ON
THE SUBJECT OF TALENTS...
The "problem" before the house came to light when I
had guest appearances by popular heroes of fiction in adventures.
Conan, Zorro, Robin Hood, and so on. To give these stars their skill
set required they have IQ's in the high 20's or 30's. Not that any
of them were stupid by any stretch, but when TFT says an IQ of 16 is an
entry level Mensa candidate, having the barbarian from Cimmeria with double
that amount seemed...awkward.
To that end I designed this option for players to consider.
It is only available after initial character creation. Which is
obvious, I guess, since newly born heroes don't have Experience Points.
BUYING TALENTS WITH EXPERIENCE POINTS
A formula determines the price: IQ point cost
times Talent's IQ Level times 10.
For
example: Sword Talent: 2 x 7 x 10 = 140 Exp.
Missile Weapons: 3 x 9 x 10 = 270 Exp.
Courtly Graces: 1 x 11 x 10 = 110 Exp.
Chemist: 3 x 13 x 10 = 390 Exp.
All prerequisites and rules for Talents apply.
You have to have Physicker to get Master Physicker. You still need
ST 14 to be a Warrior. It still takes time and teachers to learn
a Talent. It still takes a minimum IQ of 10 to learn Naturalist.
Languages are considered IQ 8 for this formula.
Now I can have an amazing super barbarian with every
IQ 7 and IQ 8 Talent listed but without him having an IQ of 37.
Besides a more satisfactory GM Character design, this
helped put some zest back into Players whose characters had hit the Big
Exp Numbers. Saving 1,000 points or more for an attribute creates
a certain apathy in Players. Having the option of cashing in those
points for a new Talent gave them something to dream about.
ERRATA and CLARIFICATIONS TO TALENTS
(as taken from "The Space Gamer")
SWIMMING: This Talent also
increases your chances of surviving a fall into water, even in armour.
If you fall into water, make a saving roll vs adjDX : 4 dice for
a non-swimmer, 2 dice for a swimmer and automatic success for a diver.
WOODSMAN: Feeding other
people in the wilderness. "Average" wilderness (eg a temperate forest)
would require a 1 die vs IQ for each person to feed, including himself.
Thus, a woodsman can always feed himself and usually one other.
One attempt per day. An escalating series of rolls. One die
for the woodsman-automatic. Two dice for another person. Three
for the next and so on until failure. Up to the party to decide
if one person starves or if everyone goes a bit short.
At GM's discretion, lush country can be easier and
harsh scrubland can be more difficult to the rolls. Of course, totally
barren may mean no chance at all.
TALENTS I CREATED...
(many variations of which I've now seen around the TFT Webring.
Great minds think alike!)
IIQ
7 SLING (1) Ability to use a sling. If you have sling talent,
Bow costs only one point.
IQ 8 FLYING (2). Adds two points to a flier's airborne MA
in the way Running Talent works on the ground. Stamina and
speed exercises. Prerequisite: Wings.
IQ 8 QUICKDRAW (2) Enables the character to ready and use
a weapon in the same turn. This talent is for close-work, face-to-face
weapons. Missile weapons and pole weapons are not eligible.
Prerequisite: minimum adj DX 12.
IQ 8 SNOWSHOE (1) Ability to use snow shoes with skill when
and where conditions warrant. Do normal movement and actions at
normal MA and DX -1. Run at full speed with a 3 dice roll versus
adjDX to get started and then whenever the GM feels the conditions are
changing or footwork is getting fancy.
People on snowshoes without the talent are at MA -4
and DX -3. Run at full speed as above with 4 dice rolls versus adjDX..
People without snowshoes in deep snow are treated much
the same as "Water" on P. 19 of Melee.
IQ 9 GUTTERSNIPE (1) The opposite of Courtly Graces, but with
much the same purpose. Allows you to mingle and move amongst the
lower classes without standing out like a daffodil on a dung heap.
Back alleys in different cities will have different slangs and customs,
but you will always be convincing in efforts to go slumming.
IQ 9 BLOCK (1) Your shield work is such that it stops plus
one hit to that listed as you deflect and turn blows. Prerequisite:
Shield and minimum adjDX 12.
IQ 9 NICE MOVE (1) The hard-won value of experience on the
Glory Road. You've built up a reflex that gives you a small advantage
in Melee combat. With this talent your opponents in combat suffer
-1 adjDX to attacking you. You have to be active and keen for this
to take effect. Dirty surprise attacks on you won't suffer any penalty.
Prerequisite: Minimum 2 attribute points bought with saved Experience
Points.
IQ 9 MARKSMANSHIP (1) Excellent hand-eye practice results
in an additional 1 point of damage with any thrown or missile weapon when
throwing or shooting. Eg. A thrown dagger goes from 1-1 die
to 1 die even. A longbow becomes 1+3)
Prerequisite: adjDX 13 or better.
IQ 9 ENTERTAINER TALENTS (3) Able to offer a greater
variety of amusements and diversions to earn a silver piece from a crowd.
If you already have Bard, this talent costs 1 point and vice versa.
In a medieval or early Renaissance tone of society,
entertainers would be more rounded, more the general practitioners.
Only those with a cushy position with a rich patron could really hone
a specialty. The player character can do any of the following, but
s/he must pick which talent they are particularly adept in. What
is your forte?
- Juggler. 1 die vs DX for each item you wish to keep aloft.
Strange or dangerous or heavy objects may require a DX penalty.
Failure with dangerous objects needs another DX roll with the same dice
to avoid injury.
- Jester. Caper, tumble and amuse as a clown.
- Storyteller. Same as Bard without the instrumental accompaniment.
- Actor. This talent gives the simple basics of voice, body
language, impersonation and the like. A well-rounded thespian would
aspire to Mimic, Charisma, Sex Appeal and Disguise.
- Dancer.
- Orator. Town criers, master sergeants, ringmasters have orator.
IQ 9 MUNDANE TALENTS Actually the list in the book is pretty complete.
Addition #1: Blacksmith (1). Adept at horseshoes
and fixing farm tools. If you have Blacksmith, Armourer costs 1
point. An Armourer is already capable of this civilian metalwork
IQ 10 *Alteration* FENCING
When this master swordsman chooses the Defend option in Melee combat,
he weaves such a glittering web of steel that he gets the standard 4 dice
vs DX protection but he may also attack. He rolls three dice vs
his adjDX as per normal. If successful he rolls his 1-1 damage on
his enemy, no matter what sword he's packing.
TWO WEAPONS ELABORATIONS:
- A character with the talent Quarterstaff may learn and use Two Weapons
Talent as it is described.
- A character with Unarmed Combat III, IV or V may learn and use
Two Weapons as stated.
UNARMED COMBAT ALTERATION:
Unarmed
Combat I: IQ 10
Unarmed Combat II: IQ 11
Unarmed Combat III: IQ 12
Unarmed Combat IV: IQ 13
Unarmed Combat V: IQ 14