in every skill on their career aquired skills table entry (except for the 8+ Edu advanced education table).

I have considered limiting it further to only the service skills and personal development tables, or handing out level 0 skills on a certain number per term basis.

 

[Supplement Four]

ADVANTAGED/DISADVANTAGED


This is the GM's friend. It's always at a GM's fingertips, ready to resolve any situation quickly.

Use this whenever the GM needs to decide, quickly, on an advantaged or disadvantaged situation:

Use a +2DM or a -2DM.


For example, two characters are fighting in hand-to-hand combat, and one is knocked to his knees. The standing character is "advantaged", standing over his enemy, so a +2DM is allowed on his next attack throw. Likewise, the combatant on the ground, being disadvantaged in the fight, has a -2DM penalty imposed on his next attack roll (and possibly anything he tries to do during the round).

Keep this at your bed-side, and you'll be ready for anything.

 

[Supplement Four]

ADVANTAGED/DISADVANTAGED


This is the GM's friend. It's always at a GM's fingertips, ready to resolve any situation quickly.

Use this whenever the GM needs to decide, quickly, on an advantaged or disadvantaged situation:

Use a +2DM or a -2DM.


For example, two characters are fighting in hand-to-hand combat, and one is knocked to his knees. The standing character is "advantaged", standing over his enemy, so a +2DM is allowed on his next attack throw. Likewise, the combatant on the ground, being disadvantaged in the fight, has a -2DM penalty imposed on his next attack roll (and possibly anything he tries to do during the round).

Keep this at your bed-side, and you'll be ready for anything.

 

[Supplement Four]

MULTIPLE ACTIONS IN CT


CT uses the old school method of allowing character two actions in a round--while one of those actions is movement.

A CT character can, basically, move and shoot once in 15 seconds.

I know that I, without much training, can point a gun and fire it more than once in 15 seconds, even if I walk for 8 seconds before stopping to shoot. I may not hit anything, but that's a function of my skill level--not how many actions I can take in a round.

Here's a simple mechanic I use in my game to allow a character to do more than one or two things in a round.

On a character's initiative (see INITIATIVE above), I ask that player what he wants to do. He can perform one action.

If he runs (Speed 2), or crawls (Speed 0), then that's all he'll do this round.

If he walks (Speed 1), or fires his weapon, or performs some other action, he may be allowed to attempt another action during the same round (even fire his weapon again).

But, characters are only allowed 1 movement action a round (so if he walks, he cannot move again that round).

For a second action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 1D for DEX or less). If successful, the character getsn another action.

For a third action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 2D for DEX or less). If successful, the character gets another action. If not successful, then that's the end of the round for him.

For a fourth action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 3D for DEX or less). If successful, the character gets another action--and if not, that's the end of the round for him.

For a fifth action...you get the idea.

Under this system, a character will get 2-3 (more if he's lucky) actions in a round, which is quite resonable for a 15 second span of time.

Note that combat becomes even more deadly using this method. Say a character rolls for gets 3 actions in a round, and he uses all those actions to fire his AutoRifle on full auto (getting the standard CT two-attacks per). That's a lot of lead coming towards an enemy. You definitely don't want to get shot in this game.

Also note that characters with DEX 6+ will autmoatically get two actions in a round, and characters with DEX 12+ will automatically get three actions in a round.

The rub is this: Player will not know how many actions they will get in a round until they're getting them (they'll know the minimum number of actions they'll get based on their DEX).

So, if a character has a DEX 5, and he really, really needs to take a shot AND move to cover during the round, he'll have to make a decision on what he wants to attempt first (the movement or the attack roll). If he decides to move first, he may brick the multiple action roll (1D for 5-) and not be able to take his shot (or vice versa).

Combat, in my game, has become pretty exciting after I starting using this rule.

One thing to remember, though--keep in mind that the round is only 15 seconds long. Sometimes characters try to cram as much as they can into a round when, in reality, the time it takes for them to do what they're trying to do exceeds 15 seconds.

Take, for example, throwing a hand grenade. This is not something that takes 1 second (unless it's already in your hand, ready to be thrown). A character needs to pull it from his belt (hopefully, the grenade is "at hand"), pull the pin, and then toss it. That takes about three seconds, so a character could throw a maximum of five grenades in one round (IF they were all "at hand" and IF the character succeeded on four multiple action rolls, which is HIGHLY unlikely).

Figure that walking, during the round (as used as one of the characters actions) takes about 8 seconds. So, if a character wante to walk and then throw grenades that he had "at hand" on his belt, he could throw a maximum of two grenades (even if he made the multiple action roll for a fourth action--the character ran out of time: 8 seconds for the walk; 3 seconds to throw the first grenade; three seconds to throw the second grenade; that's a total of 14 seconds--he's out of time...next round please!).

 

[Supplement Four]

MULTIPLE ACTIONS IN CT


CT uses the old school method of allowing character two actions in a round--while one of those actions is movement.

A CT character can, basically, move and shoot once in 15 seconds.

I know that I, without much training, can point a gun and fire it more than once in 15 seconds, even if I walk for 8 seconds before stopping to shoot. I may not hit anything, but that's a function of my skill level--not how many actions I can take in a round.

Here's a simple mechanic I use in my game to allow a character to do more than one or two things in a round.

On a character's initiative (see INITIATIVE above), I ask that player what he wants to do. He can perform one action.

If he runs (Speed 2), or crawls (Speed 0), then that's all he'll do this round.

If he walks (Speed 1), or fires his weapon, or performs some other action, he may be allowed to attempt another action during the same round (even fire his weapon again).

But, characters are only allowed 1 movement action a round (so if he walks, he cannot move again that round).

For a second action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 1D for DEX or less). If successful, the character getsn another action.

For a third action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 2D for DEX or less). If successful, the character gets another action. If not successful, then that's the end of the round for him.

For a fourth action, I have the character roll a DEX check (roll 3D for DEX or less). If successful, the character gets another action--and if not, that's the end of the round for him.

For a fifth action...you get the idea.

Under this system, a character will get 2-3 (more if he's lucky) actions in a round, which is quite resonable for a 15 second span of time.

Note that combat becomes even more deadly using this method. Say a character rolls for gets 3 actions in a round, and he uses all those actions to fire his AutoRifle on full auto (getting the standard CT two-attacks per). That's a lot of lead coming towards an enemy. You definitely don't want to get shot in this game.

Also note that characters with DEX 6+ will autmoatically get two actions in a round, and characters with DEX 12+ will automatically get three actions in a round.

The rub is this: Player will not know how many actions they will get in a round until they're getting them (they'll know the minimum number of actions they'll get based on their DEX).

So, if a character has a DEX 5, and he really, really needs to take a shot AND move to cover during the round, he'll have to make a decision on what he wants to attempt first (the movement or the attack roll). If he decides to move first, he may brick the multiple action roll (1D for 5-) and not be able to take his shot (or vice versa).

Combat, in my game, has become pretty exciting after I starting using this rule.

One thing to remember, though--keep in mind that the round is only 15 seconds long. Sometimes characters try to cram as much as they can into a round when, in reality, the time it takes for them to do what they're trying to do exceeds 15 seconds.

Take, for example, throwing a hand grenade. This is not something that takes 1 second (unless it's already in your hand, ready to be thrown). A character needs to pull it from his belt (hopefully, the grenade is "at hand"), pull the pin, and then toss it. That takes about three seconds, so a character could throw a maximum of five grenades in one round (IF they were all "at hand" and IF the character succeeded on four multiple action rolls, which is HIGHLY unlikely).

Figure that walking, during the round (as used as one of the characters actions) takes about 8 seconds. So, if a character wante to walk and then throw grenades that he had "at hand" on his belt, he could throw a maximum of two grenades (even if he made the multiple action roll for a fourth action--the character ran out of time: 8 seconds for the walk; 3 seconds to throw the first grenade; three seconds to throw the second grenade; that's a total of 14 seconds--he's out of time...next round please!).

 

[Supplement Four]

TECH LEVEL


I record the TL at which the character learned a skill on the character sheet. Here's why. Let's say a character has the Intrusion skill, but he learned it at TL 3. Now, during the game session, the player wants the character to use his Intrusion skill to break into a TL 13 starship docked at a spaceport.

The TL 3 Intrusion skill (picking locks the old fashioned way) is a very different skill than TL 13 Intrusion (electronic lock picks).


How to determine if the difference in TL is an "issue" to the task roll.

-1- Find the difference between the two TL's (13 - 3 = 10)

-2- Lower TL vs a higher TL? Throw the difference or higher on 2D (10+ on 2D)

-3- Higher TL vs a lower TL? Throw the difference or higher on 3D (10+ on 3D)

 

[Supplement Four]

TECH LEVEL


I record the TL at which the character learned a skill on the character sheet. Here's why. Let's say a character has the Intrusion skill, but he learned it at TL 3. Now, during the game session, the player wants the character to use his Intrusion skill to break into a TL 13 starship docked at a spaceport.

The TL 3 Intrusion skill (picking locks the old fashioned way) is a very different skill than TL 13 Intrusion (electronic lock picks).


How to determine if the difference in TL is an "issue" to the task roll.

-1- Find the difference between the two TL's (13 - 3 = 10)

-2- Lower TL vs a higher TL? Throw the difference or higher on 2D (10+ on 2D)

-3- Higher TL vs a lower TL? Throw the difference or higher on 3D (10+ on 3D)