But I'd failed to notice this was the RM2/Classic/Express board and was thinking of the power and flexibility of the RMSS/FRP system.
I never noticed that in RMFRP you could take how many ranks as you wish in a skill, regardless of your level... ![Roll Eyes ::)](https://ironcrown.co.uk/ICEforums/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif)
Without Talent Law, which would make it even easier to build a high skill:
Layman, Common Man, 1st level. Blacksmith, since the skills required for a Merchant seem more arguable. We will just look at his Blacksmith skill. This is a Craft skill, so the stat bonus is Ag/Me/SD. He'll have a +2 from racial SD, I figure a Blacksmith would put a 90 into Strength, but figure he'd also put a 90 into one of his craft-supporting stats. +5. This has not gone anywhere near maxing out the stat bonuses, but it'll do. Now his Profession Bonus for Crafts is a mere +5. +12 at this point.
But we'll take a couple of ranks as hobbies in Adolescence development. For Apprenticeship, he'll take a couple of ranks, but now this is an Occupational skill for him, so he actually gets six ranks. That's 8 ranks. Now he also takes the Crafter training package and picks up two more ranks in Blacksmith. Now, if you ignored the silly rule that a training package can't take you over 10 ranks, he'd put another rank there, but I'm limiting myself to the RMSR book right now, so +50 from skill ranks. +62, which is a fine journeyman skill. But we aren't done yet.
As a Common Man, he has 6 Background Options. He immediately takes +10 to his Blacksmith skill. We're building strictly by the book, so no taking it more than once. Two background items are used to pick +20 Blacksmithing gear. The remaining three BOs go to buy a +3 stat bonus to a relevant stat. Let's make it Agility. That's another +33.
Total skill bonus, without abusing or modifying the system: +95. That is without anything outside the main book. As I said, with Talent Law it becomes trivial to pump up the skill. +95 is pretty darned good for some newly trained kid fresh out of Apprenticeship. If he lights his smithy well, he'll get a +10 situational modifier, too.