Topic: Thoughts on background options.

[David Johansen]

Okay, really, in the long term Talent bonuses are about the best choice over all.  Yes even better than the dreaded 2BOP for a +20 weapon and shield.

Bonus Items can be lost, stolen, and will probably be supersceded by superior items at higher levels.

Special Skills hit diminishing returns at high ranks.

Money has all the limits of Bonus Items and the added pain of making the character a target.

Free Ranks have all the limits of Special Skills without the long term gains.

Talent Stat Bonuses might be a bit better but come in smaller doses.

Mind you for flat out first level hitting power you can't beat the 2 x +20 item option.

[Arioch]

Maybe a better way to handle riches and special items gained through background options would be to make them more reliable. For example, money could be converted into a fixed income, thieves could still steal your purse, but you'll not run completely out of money and you won't have wasted your background points.
Items obtained could have their bonus tied to the character level (starting small and becoming stronger as its owner gains new levels) and could be made "theft-proof" (if someone steal your background item, the GM must provide you at least a chance each session to recover it somehow).

[markc]

 What is your question?
MDC

[David Johansen]

Question?

No, I'm just thinking about how the back ground options are actually pretty balanced in long term play terms.

I think it's an artifact of D&D's notions on long term balance, where a Magic-User is dead weight at first level and a minor god by twelfth.

I'm not sure that you can balance a game design that way anymore.  People don't run long term campaigns as often these days.  They want effective characters now, not next year.  Sure there's great satisfaction in building a character up in the long term but it's just not easy to make happen these days.

My best RM campaign only got to eighth level, and on that the core group was five people with a turn over of about 20 who came and went over the three year period.

[markc]

 Then yes IMO a skill bonus or a stat bonus that affects all the skills you want is better for short run or power now games.
 But IMO a much better way to do it in this type of game is just increase the starting levels of the PC's. Or you might want to just provide a +20 bonus to a set number of skills so they get to the level that the players and GM are happy with.

 Also one thing about items and there bonuses. I often adjust the metal bonus do to the average for the game. So if high steel is the norm for the game world then it now has a bonus of +0 and all of the others are adjusted accordingly, so if your GM does this the white metal sword may not be the best option.

MDC

[David Johansen]

Sure, and as I was saying elsewhere, higher level characters can be done very quickly by just doing one level and multiplying the ranks and training package times by the level.  Of course this strongly discourages stacking training packages.

[providence13]

Yeah, it's funny how many people want to start with physical stuff instead of Talents and skill bonuses.
In campaigns I've seen at least, magic isn't that rare. You're going to find something to help you along. But people still want that extra edge at the start.

I recall once (I was a new player to the group) where a character died and someone said, in all seriousness, "Great! I'll 'carry' his stuff; I know he didn't take any Talents or Skills...." 

It was funny and sad.

[markc]

I recall once (I was a new player to the group) where a character died and someone said, in all seriousness, "Great! I'll 'carry' his stuff; I know he didn't take any Talents or Skills...." 

It was funny and sad.

 Yes the above is common and I have seen some players conspire to kill one PC so the group has some good stuff to start the game.
MDC

[providence13]

players conspire to kill one PC so the group has some good stuff to start the game.

Yet another reason I don't use the +20 freebie items at 1st level.   But you could kill them for the 3 +10 items..

Along the same lines, I dropped PP Mult's from the game, I'm using PP Adders. Adders give PP (+3,10,15)/day, so it doesn't really help high level casters much at all, in RMFRP.
The previous way was too powerful at higher levels, IMHO. "Well it's some sort of Realm super conductor.." never set well with me. I thought about PP reservoirs that PC's had to charge... but Adders won out.

Daily Items cast a specific spell. So, a Daily II (3rd), could be used to cast a pre-set 3rd level spell 2x/day.  The spell is set into the device's construction, chosen by GM and almost never offensive.

With these changes, I have items that help when characters begin, but aren't as needed when they become more powerful.

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Along the same lines, I dropped PP Mult's from the game, I'm using PP Adders. Adders give PP (+3,10,15)/day, so it doesn't really help high level casters much at all, in RMFRP.
The previous way was too powerful at higher levels, IMHO.

Well, I think the multipliers are RM2 remnants, back when spellcasters were starving with PP since one could only cast his most powerful spell thrice a day without a multiplier, while having a 100 stat.

[Dark Schneider]

The best always are "permanent own characteristics", like increase stats, skill bonuses, special skills, etc. But this is for all games not only RM.

[David Johansen]

Multipliers are the gift that keeps on giving.  I don't think they need removed from the game but, like money they should make the character a target.  At the very least their mystical aura should indicate they're twice as powerful as they should be.

[providence13]

their mystical aura should indicate they're twice as powerful as they should be.

"Ping!"
"What's that strong Essence aura doing so close to my cave....?" Said the Dragon getting ready for lunch!

[providence13]

Maybe I'll keep a few Multipliers around as rare Artifact Items...
If found, do you use it? Other people may be looking for them too.

[Arioch]

At the very least their mystical aura should indicate they're twice as powerful as they should be.

The same thing could be said for talents like Power, Aura, Eloquence,... 

[Dark Schneider]

Maybe I'll keep a few Multipliers around as rare Artifact Items...
If found, do you use it? Other people may be looking for them too.

Not for RMSS or RMFRP for balance.

[vroomfogle]

I agree multipliers are too powerful for RMSS level PP's.    I don't use them at all and instead use Power Matrices which can store power points but they must first be put in, usually at a inefficient ratio.  In other words one might get a 10 PP power matrix, but PP's are stored in it at a 10:1 rate, so for every 10 PP's one puts into it it stores one.

Anyway, I agree with David's remarks regarding Background Options - I personally don't use BOs, just talents but none of them give fixed bonuses (or free ranks) to skills or stats.   There's already an in-game mechanism to raise your skills - take ranks in it!

[markc]

 I use fractional PP multipliers as I agree that they can give RMSS/FRP a whole lot of PP's.
MDC

[sulkow82]

Along the same lines, I dropped PP Mult's from the game, I'm using PP Adders. Adders give PP (+3,10,15)/day, so it doesn't really help high level casters much at all, in RMFRP.

I'm developing my campaign in RMFRP.  I, however, would keep PP multipliers in place (at most x3).  They, however, would be low level artifacts.  Here is my question: where in RM are there rules for addiction.  In my game casting evil spell lists is addictive.   Couple this with PP multipliers…
                                                                       

-Darnok

[markc]

 I would use the herb addition rules in GM Law, I think. Also there is some info about evil spells and corruption in the RMSS Spell Law.
MDC