Re: Skill Costs.

[Wright Frazier <khelek@ns1.cioe.com>]

> > We, the KPG, discussed this before, and the amount of time it would add
> > between adventures is really prohibative, some folks would be looking
> > at having their characters be out of play for 4-5 months to pick
> > up one skill rank.
> 
> Actually the book already defines things as 1 week per rank.
> 
> > While it would solve Steve's gripe about the rate 4 mage having lightning
> > bolt, is it really worth it?  
> 
> Actually it doesn't. You'd still be a rate 4 mage even if you were
> out of play for a few game months. I'm saying that either stuff is
> too cheap, the buying system is broke, or too many eeps per game 
> are going out.
> 

Its one of the inherent flaws of getting just flat xp pool and spending
from there type game.  Even if you drop it too 1K xp per game, its
still gonna be only 4 weeks to get lightning bolt, assuming the
air mage starts with rank 3 air magics, or 6 weeks if none.

I still think the real problem comes not from xp or skills, but from spell
buying.  Spells are treated simply as skills, but you get a bit more
power and versatility for xp spent on spells than on xp spent on skills.
Granted you don't get the unlimited use you do with skills, but still,
you get a lot of versatility.  Being able to throw a 70mph went, breath
under water, deal 6 dice of damage over 60' range no RC, or deal
6 dice of damage over 120' range RC for half is a bit more versatile than
rank 6 in long sword.

Magic while fairly hamstrung, is still a better bang for your buck investment
by the by.  Hmmm..I'm still not sure I like the idea of study times, 
with the exception of an initial period of learning something.

To me, magic of any form should not be something you walk out to
Barnes and Nobles and pick up a book, and a day later, you can chuck
a minibolt, recover 1, or rank 1 luck amulet.  Instead it should take
time to study to pick up the basics(1yr, 10mo - 1 for each pt of int
over 14).  Then once you have got the basics, you can study a bit
on your own and pick up more, but only up to certain levels of power.
I.e. you can only get so much out of the calculus 1 book you have.  If
you want to learn more, you need an instructor mostlikely, or at the
very least, an new book.

Hmmm...What about this:
Rank 1 = 10mo -1/point of int/cse over 14.
Rank 2 to 6 = study on own.
Rank 7+  = you need a master to help you with it, or you pay more
		because it is advanced knowledge, and just harder to
		pickup without a master to assist you.
		i.e. it should cost some amount more to learn above
		7 if you aren't under instruction.

Wright