altering combat skill divisions Options

[Cursedsoul]

What if you re-tooled the specialization system?

For example you could have general/style/weapon.

So Edged weapons/fencing/rapier would work.

You could have Edged, Clubs, Staff (polearms, staves, etc) and Lashing (whips, flails, chains, etc) as the general.

Then you get into specific styles like the aforementioned Fencing and Kendo. You could even go with general things like slashing, thrusting, jabbing. Then you get to specific weapon.

The base skill would give you proficiency with every weapon of that type. Specific style would grant you martial arts-ish bonuses like +1 dice, -1TN, only +2 to called shots, whatever. Finally, specific weapons would grant you the cheapest karma costs.

You'd pay for the base cost as normal. If you go for a specialized style you would get 1/2 rounded down your general skill for free and then pay like, 0.75 the karma cost for the style. If you further specialized to a specific weapon you'd pay normal specialization costs and it'd be based off the style's skill rating.

[edit] This just came to mind too. You could get away without any sort of re-tooling of the specialization system if you simply select a style. It'd be like brawling in melee. You could get that and be happy, or you can go specific style and be proficient ONLY with those weapons. You'd get to pick martial arts-ish bonuses too, maybe even learning maneuvers or something. Anyways, you'd then you pay normal spec cost for the specific weapon if you choose to do that. I think there's something here, I really do. If nothing else I've just replaced the whips skill with lashing weapons because even if you are beating someone with a flail, lashing still wins the coolness contest. :D [/edit]


I dunno, its just a thought that I came up with right this minute.

This post has been edited by Cursedsoul: Jun 14 2004, 05:06 AM

[Entropy Kid]

Sounds like house ruling back to second edition, sort of. I remembering reading about a character taking Unarmed Combat, concentrating in Boxing, and specializing in Punching. I don't remember where I read that, but I didn't make it up (I don't think...). Anyway, munchkins are only as much of a problem as GMs let them be.

Could someone explain how the old Skill, Concentration, Specialization rules worked for those of us that started with third?

[Cursedsoul]

Wow, if that's from second ed that's pretty creepy because I thought that up on my own and I've never seen a second edition book except in name.

Now I'm sad because I thought I had an original idea. :(

[Connor]

Well, I think the problem we're seeing here is that the three tier system of SR2 was too broad and allowed for too much leeway. Although I think bringing back the general/concentration/specialization levels with the new skill system might work. But it seems like overkill.

The SR3 general/specialization system is a bit broad in some cases and doesn't quite seem to cover all the bases in some instances. The best way to fix this is to figure out the right balance of general skills. Right now it seems like they went a little overboard.

The problem with melee weapons is that many weapons can be used successfully in many different ways. You can use a broadsword or a sabre or a katana or a big stick as a sword and fight successfully in several styles with it. There's a lot of commonality and finding the right balance is tough.

The same thing exists with firearms. Are smgs/carbine(not that they officially exist)/assault rifles all that different to require a seperate general skill? I don't think so, but then again, I don't have any experience firing any of the above weapons.

I have a lot more experience with melee weapons, and sword fighting styles in particular. I have to comment that I really haven't had much problem with the melee weapons divisions in SR3. I think the firearms need to lose one or two general skills, but I don't really think the melee weapons need much work, even if they seem a little cumbersome at times.

[Siege]