Topic: Shadow World Elves and Perceptions

[Voriig Kye]

Hi, we are about to start a new campaign (RMFRP + House Rules), including a Dyar and a Loar elf.
For the first time we've decided to use alertness as well as observation in the game.

Usually all Shadow World elves received a +20 to all skills in the awareness category group related to hearing and sight.

So I was about to rule that the same applied to alertness, a "limited" skill in RMFRP (which means that it receives a +1 per rank instead of the usual +5).

Then a player pointed out that the description of the spell Sly Ears in RMFRP states:
"...This results in a special bonus of +50 to Awareness • Searching and Awareness • Senses skills involving only hearing (or +5 for Alertness skill)..."

So now I'm wondering... maybe Shadow World elves should only receive a +2 to awareness rolls related with sight/hearing when it's a limited skill.

BUT if that were the case, the heavy SD penalties of the elves would mean that most elves will have a negative alertness when they start, even after developing some ranks. This could be prevented if I rule that the +20 is applied as well to this skill, instead of just a lousy +2.

Have you encountered this subtlety before? How have you ruled?
Thanks!

[yammahoper]

I took it to mean that elves are not very perceptive innately.  Why would they need to be?  They see the obvious and have infinite years to figure out the rest.  Plus, in a meta sense they have GREAT everything else.

[markc]

 In non-SW I have used the bonuses as listed in RMSS strait as an offset to the SD penalty.
MDC