Full Version: Incompetence: Running
What are the consequences of taking Incompetence (Running)?
One dead runner (no pun intended).
you're very awkward, clumsy, have a club foot, etc.
You could definitely 'run' run, but if you try to boost your rate it's pretty much like trying to breath out of water when you're a fish - you're screwed if you keep trying. Likewise, with regular running, One might have to perform agility or reaction checks not to stumble for some reason.
You could definitely 'run' run, but if you try to boost your rate it's pretty much like trying to breath out of water when you're a fish - you're screwed if you keep trying. Likewise, with regular running, One might have to perform agility or reaction checks not to stumble for some reason.
i went with cant make tests and running rate is reduced. Explain it through whichever of Cold's methods you want, i think systematically it would work out the same.
For whatever reason you simply cannot run, I would guess that in most cases it means a physical deformity.
| QUOTE (stevebugge) |
| For whatever reason you simply cannot run, I would guess that in most cases it means a physical deformity. |
Default to Pilot Ground Craft for the wheelchair.
Incompetence (Running) simply means he can't make tests with the Running skill.
| QUOTE (Cold-Dragon @ Feb 8 2006, 10:35 PM) |
| if you try to boost your rate it's pretty much like trying to breath out of water when you're a fish - you're screwed if you keep trying. |
This is what I meant by "sprinting." Sprinting/boosting your running rate requires a use of the Running skill, and so my assumption is that it can't be done, period. However, if that's all that Incompetence does then it seems like the character is getting off the hook too easy. Hence I would tend to agree with you that there needs to be some sort of additional penalty, even though no such thing is justified by the rules.
EDIT: Re-reading the Incompetent Quality, I see that it says "In some cases, a Success Test may be required to perform certain tasks that most people take for granted." So what would be a fair test for normal running?
The rules are clear. The character is not allowed to use the "Running" skill. No reduction of movement rates. And if you ask me that's a heavy penalty.
Oracle is right, but Cold-Dragon and Curle Beck are, too. So the Character may have problems running over dificult ground. Allso, arnīt there Running-Tests involved in fatigue? Iīll take a look.
EDIT: Ok, so the incompetent or infirm character canīt make a runing check to elongate the period before he takes fatigue damage. Allso, the GM might apply bod+will rolls to continue moving every time, the char takes stun instead of after 6 boxes.
EDIT: Ok, so the incompetent or infirm character canīt make a runing check to elongate the period before he takes fatigue damage. Allso, the GM might apply bod+will rolls to continue moving every time, the char takes stun instead of after 6 boxes.
A person doesn't need the running skill to run, they just need it if they want to run in a proffesional trained manner. Having that incompetence would only disallow learning the skill to be able to run better, they would still hav ethe basic human ability to move about based off their stats.
All it means is they can not use the running skill. Meaning while they can run, and sprint. Any running test they make is defaulted on strength giving them the -1 DicePool penalty for defaulting. Which makes the chance of glitching, and or crit glitching alot higher.
Even someone with a strength of 6 could only roll 5 dice max on that test with incompetance running. And remember the test is required for sprinting... Also would mean they'd get tired quicker as its for fatigue from running as well.
Even someone with a strength of 6 could only roll 5 dice max on that test with incompetance running. And remember the test is required for sprinting... Also would mean they'd get tired quicker as its for fatigue from running as well.
So they can run. They just can't run fast. And when they do, they fall down, panting.
I can hear the munchkins now: "My character run. He saunters. He meanders. He moseys. He doesn't run. He doesn't need to run."
GM: "What's your character's name?"
Munchkin: "Chuck Norris."
*ROUNDHOUSE KICK!!*
I see the concern. It does seem like you're getting off light compared to, say, Incompetance: Pistols. The flaw does say that the GM is justified in calling for tests for tasks that normally do not require it. If I had a player take this, I'd probably require some kind of test to run, as well as to sprint.
I can hear the munchkins now: "My character run. He saunters. He meanders. He moseys. He doesn't run. He doesn't need to run."
GM: "What's your character's name?"
Munchkin: "Chuck Norris."
*ROUNDHOUSE KICK!!*
I see the concern. It does seem like you're getting off light compared to, say, Incompetance: Pistols. The flaw does say that the GM is justified in calling for tests for tasks that normally do not require it. If I had a player take this, I'd probably require some kind of test to run, as well as to sprint.
| QUOTE (Moon-Hawk) |
| So they can run. They just can't run fast. And when they do, they fall down, panting. I can hear the munchkins now: "My character run. He saunters. He meanders. He moseys. He doesn't run. He doesn't need to run." GM: "What's your character's name?" Munchkin: "Chuck Norris." *ROUNDHOUSE KICK!!* I see the concern. It does seem like you're getting off light compared to, say, Incompetance: Pistols. The flaw does say that the GM is justified in calling for tests for tasks that normally do not require it. If I had a player take this, I'd probably require some kind of test to run, as well as to sprint. |
Well no there'd be no test to run in my game...though quickly there'd be a fatigue test. And there IS a test for sprinting...
| QUOTE (runefire32) |
| All it means is they can not use the running skill. Meaning while they can run, and sprint. Any running test they make is defaulted on strength giving them the -1 DicePool penalty for defaulting. Which makes the chance of glitching, and or crit glitching alot higher. |
"Characters may not possess that skill, nor may they default on it." (pg. 82)
Let me just add the reason that I raised the question. For whatever reason, the need to making Running tests is very rare (in my games anyway). So I was imagining a whole new generation of characters with Incompetent (Running) and Incompetent (Artisan). I figured that I would be proactive in preventing the BP madness, and besides, it hardly makes sense to say that a character who is Incompetent at running can still run at normal speeds. However, I am happy with the idea that such a character has to make a Success Test just to run at normal speed, and this is consistent with the RAW.
| QUOTE (Churl Beck) | ||
"Characters may not possess that skill, nor may they default on it." (pg. 82) Let me just add the reason that I raised the question. For whatever reason, the need to making Running tests is very rare (in my games anyway). So I was imagining a whole new generation of characters with Incompetent (Running) and Incompetent (Artisan). I figured that I would be proactive in preventing the BP madness, and besides, it hardly makes sense to say that a character who is Incompetent at running can still run at normal speeds. However, I am happy with the idea that such a character has to make a Success Test just to run at normal speed, and this is consistent with the RAW. |
Oh right missed that.
They can run (as it requires no test). But they can not sprint (as sprinting requires a test). The would also, whenever a fatigue test is needed, instantly aquire fatigue from running as they can't make the test to avoid it.
I forgot that part, too. Oops.
Churl. It's your game. Edges and Flaws are not balanced for every game. Some people are going to say, "In my game, not being able to spring would be a big penalty, I see no problem with this flaw.[I] However, this looks to me like a case where you just need to tell your characters that, in your game, you don't expect running or artisan to be significant enough to warrant the full value of the flaw. (which I don't remember) Tell them that you're only willing to give them X build point for these particular ones, and X may well be 0. If it really fits their character, they'll take it anyway, and maybe earn some extra karma for RPing it well.
Churl. It's your game. Edges and Flaws are not balanced for every game. Some people are going to say, "In my game, not being able to spring would be a big penalty, I see no problem with this flaw.[I] However, this looks to me like a case where you just need to tell your characters that, in your game, you don't expect running or artisan to be significant enough to warrant the full value of the flaw. (which I don't remember) Tell them that you're only willing to give them X build point for these particular ones, and X may well be 0. If it really fits their character, they'll take it anyway, and maybe earn some extra karma for RPing it well.
A player in my group took Incompetence: Artisan.
I figgured that means he not only is untallented, but allso has absolutly no taste. The music heīs listening to is whatever hapens to run at the moment. He cant destinguish betweem nice foto-pictures and uggly trash and (I have not enforced this one yet, since I did only think it up now) he has absolutely no tastes concerning clothing. Iīd give him penalties in appropriate social situations, but he also hapens to have only Charisma 1 and absolutely no social skill, so he allways goes for long shots with Edge in this tests. Now that I type this down, Iīm wondering why he didnīt take uncouth, too? Probably wants to learn social later on.
I figgured that means he not only is untallented, but allso has absolutly no taste. The music heīs listening to is whatever hapens to run at the moment. He cant destinguish betweem nice foto-pictures and uggly trash and (I have not enforced this one yet, since I did only think it up now) he has absolutely no tastes concerning clothing. Iīd give him penalties in appropriate social situations, but he also hapens to have only Charisma 1 and absolutely no social skill, so he allways goes for long shots with Edge in this tests. Now that I type this down, Iīm wondering why he didnīt take uncouth, too? Probably wants to learn social later on.
Yeah, incompetence in general can easily be abused (but then again, the GM can totally make you need to make a critical roll based on your incompetenced skill.) Lots of skills are completely worthless to certain character types, so it's essentially free bp's.
I made a character once with incompetence, but I think it was kinda cool. He had incompetence (navigation) and would get lost any damn place he went. I picked it for the cool roleplaying options, and used the extra bp's to get him a high rated taxi cab driver friend.....
I made a character once with incompetence, but I think it was kinda cool. He had incompetence (navigation) and would get lost any damn place he went. I picked it for the cool roleplaying options, and used the extra bp's to get him a high rated taxi cab driver friend.....
He shoulda just bought a GPS, Squinky. 
... And then hope no hacker ever gets a hold of it.
... And then hope no hacker ever gets a hold of it.
I thought about that, but felt it was kinda cheesy. Anyway, I'd think even if he had a gps he could have troubles understanding it, since it would involve figuring out where he was on it, heh.
I based it off myself, I seem to have no memory retention for directions. I can drive a place a few times and then just forget it. It's wacky.
I based it off myself, I seem to have no memory retention for directions. I can drive a place a few times and then just forget it. It's wacky.
| QUOTE (Churl Beck) |
| For whatever reason, the need to making Running tests is very rare (in my games anyway). So I was imagining a whole new generation of characters with Incompetent (Running) and Incompetent (Artisan). |
Each incompetence basically lets someone trade the ability to declare a single type of action for a single skill point - i.e the ability to roll one extra dice on another type of action. That's only a good deal if you're really, really sure that the skill you're taking incompetent with isn't going to come up.
The maximum amount you could abuse this is to get 35 build points by buying it 7 times. If I planned to do this, I'd take it seven times for seven different versions of Exotic Mele Weapon (Monowhip, Chainsaw, Sais, Pole Arms, Elbow Spurs, Foot Blades, Cybernetic Horns). If that was too blatant, my choices would be Artisan, Forgery, Gunnery, Locksmith, Leadership, Aeronotics Mechanic, and Software. Any of those choices would be less restrictive than Running, because those tasks can usually be pawned off on another party member.
As a game master, I'd probably nerf my players out of being incompetent in the Exotic skills or in Knowledge skills, but if they wanted to take 7 skills off the list that would be fine. I would point it out to my other players so they had a chance to do it too. In the long term, it would probably come out about even as players were forced to buy off a couple of their misspicked flaws.
My Combat-Medic has an Incompetence for Instruction, thats why he didnīt stay at the university even though, hes got Logic 6 (+Cerebral Booster and soon to be 7) and First Aid 7.
Anyway Incompetence in any skill will also raise Notoriety by one (or once per Incompetence with devious GMīs).
Anyway Incompetence in any skill will also raise Notoriety by one (or once per Incompetence with devious GMīs).
I have a Str 1 face with Incompetence (Unarmed Combat). She had a cyberspur implanted to compensate.
As for Incompetence (Artisan)... just drop them into a mana storm in Australia, that leaves them stranded in post-Earthdawn Barsaive for an adventure...
As for Incompetence (Artisan)... just drop them into a mana storm in Australia, that leaves them stranded in post-Earthdawn Barsaive for an adventure...
Yea, burn those Horror invested strangers 
First, the character cannot *ever* make a Sprint test, and must make checks every time they make the (normally free) "running" test. That is very much in keeping with the rules in my opinion.
Secondly, I have not be allowing characters to take Incompetent on skills that could not be defaulted (trained only) anyway. I also like the idea that the Incompetence in a skill area has "spin-offs" into other aspects of the character.
Secondly, I have not be allowing characters to take Incompetent on skills that could not be defaulted (trained only) anyway. I also like the idea that the Incompetence in a skill area has "spin-offs" into other aspects of the character.
| QUOTE (mdynna) |
| First, the character cannot *ever* make a Sprint test, and must make checks every time they make the (normally free) "running" test. That is very much in keeping with the rules in my opinion. Secondly, I have not be allowing characters to take Incompetent on skills that could not be defaulted (trained only) anyway. |
I agree with all of this. I would add that in my game I limit the number of times that Incompetent can be taken (to twice). That works best for stopping unforeseen contingencies.
As for Incompetent (Artisan), I tell myself to just live with it. It is not out of character, and it gets used for an occasional Forgery test anyway. If nothing else, I can just pretend that I gave the players 405 Build Points
incompitent artisan? just stress the ED crossovers and have them brutally murdered by tir ghosts the first time they have to go to TT
Unfortunately I'm Incompetent (Earthdawn). A friend of mine bought the core book when it first came out, but we never got around to playing it. The book has long since vanished.
okay long story short version, if horrors (the ED demons) marked you and tainted your soul, one of the effects was that you gained incompetence in artisan skills
and Tir ghosts are trained to kill all such things on site as the rulers of TT are immortals who lived since that time
and Tir ghosts are trained to kill all such things on site as the rulers of TT are immortals who lived since that time
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