[Torg] More shtuff: Skills and Knacks

[Benjamin Grant]

>>>> 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*

Our group tend to be Glory happy - we love those glories. ;)  Plus its hard
to choose the safe road of a +3 when you can get a +2.5 with a 10% chance
for a further exploding die.

>>>> 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.

Plus, even if we go multigenre, then we potentially have Magic and/or
Psionic skills under Mind as well.

>>>> 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.

Yep, for me this is how I approach every RPG.  Some RPGs (cough D&D cough)
seem to try to be less flexible and more proscriptive, but I trusted the GM
ultimately more than a proscription.

>>>> 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

Likewise ;)

-Benn Grant
eFix Computer Consulting
benn at 4eFix.com
603.283.6601