Toward LAW Advanced- Some House Rules

[lkmjbc3]

My son and I have just finished our 3rd adventure (Crown of Kings) having gotten back to playing after almost a year. I can't help but tinker with simple changes that I think improve the game. Keeping in mind the reluctance for big changes by the authors (most understandable), I sought things that were less drastic.

Skills:
These are now earned initially at a zero level. Subsequent levels add pluses. Tests are allowed by unskilled characters against the standard dice requirement plus one dice. Therefore... someone that doesn't swim may test swimming against 4D6. A character with a swimming skill will test vs 3 D6. A character with Swimming +2 will test vs 3D6 and have +2 to their strength.

Please note: A character without sword, may swing one... but takes a 4D6 vs Dx to hit.

20pt Skills: These skills must be purchased unless the adventure specifically allow them. They replace the armor rules for Roman armor in WOR. The armor reverts to standard Dx penalties. Instead the characters are granted the Warrior skill free.

Warrior: Cost 20pts. Minimum Str 11. This skill in wearing and fighting in heavy armor negates one minus to Dx from wearing armor. Thus leather will only penalize -1. Chain -2.

Veteran: Cost 20tps. Minimum Str 14. Prerequisite: Warrior. This skill represents a Veterans ability to maximize his defenses. It penalizes any opponent attacking the user from the front 3 hexes by -1 to hit.

All for now.

Joe Collins

[Deleted]

howdy joe!
i like your rules regarding skilled/unskilled and # of die used.

as for the 20pt Warrior and Veteran skills...wouldn't it be cheaper (and more beneficial) to increase DX?

[mister frau blucher]

Hey Joe, good to hear from you!

I like the idea of the initial level being +0. It makes a bit more sense from a realism point of view, and actually plays to the bell curve better.

The main reason we have the initial level being +1 is for simplicity. Not that understanding the first level in a skill is +0, and the second is +1, is rocket surgery or anything, but it is easier to pick up that one level + plus one, and simplicity is our main deal with the rules (aside from playability).

But you are doing exactly what we want, taking the rules and making them your own.

For the Warrior and Veteran, I have messed a bit with trying to incorporate old TFT talents. I think ewookie is right about just buying DX being cheaper and more beneficial, but I do note the -1 for opponents' attacks in the front hexes, which is interesting.

Thanks, Joe!

[lkmjbc3]

Hey guys... glad you like these ideas..

The 20pt cost for Warrior and Veteran are on purpose. The idea is that the Warrior skill would only really be taken during character creation.

Just like you would never have a fighter take "Sorcerer's Tongue", a wizard would probably never take "Warrior". Of course someone wanting to mix the various fantasy stereotypes is free to do so... Also, a player is free to save up experience and buy it later... but few will.

Adding another "Thief" type skill set (and perhaps the much talked about "Priest" skill set) at an advanced point level would complete the set.

During character generation... one should probably pick one... two being a difficult road with limitations on all other skills.

Further, the Veteran skill is really only for those very advanced characters. Perhaps 15 pts would be better?

Joe Collins

[klingor]

Hi people,
The skill level 0 idea is something I've suggested on these boards before and I still recommend it.
It comes from the old TFT/ITL talents - if you don't have the talent, you are at Dx-4 (approx 1d6).
I like the idea of minimum characteristic levels before you can learn a skill, and the idea of pre-requisites - this was in the original TFT/ITL.
I would go for a skill being 10 XP to learn if it has a pre-requisite skill/talent or a minimum characteristic level to acquire it in the first place, since otherwise it cannot be learned.
I think many more of the original TFT/ITL skills and talents could be brought into LAW and would enhance and enrich the game.
Cheers
Colin

[Deleted]

i would prefer a negative modifier instead of an extra die for skill level 0. i must have some small hands or some big dice (i prefer to think i have some big dice), therefore, anything to keep the number of die used down is appealing to me.

however, -4 is a bit steep. -3 gives a closer approximation to an extra die in terms of probability.

i've been playing around with -2 lately but not just at skill level 0 or 'unskilledness'. here's what i mean: If a character has DX10 and Sword+1, he would need to roll a 9 or lower to hit. if he had Sword+2, he would need to roll 10 or lower. basically, SKILL SCORE = SKILL LEVEL (= skill rank + relevant attribute + -2). this makes skill checks a little bit more difficult than general attribute checks (like Dodge or searches), is very straightforward to define and explain, and adds a touch of realism.

i can't say anything nice about minimum attribute scores or TFT skill rules, so i won't say anything at all about that.

[Deleted]

Feb 3, 2013 21:13:24 GMT -5 lkmjbc3 said:

Adding another "Thief" type skill set (and perhaps the much talked about "Priest" skill set) at an advanced point level would complete the set.

where is talked about? i want to go there and read about it. i want to know more. thanks!