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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Joe Jungers <Joe.Jungers@*******.OIT.UNC.EDU>
Subject: POwer Gamers (Raising Atributes)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 01:14:41 EST
Dad blast it - forgot who this was in reply to. Oh well.
Someone out there requested input on how various GMs dealt w/ the really
cheap cost of raising attributes. My Gm (a recent convert from 1st ed.)
was really surprised to learn that attributes could be raised more than
once. It took a bit of effort (along with many trips to the black book)
to get him to see things my way, but he finally did, with the following
modifications:
To raise an attibute the first time New Attribute # of Karma
To raise the same one again New x 2 # of karma
Once again (yeah, right) New x 3 # of karma

It gets expensive really quick. However, those characters who chose
Attributes as a high priority don't feel as badly about their char. gen.
choices & this puts attribute purchases sorta on par with raising skills.
---------------------------------------
"Would you like a suger cookie?
I baked them myself." Death
(dredged from the depths of HoL)
Message no. 2
From: Quicksilver <jhurley1@****.STEVENS-TECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: POwer Gamers (Raising Atributes)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 02:48:13 -30000
On Wed, 18 Jan 1995, Joe Jungers wrote:

> Dad blast it - forgot who this was in reply to. Oh well.
> Someone out there requested input on how various GMs dealt w/ the really
> cheap cost of raising attributes. My Gm (a recent convert from 1st ed.)
> was really surprised to learn that attributes could be raised more than
> once. It took a bit of effort (along with many trips to the black book)
> to get him to see things my way, but he finally did, with the following
> modifications:
> To raise an attibute the first time New Attribute # of Karma
> To raise the same one again New x 2 # of karma
> Once again (yeah, right) New x 3 # of karma
>
> It gets expensive really quick. However, those characters who chose
> Attributes as a high priority don't feel as badly about their char. gen.
> choices & this puts attribute purchases sorta on par with raising skills.
> ---------------------------------------

The way I do it is this... Instead of simply spending 1x the new stat to
raise a stat, you do this: Buy dice at one die per karma point. Now
limit on dice (except by good karma available). You roll these dice
against a target number equal to the new stat. You must score a number
of successes equal to the target number. (Note, the cost to raise is
based on the stat as UNadjusted for race, I.E. a troll with a 4 body only
raises from 1 to 2, not 4 to 5.)

I have made two modifications. One, this system does not apply to stats
below the racial average. Humans (for example) can buy a stat up to 4
via the book method. Also, I calculate the number of dice required to
break a 50% chance to succeed. If that many dice plus one are bought,
the stat is raised automatically. (Please note this is 15 ! karma
expended to raise a 4 to a five.) I also allow karmic rerolls, by
BURNING instead of expending pool points. (Doesn't happen to often. As
a matter of fact, most people stop at 4).

Chavez:"I want to see his eyes when it happens."
Clark:"So use a good scope on the rifle."

Further Reading

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Thwap!