[Torg] New Basic Skills

[Sam Frazier II]

>>>Ben wrote:
>>>How do you then solve the problem of having characters with high
>>>self-control but low Mind values?  Because of the people I know in real life
>>>who exhibit high levels of what is colloquially called self-control,
>>>willpower, determination, grit, etc - most of them do not have above average
>>>Minds.

High skill adds. Thus if they are really stubborn, they have more adds in that skill. Just like if someone was a crack shot, but otherwise undexterous. They have alot of adds in the skill in question.

>>>Another note: in our current game world of 1.5 years, there is no magic or
>>>miracles, the only powers are superpowers.  So there is no Faith skill
>>>taken.

Well sucks for those low Minded people then. Sorry that is humor, not meant for direct insult. It is just too easy to miss. There is something to be said for a realm with more avenues of skill.

>>>The biggest worry if one is going to get more complex is to not make certain
>>>attributes much more useful than others.  Right now I believe, with
>>>exception of Spirit, they are fairly well balanced:

>>>Str = Melee Damage and Encumbrance (potentially)
>>>Dex = Physical skills of control, Maneuver
>>>Tou = Damage Soak
>>>Mind = memory and analysis, as well as mental attack/defense, Test
>>>Per = well, perception, noticing things, gut instinct and intuition, Trick
>>>Cha = first impressions, social aptitude and manipulation, Taunt
>>>Spi = lasting impressions, Intimidation - not much else

This is one of the reasons I like Shatterzone, as well as the discussion about TORG 2.0 Attributes, a year or two ago. Where Dex (which is by all means the most powerful attribute) was split into Agility and Dexterity. Where Agility took the skills which were for personal body coordination (acrobatics, running, dodge) and Dexterity was for more eye-hand coordination and the like (Fire combat, missle weapons, etc) Shatterzone did that. Body, which mearged Str and Tou together gathered steam as neither Str nor Tou had many skills associated with it. A discussion about changes to TORG on this board brought the Body attribute as a way to simplfy and enhance those two attributes. That reminds me of a skill I added to TORG: Resist Shock (from Shattezone) a Toughness skill. I'll describe later. Mages loved this.

Anyway if you worry about attributes more useful than others, you must be worried about Dex. Most of us have, I believe.

>>>By the way, this is something else I like about Determination - in our games
>>>we find the utility of Willpower resistance highly important, opening up
>>>another route to get that protection, through Determination and Spirit,
>>>incentivizes people to consider an option apart from Mind.

If I were going to allow Determination, I would specify a difference between Determination and Willpower. One wouldn't cover the other and they would be pretty specific in ability. I wouldn't allow overlap, or alot of overlap such that one could be used instead of the other in a majority of situations, for the specific reason of abuse. Seen it, dealt with it, squashed it and let the player deal with disappointment. There is an avenue available to accomplish the goal. It isn't like Willpower is a Trained skill so it isn't expensive to increase.

Resist Shock: Toughness: (Trained, but  untrainable: meaning it costs double the normal cost, and no one can teach it to you)  Allows the character to take additional shock before passingout and/or dieing. Essentially the number of Shock you can take before the character passes out is equal to their toughness. If a characther has the Resist Shock skill, you increase that amount by the number of add they have in that skill. Thus if someone has a Tou of 10, and a Resist Shock add of 3, they can take 13 shock before passing out, and 26 shock before dieing. NOTE: A character can not have more adds in Resist Shock than the Toughness attribute. NOTE: GMs should limit this to characters who can justify the skill. 

SDF II