[Torg] Improving Attributes in play: Edges

[Benjamin Grant]

I am not sure if I have sent this to the list, but I thought I would tell
you guys about this.

 

Out players from time to time want to buff up the underlying attribute after
character creation.  The normal Torg way is, I believe, to charge three
times the level to which they want to go.  So if they have an 8 Spirit and
want a 9, the cost is 9*3 = 27 possibilities. 

 

On the one hand, I want the character to be able to add the first bump or
two far cheaper, but on the other hand, I want following bumps to cost far
more.  I also want the cost to be more related to not the current level of
the stat, but how far from the level of the attribute at character creation
the player wants to go.  In other words, I want going from a starting
attribute of 8 to 9, and a starting attribute of 11 to 12 to cost the same.

 

So I created Edges.

 

Let's say a character has an 8 Charisma and an 8 Spirit.  They want to raise
their Spirit.  It can never become 9, but they *can* add a +1 Edge to their
Spirit, which has the same effect.  It is written like this: Spirit: 8+1

 

The cost of purchasing an edge is the total number of current Edges plus the
level of Edge desired, the entire quantity multiplied by five, in
possibilities of course.  And of course, you have to buy each Edge Level
separately, you cannot buy a +2 Edge in Spirit without first buying the +1
Edge in Spirit.

 

This means that if the player wants to go from CHA:8 and SPI:8 to CHA:8 and
SPI:8+1, that's going to cost him (the total number of current Edges + the
level of the desired Edge) times 5.  That's (0+1)*5 = 5 possibilities to get
his first Edge, he now has CHA:8 and SPI:8+1.

 

Now he is ready to add another Edge - he is deciding whether to add another
one to Spirit or to add one to Charisma.

 

If he adds it to Charisma, he will have to pay:

(total current Edges of 1 + level of desired Edge 1) times 5 = (1+1)*5 = 2*5
= 10 possibilities to go to CHA:8+1 and SPI:8+1.

 

However, if he instead does not add it to Charisma and goes for a +2 Edge in
Spirit, he will have to pay:

(total current Edges of 1 + level of desired Edge 2) times 5 = (1+2)*5 = 3*5
= 15 possibilities to go to CHA:8 and SPI:8+2

 

This illustrates that it is cheaper to spread the Edges around to multiple
attributes than it is to keep buffing the same attribute over and over - as
intended.

 

What do you guys think?  I can report that after having employed this
mechanic for over a year, it seems to work well in actual play.

 

-Benn Grant

eFix Computer Consulting

 <mailto:benn at 4eFix.com> benn at 4eFix.com

603.283.6601

 

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