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Candacis
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More than 12 skills?

Thu 26 Jan 2023, 22:30

I want to do a hack on the blade runner mechanics, but use 16 skills instead of 12. It would also be with a focus on investigative adventures, although in a different non sci-fi setting. It would be a historical setting at the end of the 19th century.

Right now I have 14 skills, but struggling to decide which skills I should use.
Has anyone done a hack with 4 skills per attribute instead of 3? Which ones did you pick and did you adjust the character creation because of it?
My TOR houserules:
Key Memories and Key Relationships: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?p=79714
Journey Events Details: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12126
Safe Haven: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12132
 
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9littlebees
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Re: More than 12 skills?

Fri 27 Jan 2023, 10:06

You can do what you like with the OGL. 16 skills, 20 skills, 1 skill, or 3 - it doesn't really matter, so long as it still at its core the Year Zero Engine. The main thing that the OGL allows is for you to copy the text of the OGL for your game and use the "Year Zero Engine" logo on your product to help advertise it.
I make YZE games (https://drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?author=Matt%20Kay) and produce predominately Free League content on my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@3skulls)
 
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Candacis
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Re: More than 12 skills?

Fri 27 Jan 2023, 10:21

Thanks, I know that. My question wasn't really about that.
My TOR houserules:
Key Memories and Key Relationships: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?p=79714
Journey Events Details: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12126
Safe Haven: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12132
 
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9littlebees
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Re: More than 12 skills?

Fri 27 Jan 2023, 10:53

Ah apologies. Really there is no right answer, as you need to tailor the list to your setting and the themes you have. For example, my current YZE project is Stiletto, a sort of pseudo-Renaissance Italian game set entirely in one city. Here are the attributes and skills I'm using:

ATTRIBUTES:
  • Physique (PHY) - your strength and agility.
  • Finesse (FIN) - your dexterity and coordination.
  • Cunning (CNG) - your perception and wits.
  • Willpower (WIL) - your empathy and self-control.

SKILLS:
  • Agility [PHY] - acrobatics, athletics, dodging
  • Endurance [PHY] - consume alcohol, resilience, stamina
  • Force [PHY] - grappling, demolition, intimidation
  • Melee [PHY] - using weapons in hand-to-hand combat
----------------------------------------------
  • Ballistics [FIN] - archery, firearms, throwing
  • Crafting [FIN] - repair, invention, tinkering
  • Healing [FIN] - first aid, astrology, herbology
  • Thievery [FIN] - lock-picking, pickpocketing, sleight-of-hand
----------------------------------------------
  • Deception [CNG] - blather, lies, misdirection
  • Observation [CNG] - awareness, investigation, scrutiny
  • Stealth [CNG] - sneaking, blending in, obfuscation
  • Streetwise [CNG] - city lore, contacts, urban navigation
----------------------------------------------
  • Discipline [WIL] - courage, resolve, self-control
  • Inspiration [WIL] - leadership, performance, rhetoric
  • Intuition [WIL] - insight, lie-detection, hidden meanings
  • Persuasion [WIL] - charm, coaxing, negotiation

This play of attribute and skill is a very personal thing and will take a lot of iteration to get right. Play around with attribute names to help spread your skills more logically if the standard STR / AGI / WIT / EMP naming convention doesn't work for you.

If you don't have the games themselves, you should also look at the character sheets for Forbidden Lands and Coriolis, both of which have 16 skills. Coriolis is interesting in that it has split the skills between 8 basic and 8 advanced skills (advanced skills need at least 1 point to be able to use). In addition, there isn't an even split of skills to attributes. This is absolutely a valid approach, so don't feel like you need to be too beholden to the same number of skills for each attribute.
I make YZE games (https://drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?author=Matt%20Kay) and produce predominately Free League content on my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@3skulls)
 
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Candacis
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Location: Vienna

Re: More than 12 skills?

Fri 27 Jan 2023, 12:27

Thanks so much, that was really helpful. I have Coriolis and even Forbidden Lands, but kinda forgot that Forbidden Lands also has 16 skills. Thanks for the reminder.

Love your skill list and the name for your game.
My list right now looks like this:


Physique:
  • Close Combat - fighting unarmed or with melee weapons
  • Force - breaking stuff, pushing, lifting
  • Mobility - being fast, jumping, riding, climbing
  • Awareness - observe surroundings for ambushs or someone following you

Precision:
  • Ranged Combat - fighting with ranged weapons
  • Finesse - card tricks, lock-picking, sleight-of-hands, tinkering
  • Secrecy - sneaking, hiding, pick-pocketing, tail someone
  • XXX - don't know yet

Logic:
  • Investigation - examine clues, search places
  • Medicine - medical aid, autopsies, medical knowledge
  • Research - study informations, researching facts etc.
  • XXX - don't know yet

Empathy:
  • Insight - reading someone, finding out lies and deceptions
  • Manipulation - persuading someone, lying, seduce, charm
  • Culture - etiquette, establishing and finding connections
  • Performance - dance, sing, musical instruments, disguising

I'm not sure about the names yet, since I will probably write it in german - my native language - anyway. I also thought about adding something like Stamina, but I wasn't sure if it will be used that often. And I also toyed with the idea of splitting Finesse into something like crafting and sleight-of-hand stuff.
You gave me lots to think about, thanks!
My TOR houserules:
Key Memories and Key Relationships: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?p=79714
Journey Events Details: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12126
Safe Haven: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12132
 
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9littlebees
Posts: 604
Joined: Sat 18 Feb 2017, 14:22
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Re: More than 12 skills?

Fri 27 Jan 2023, 12:45

Thanks so much, that was really helpful. I have Coriolis and even Forbidden Lands, but kinda forgot that Forbidden Lands also has 16 skills. Thanks for the reminder.

Love your skill list and the name for your game.
My list right now looks like this:


Physique:
  • Close Combat - fighting unarmed or with melee weapons
  • Force - breaking stuff, pushing, lifting
  • Mobility - being fast, jumping, riding, climbing
  • Awareness - observe surroundings for ambushs or someone following you

Precision:
  • Ranged Combat - fighting with ranged weapons
  • Finesse - card tricks, lock-picking, sleight-of-hands, tinkering
  • Secrecy - sneaking, hiding, pick-pocketing, tail someone
  • XXX - don't know yet

Logic:
  • Investigation - examine clues, search places
  • Medicine - medical aid, autopsies, medical knowledge
  • Research - study informations, researching facts etc.
  • XXX - don't know yet

Empathy:
  • Insight - reading someone, finding out lies and deceptions
  • Manipulation - persuading someone, lying, seduce, charm
  • Culture - etiquette, establishing and finding connections
  • Performance - dance, sing, musical instruments, disguising

I'm not sure about the names yet, since I will probably write it in german - my native language - anyway. I also thought about adding something like Stamina, but I wasn't sure if it will be used that often. And I also toyed with the idea of splitting Finesse into something like crafting and sleight-of-hand stuff.
You gave me lots to think about, thanks!
Sieht gut aus (I'm not German, but I live in Germany)!

The only thing I would suggest would be moving Awareness to Logic. IMHO it's really out of place as a skill tied to raw physical capability. But it's a good list! As for Finesse and Endurance, I think adding the former and splitting the latter could work, but again, it really depends on your themes.

Viel Erfolg!
I make YZE games (https://drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?author=Matt%20Kay) and produce predominately Free League content on my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@3skulls)
 
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Candacis
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Posts: 43
Joined: Sun 22 Apr 2018, 12:05
Location: Vienna

Re: More than 12 skills?

Sat 28 Jan 2023, 23:23

Yeah, I think you're right. I switched Awareness to Logic and put in Endurance. Maybe it is a worthwile skill if you need to observe someones house for a few hours or drink someone under the table.
I also split Finesse and added a Crafting skill. Not sure about all the names yet, but the feedback was really helpful. Thanks!
My TOR houserules:
Key Memories and Key Relationships: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?p=79714
Journey Events Details: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12126
Safe Haven: https://forum.frialigan.se/viewtopic.php?t=12132

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