[Torg] More shtuff: Skills and Knacks

[Sam Frazier II]

>> I should note right now to make sure I do not give the wrong impression,
>> that while we have employed Merits and Flaws for over a year, the idea of
>> skill Knacks is brand new and we have only begun to try those out.

Fair enough.


>> Correct me if I am wrong:  when you roll a 1, and spend a possibility for a
>> reroll, on the second roll any roll of less than 10 is treated as if you
>> rolled a 10 (without rerolling it).  So rolling a 1 followed by another 1
>> from the free pseudo-possibility reroll would be a total of 11, which would
>> be a 0, then your level 2 of the Knack kicks in and makes it a +2.

OOhhhh it isn't a re-roll, it is like a possibility is spent. That explains a bit more. *cringe* So the min is 11 on the roll+reroll with an average around 20. 


>> By the way, what is even more interesting is the vastly underwhelming effect
>> of spending a second possibility or Hero/Drama card (hero point in our game)
>> - since you are already in 20 and over territory with the dice total, taking
>> a third roll only gets you +1 to +4 because at this level you only get +1 to
>> your BN for every +5 to the dice total.  In fact, apart from the chance for
>> glory, the average (and median) extra effect you get from getting a third
>> roll is only 2.5 more to your BN - meaning that overall, you are better
>> served by playing a +3 Card than a Hero or Drama.

>> Did everyone else already bump into this weird fact?

Yea, we recognized that a while ago. I chalk this up to having a few more adds in the Scholar (or is it Science) (TORG) skill. *wink*

The group constantly looks for the Adrenilan/Willpower/Presense cards to boost their skills, but possibilities when they've rerolled alot.

This card play dynamic is often overlooked by newbies. My group, which consists of both experienced and novices, is interesting to watch when the experienced half does something and the novices go, "Hey Yea!"

Sorry I mean no offense, but I just seemed to witness that with your declaration here.

>> We are actively considering moving Willpower to Spirit and removing it from
>> Mind.  Mind has a lot of other things going for it.

>> We will see.  Evidence Analysis, Survival, Memory, Logic - that may be
>> enough for Mind.

Fair enough. It seems your solo-genre game is much like shatterzone, where many skills just are needed. Shatterzone has High Tech, High Social, and that is it. No Magic nor Spirit axioms. Well or exceptionally low to the point where they don't matter.

>> Long story short, I want rules that give the GM more options choices, but I
>> want the GM to be running the game, not the mechanics to be running the
>> game.  The GM uses the mechanics, not the other way around, IMO.

Isn't this the same for every game? I agree with you on this. Typically each version of the game fixes somethings, and breaks others. Or show we've seen with TORG, Shatterzone, and Masterbook. *ponder* Well I wouldn't put any effort on Masterbook, it should be called Masterbreak. Heh. Sorry personal opinion. GURPs has done a fair good job with it's system, and based on the style of play D&D has done the same.


>> And I appreciate the time and energy you have taken to grant me feedback,
>> and the non aggressive and non hostile manner in which you state you
>> concerns.  It really helps me be less defensive and more receptive.

Same to you. Discussion based on emotion tends to lead down the dark side path. *wink* 

SDF II