[Torg] New Basic Skills

[Sam Frazier II]

>>> Ben Wrote
>>>Let me float this idea out there - if you don't like having two separate
>>>skills that do the same thing, how do you feel about making Willpower a
>>>*spirit* based skill?  Or better yet, if and when someone takes willpower,
>>>they can choose whether to base it on Mind or Spirit.

I'm now wondering if Shatterzone, Masterbook, or my own personal MB modified system did move willpower to Spirit or not. I forget. It has been so long time (2 kids, 1 move, 7 years, etc) I'm not opposed to moving the skill to Spirit. It kind of makes more sense in a way. 

I would oppose having it here and there for the fact of abuse I mentioned before. If it is based on Spirit, then it covers this, if it is Mind it covers that, and  the gray area (that is small) but both cover. 

>>>Or to put it another way, a person with low intellect may be easy to fool,
>>>but they are *not* necessarily easy to steamroll over - usually quite the
>>>opposite.

This is why I think an Adv/Comp needs set up for TORG. I had a thought (while running SZ) where a character would have a skill at a base value. Not unsimilar to the way Animals and Undead are sorta immune to interaction skills with defenses set at 15 or 20. With an Adv that states your character has a base willpower of 15 or 20, means he is obviously stubborn or thick skulled, but can be influenced by the truely talented or lucky. Of course the downside of this advange was you could never raise this adv skill. You could however gain the skill and raise it beyond the Adv, but alas you could only use one or the other depending on the situation. 

Again, I liked that aspect of Shatterzone. Of course it was totally screwed up when Masterbook attempted to use it. 

>>>You other comments were thought-provoking, especially the dexterity/agility
>>>concept -  hanks for sharing them. ;)

You are welcome. Usually my comments provoke unpleasent sign-language.*smirk*

Essentially I think we differ on this point. If for your game, you and your players agree, determination and willpower work. I say go for it. It isn't my game. I have a handful of special rules we use in TORG 1.5 that others would thump me with the TORG R&E book as hard as they could. So I know where you are coming from. To each his own.

I see your point, just don't agree. *shrug*

SDF II