Experience (& Training)

This page lists a short analysis and two proposals. These proposals are listed on the same page for convenience; they can each be evaluated and accepted/rejected on their own.

The Experience Cost Review proposal is an attempt to fix the awkward experience cost curves of Abilities and Attributes. This proposal is largely based on new insights gained after a year a play. → This proposal has been accepted and is now a house rule.

The Advanced Training proposal is an attempt to add the option for characters to train specific activities, and to increase their competence in these activities. → This proposal has been accepted and is now part of the book as an optional rule Advanced Training.

This proposal has been accepted and is now a house rule.

This proposal did not include a review of the starting requirements, but logic dictates that the old starting requirements as noted in the book are not in line with the (relatively) increased cost of low-rating dots for Attributes and Abilities. As such, new starting requirements will have to be determined at a later point in time.

The following notes are kept here for posterity:

Notes:

• Virtue: Changes in virtue have not happend in any single instance over both games. The Virtues are situated such that they more of a guideline on how a character would react, and (currently) have very little numerical impact. They might see some use as prerequisites on Disciplines and Rituals, but overall have very few ties to the operational mechanics.
  • Brend: I see no reason to change these right now, since we have zero data points to judge their value on.

• Willpower: Higher Permanent Willpower has a clear benefit, both in resisting effects and in being able to have more spendable Willpower Points, as such, the increasing costs seem reasonable to me. (And the fact that PCs starts at Willpower 5 helps with the cost/benefit ratio.
  • Brend: I think that Willpower costs are fine as they are.

• Backgrounds: Backgrounds are somewhat of an oddity. A background in effect describes a tie between the character and the world, in the current system they are represented as ratings, and for some backgrounds this makes sense (Resources, Backing, Herd, etc.) for others less so (Retainers). Most backgrounds are designed so that the an increase to higher ratings gives a commensurately larger benefit, so the increasing experience cost seems plausible.
  • Brend: I do not want to overhaul the background system, and it seems to work fine right now. Of course, changing the costs for Abilities and Attributes changes the relative “power per experience” position of Backgrounds. We can address that later, should it become a problem.

• Ritual: Rituals are already flatly priced in the 2-4 experience range; this was done so they cost between ¼ and ½ of a discpline. Since Disciplines do not change, it stands to reason that Rituals need not change either.