Subject: Stat Improvement
Hello again!
Someone recently posted their stat improvement rules, and I thought that I would post ours. The rules presented previously relied on 3d6 rolls greater than your stat over a 2 week period of working out 2hrs/day.
These rules take into account the character's willpower, because this determines how long a person can actually workout. Also, most stats cant improve over their beginning values. The only ones I allow are Strength and Endurance. It is silly to think that by practicing on an eye exam that your eyesight will improve, otherwise I would have done this for myself!!
Strength can be improved in an obvious way, lifting rocks, doing push-ups, but not lifting weights! To my knowledge, there were no nautilus machines around in medieval europe. Also there is a good possibility that Smashums the Gladiator might throw out his back trying to reach his "full pump-tential."
"What? lift that rock?, well perhaps if I were given several months of proper diet and training- perhaps a smaller rock" --Bill Murray as Hercules on SNL.The other stat which can be improved is Endurance. This is through long distance running, swimming (a chance for swimming development rolls) or perhaps skiing or other physical skills.
There are various levels of physical training available for PCs to use.
Training Program: Willpower Roll Stat Roll WFB* Light Training Regimen: (WILL)*4 (25-STAT)*2 5 2 hours/day (3 monthly devos) Moderate Training Regimen: (WILL)*3 (25-STAT)*3 10 4 hours/day (3 monthly devos+ 24d/month upkeep+ 50% employment) Intensive Training Regimen: (WILL)*2 (25-STAT)*4 20 8 hours/day (3 monthly devos+ 48d/month upkeep+ 0% employment) * WFB=Workout Factor Bonus :)Willpower Roll Results:
CF: Concentration lost, no gains or further chances this month, Cumulative WFB is reset to 0.Stat Roll Results:
MF: Unsuccessful attempt at current Regimen, try WILL check at lower intensity to determine actual intensity of workout. If successful, attempt STAT roll at the less intensive regimen. Continue until you fail at the Light Training Regimen. If you fail the Light Training Regimen, then add the WFB of 5 points to the cumulative WFB for next month.
MS: Successful attempt at current Regimen. Now test stat against current multiple.
CS: Outstanding workout, Extremely effective. Test stat against Stat Roll + 25.
(remember to apply Cumulative WFB.)
CF: OUCH! some sort of injury! Use common sense and GM discretion. Cumulative WFB is reset to 0.Note: stats may only increase to a maximum of 125% of original value.
MF: Drats, No increase in stat, however add WFB to Cumulative WFB from the table above.
MS: Success! increase stat by 1 point. cumulative WFB is reset to 0.
CS: Outstanding Success! increase stat by 1 point, add 10 to the cumulative WFB. (Do not reset it to zero for next month.)
The Willpower roll becomes harder to make as the training regimen gets more intensive. The pc chooses which level of training intensity he/she wants, expends the monthly devo rolls, the money for upkeep, and the time for the actual training. The figure for upkeep is only a suggestion, GMs should modify as they see fit. The % of employment is the amount of employment one can still do while training. Keep in mind most employers are not very amicable to flex-time or part time workers. Not that the higher the intensity of the training regimen, the higher the chance for stat improvement. If possible, the player might employ a trainer to help him/her with their regimen. The GM may wish to modify the Willpower roll by the trainer's SI in the applicable skill. Example skills:
- Strength/Endurance:
- (Physical Training [Voi Wil End Ahn+2,Ahn+1,Fen+1] SB2)
The skill of getting people motivated to go through their training regimen. NPC's with this skill might include gladiator trainers/slavers, Laranian/Agrikian fighting order instructors, etc. - Endurance improvement:
- Swimming, Climbing, Skiing. etc.
Stat Depreciation:
Check against (Current Stat-Original Stat)*10
CF/MF: No reduction.Effects of Increased stats:
MS/CS: Reduce stat by one point.
If a stat goes up, recalculate skill bases for all affected skills, and increase the ML by the skills OML*increase. For example, if Sir Loin of Beef's Broadsword SB went from 17 to 18, then increase Broadsword ML by (OML*change in SB)= 3*1.
This method works well for other things such as magic items(gasp!) or spells which affect stats other than Strength or Endurance. The Lyahvi spell which increases eyesight comes to mind...
The reasoning behind using OML for ML increases is that the OML is an indicator as to the relative importance of raw stats in the effective use of the skill. For example, Mace opens at OML 4 which means that raw stats are more important than in using a flail which is OML 2, which requires more skill than brute force.
Effect of Decreased stats:
Similarly, if a stat is decreased(only due to stat depreciation, and not injury) Then recalculate affected skill bases, and reduce Skill MLs by OML of skill. Stats reduced by injury affect skill bases normally, and skill ML's by 5*stat loss.
An example of the Stat increase system in use:
Luccero is a Lia-Kavair who recently made a big heist and has a lot of money and has decided to put some muscle onto his scrawny frame. He also has a lot of time to kill, while his enemies forget about him. His current Strength is a paultry 9, his Endurance is 10, and his Willpower is 17. He also has a friend who works training fighting slaves, who has agreed to help him train for a price (20d/month).
Luccero's maximum STR is 9*1.25 =11
Luccero decides to improve his Strength first. He selects the Intensive Training Regimen, and expends his 48d+20d(not including lodging), his 3 monthly devo rolls and works at nothing else but training.(0% employment) After one month of training, Luccero makes a Willpower Check:
Month CWFB (WILL)*2 +SI for trainer = 1 17 *2 +7 = 41. He rolls a MF, and tries again at the lower training regimen.(moderate) 17 *3 +7 = 58. This time he rolls a CS. He now tries to improve his strength with a bonus of +25. Since he made the CS at the Moderate level Regimen, the STR multiplier is only 3, and not 4. 0+ (25-STR)*3 +25 = 89. He rolls a MS against this and his STR is now 10. Since he made his stat devo roll, his CWFB is reset to 0. (it was already zero.)Luccero inspired by his success, decides to continue with his intensive regimen for another month. He expends the neccessary funds and devo rolls, and makes another Willpower check.
Month CWFB (WILL)*2 +SI for trainer = 2 17 *2 +7 = 41. He rolls a MF, and tries again at lower regimen.(Moderate) 17 *3 +7 = 58. MF, tries at (Light Regimen). 17 *4 +7 = 75. Again, MF. He adds 5 (the WFB for Light Training) to his CWFB. Since he failed his will checks, he makes no stat improvement checks for this month.Still having lots of money, time, and will, he decides for another month of intensive workout. His trainer was killed in a freak temple accident, so he gains no trainer bonus.
Month CWFB+ (WILL)*2 = 3 17 *2 = 34. He rolls a MS, and tries to improve his STR to 11.(its maximum) 5+ (25-10)*4= 65. He rolls a CS and improves his STR to it's maximum. Since he can go no higher with Strength, he loses the benefits of the CSAfter 3 months of training and a total expenditure of 204d (not including lodging) Luccero STR has gone from 9 to 11.
Luccero's skills are adjusted, for example his Falchion which is STR STR
DEX, increases from (9 + 9+16)/3 +3 (angberilius)= 14 to
Eventually Luccero's enemies catch up with him and throw him in jail, He is shackled in the High tower. Every month, he checks vs. (Current Stat Value-Original value)*10, and after 2 years returns to his original Strength. (Realistically, his stats (STR,END, AGL, DEX,SPD) would decrease over time. As would skill MLs, but being thrown in jail is bad enough for Luccero, and the GM is feeling particularly nice)
(c) 1991 Davis Harn Players
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
-Eric J. Anderson
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January 23, 2002
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