rene@umcp-cs.UUCP (10/26/83)
In our traveller game, you CAN'T just pick up any old skill that
someone else happens to know. To teach a skill you MUST have
instructor skill (see the High Guard characters) and you must have at
least one skill level above the level you are allowed to teach to, in
both instructor skill and the skill you are teaching. Characters who
can learn everything get boring - that would be like having every
character in D&D be a mu, a fighter, a thief, a cleric, etc. all at
once.
What you CAN do is practice skills you already know, study
things that aren't skills (for example, the characteristics
(geography, predators, gravity, atmosphere, etc) of the planet you're
visiting, and the society, if any (this can be VERY helpful)), or have
a shipboard adventure (our GM put spies on our vessel, and then there
was a murder, etc). You can practice new weapon skills (our GM
requires a year to go from level 0 (which everyone has) to level 1 in
a weapon ONLY) if you roll a 6 (2d6) - other skills and levels take
two years, and you must roll a 6 (2d6) every year to "keep at it", but
you immediately gain the skill level while practicing. I believe it's
weapon practice that you don't roll the second year (or is it body
building?). We also have an EP system for going up skill levels, but
it takes proportionately longer to go up higher skill levels. If a
character must practice a skill he doesn't have (e.g. leadership), it
is possible to go to skill level 0 on that (judgement of GM - don't be
too free with this, or with EPs).
At any rate, what you want is a way to gradually increase your
character's capabilities, but not get TOO powerfull, and above all,
have fun.
- rene
--
Arpa: rene.umcp-cs@CSNet-relay
Uucp:...{allegra,seismo}!umcp-cs!rene