From: pmwg1641@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Peter M. White)
Subject: Re: A few minor SRII points
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 02:58:43 GMT

In article <29SEP199211321935@jane.uh.edu> chem7l@jane.uh.edu writes:
>In article <BvBr3y.JMM@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v121mhb5@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (D.O.G. of S.A.R.P.A.) writes...
>
>>	P.S.> If you play with Metahuman race priority 2, and take
>>priority 4 attributes, and a mild allergy to sunlight, you could get 33
>>points to split between 6 attributes.  This leaves you 3 points
>>short of completely maxing out your 6 attributes.  I've found this a
>>little suspect, so for now I'm keeping Metas at priority 4, but
>>priority 2 for magic metas.
>> 
>>						Jim Scannell
>>						Killer GM at large
>
>You can get over 30 attribute points, sure, but it's generally a very bad idea.
>If you put A on attributes and C on race, that leave B, D, and E for magic, 
>resources, and skills.  That means that you are either an adept with few skills
>and little money (and few force points if you can use spells), or you have too
>little money and skills to put yourself on par with other street sams, deckers,
>and riggers.  The reason that this is a bad idea is that, in 2nd Edition, you
>can use karma to raise attributes up to racial maximums, regardless of your
>beginning attributes.  Since it takes fewer karma to raise attributes than to
>raise skills, it is better to use your A (and maybe your B) on other things that
>are more difficult to improve later.
>
>Besides, with the new rules for raising attributes, many experienced characters
>will raise their attributes up to these levels pretty quickly. (It only takes
>72 karma to raise all attributes from 3 to 6, and most people will start with
>20-24 attribute points, giving 3+ - 4 average on each stat.)  I think the 
>problem of having weak metahumans outweighs the problem of having too high
>stats for some (otherwise weak) characters.

Almost correct.  The second edition rules require considering sought after
attribute/skill.  So raising 3's to 6's cost 6*(4+5+6)=90 karma.  This
also figures into the cost of skill levels, a level 6 general skill, starting
from scratch now costs 2*(1+2+3+4+5+6)=42 karma instead of 31. 

I think that raising attributes comes much too cheaply, now that it
can be done repeatedly.  Raising an attribute is typically every bit
as useful as improving a general skill, so I think that the cost
should be twice the new level, and triple for levels above racial
max (although I would consider allowing a one time discount of
twice value for attributes that *start* at racial max).

I just think the costs should balance out, otherwise experienced
humans will tend to have nothing but 6's and 7's.  Consider a
not atypical distribution of attributes for a samaurai (distribute
24 points): Strength 6, Body 6, Quickness 6, Intel 3, Will 2,
Charisma 1.  To make this straight 6's will cost 2+2*3+3*(4+5+6)=
=53 karma.  Not really that much considering you are putting
yourself at a level which is better in *every* attribute category
than most every other normal on the planet is in their best
personal stat.

It is true, though, with the increased karma costs for skills
and the repeat option for attribute improvement, 40 skill
points look *real* good.

>
>Jim Corbit
>Chem7l@Jetson.UH.edu

--Peter


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     "Guards!  Let me draw their fire!"		|	p-white@uiuc.edu
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