| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Thraskir Skimper |
Posted - 11 Jul 2018 : 02:54:38
Should characters be able to advance in Spells or Abilities outside of gaining levels.
I was wondering about Larloch surely 'he' would be able to advance outside of having 100's of levels gaining abilities or spell focuses just with reading about and practicing spells.
Vote before you peek |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 18 Jul 2018 : 04:41:56
One of my favorite such systems was from the old D&D game set in Mystra. In Glantri, they had the "Seven Secret Crafts" and study of the "Radiance". These were alternate paths to power.
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| Icelander |
Posted - 18 Jul 2018 : 04:03:39
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
If you're advancing in ability, then surely you are exercising the relevant skills. This means you are gaining experience at these things. And thus, gaining XP, which leads to levels.
So it's not as much that you gain further abilities in particular skills when you gain a level, as it is that you've gained enough experience to be competent at those skills.
Think of it like a diploma: the piece of paper doesn't give you the knowledge; the piece of paper shows that you have the knowledge and proves you can properly use it.
The issue I have with level-based systems is that it seems unnecessary to link Hit Dice and Base Attack bonus with skills. Whether emulating fictional characters or mythological ones, it seems odd that anyone exhibiting a degree of skill well beyond the ordinary person should also be required to be much tougher and adept at combat.
Forgotten Realms lore has always supported sages with world-class knowledge about a certain subject, but no combat ability beyond an ordinary, sedentary person. But most versions of D&D make this impossible, as to have Knowledge (Whatever) at very high skill levels, a character would need high levels and even in a low Base Attack progression and 1d4 Hit Dice progression, that sage becomes able to batter professional warriors to death and survive falls from terminal velocity, immersion in lava and multiple lightning strikes.
Old school AD&D had 0st level characters that could have any level in a non-combat proficiency, allowing the greatest expert in the world on a subject to exist without having him necessarily be a superhero as well. |
| BARDOBARBAROS |
Posted - 16 Jul 2018 : 08:26:24
No only advance when leveling up...
it takes effort and time to learn these spells and skills ..and all these are the amount of xp needed to gain a level and learn spells and skills!!! |
| Diffan |
Posted - 14 Jul 2018 : 13:23:57
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Yeah, there are numerous methods of gaining abilities that have existed over the various editions. I'm not familiar with how 5th Ed does it though.
Downtime rules and ideas are in Xanathar's Guide to Everything pages 123 to 134 and detail all sorts of things you can train, acquire, make, work, gamble, etc. for. My player's use them the other day while they were making headway into the Murder in Baldur's Gate adventure. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 14 Jul 2018 : 13:20:38
I'd say yes, but it would take considerable downtime and study. Something that would need multiple checks, gold value, time, location with the correct personnel, etc. to represent time spent. |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 11 Jul 2018 : 03:37:29
Yeah, there are numerous methods of gaining abilities that have existed over the various editions. I'm not familiar with how 5th Ed does it though.
As for Larloch. His Intelligence allows him to have as many spells as he can master. So he needs to work to learn / create / discover more magic. That is endless.
Other systems use skill points acquired through age / experience. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Jul 2018 : 03:31:36
If you're advancing in ability, then surely you are exercising the relevant skills. This means you are gaining experience at these things. And thus, gaining XP, which leads to levels.
So it's not as much that you gain further abilities in particular skills when you gain a level, as it is that you've gained enough experience to be competent at those skills.
Think of it like a diploma: the piece of paper doesn't give you the knowledge; the piece of paper shows that you have the knowledge and proves you can properly use it. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 11 Jul 2018 : 03:26:48
Meh. There are many ways. Including how it's done in d100. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 11 Jul 2018 : 03:13:06
Is this poll about not liking the rule set?
I could say using skills is only way to improve them, that the current rule set does not consider that. |
