Going to University gets worse and worse

[ElliottWJames]

Going to university seems to get worse and worse.

We where creating a character who wanted to be a qualified MD.

So, we come to the prior history. University, without honors gives them 3,000xp and no feats and skills beyond those from the home world. MA and MD add another 3,000xp. We now have a 4th Level character. They then go into the "Professional Class" and work 3 terms. Now three terms add 12,000xp making the character 6th level, mutliclass caracter 3rd level professional, and what seems to be the equivelant of the 'alein level' show on page 21. So the character doesn't gain the benefits for starting feats, addtional feats and the 4th lvel abitity increase.

The alternative is I'm reading the rules wrongly and have made a mistake.

Thoughts?

Elliott

 

[Nearside]

The character gets the starting skills and feats from the Professional Class. Then they get x number of levels worth of feats and skills for that class. When they switch class, they get the feats from their new class, but not the starting skills.

The character, being 6th level, also gets the Ability Increase at 4th level, and the feats granted normally at 1st, 3rd, and 5th levels.

I think.

 

[Simon Jester]

Originally posted by Stephen Herron:
The character gets the starting skills and feats from the Professional Class. Then they get x number of levels worth of feats and skills for that class. When they switch class, they get the feats from their new class, but not the starting skills.

The character, being 6th level, also gets the Ability Increase at 4th level, and the feats granted normally at 1st, 3rd, and 5th levels.

I think.

Correct, mostly. It's just that the rules covering this area are restricted to the WotC D20 book (D&D Player's Handbook, Star Wars D20 Rules, Call of Cthulhu D20, Wheel of Time RPG, etc.) you're supposed to have to use the THB.

Essentially, if your character advances in level, he/she/it will gain the standard feats and ability advances all characters get with level advance, even if they don't gain anything from starting or advancing in their class. In addition, should the character switch classes (multiclass), they get all the feats, Stamina Points, BAB and Save bonuses provided as First-Level benefits for memebrs of that class. These all add to what the character already has. The big difference is in skill points; they don't get the x4 multiplier to skill points since it's not their initial character level. They do get the regular skill points for advancing in that class, however.

Simon Jester

 

[DrSkull]

Originally posted by Elliott James:
Going to university seems to get worse and worse.

We where creating a character who wanted to be a qualified MD.

So, we come to the prior history. University, without honors gives them 3,000xp and no feats and skills beyond those from the home world. MA and MD add another 3,000xp. We now have a 4th Level character. They then go into the "Professional Class" and work 3 terms. Now three terms add 12,000xp making the character 6th level, mutliclass caracter 3rd level professional, and what seems to be the equivelant of the 'alein level' show on page 21. So the character doesn't gain the benefits for starting feats, addtional feats and the 4th lvel abitity increase.

The alternative is I'm reading the rules wrongly and have made a mistake.

Thoughts?

Elliott

Before you go to university you must choose a class. Say professional. That 3000xp you got in univeristy takes you from being a first level professional to being a third level professional. The MA/MD gets you to 4th level professional. Then the Professional terms gets you to level 6 professional.

The experience gained in Univeristy allows you to progress in any class you are eligible for. So the MD in your example is a non-multiclassed 6th level professional.

You are looking at at the prior history careers backwards. The service and non-service classes work exactly opposite to one another in Prior History. For the service classes, you must be in the service career to take levels in that class. For non-service classes you must have a level in the class before you can enter the career path.

BUT in neither case must you use the experience points you got in that career term exclusively for that character class. Any experience points you get at any time can be spend to go up a level in any class for which you are eligible.

 

[ElliottWJames]

Before you go to university you must choose a class. Say professional. That 3000xp you got in univeristy takes you from being a first level professional to being a third level professional. The MA/MD gets you to 4th level professional. Then the Professional terms gets you to level 6 professional.

The experience gained in Univeristy allows you to progress in any class you are eligible for. So the MD in your example is a non-multiclassed 6th level professional.

You are looking at at the prior history careers backwards. The service and non-service classes work exactly opposite to one another in Prior History. For the service classes, you must be in the service career to take levels in that class. For non-service classes you must have a level in the class before you can enter the career path.

BUT in neither case must you use the experience points you got in that career term exclusively for that character class. Any experience points you get at any time can be spend to go up a level in any class for which you are eligible.

--------------------
Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson
_____________________________

Thank you for the help.

What happens if I go to university and opt into the OTC? My idea is to become a professional, but what to do a couple of terms in service first. after all it's what I did in real life

My degree in say geology and I'll eventaully go into some form of prospector/surveyor, but first I'll do my tour of duty as a GroPo. Do I then take professional skills for my year at university, ending as a 2nd level Professional. Do a turm in the army for 1st level army, then return to my professional career?

Sorry to seem thick. I started playing 1st Edition Traveller when it came out 25yrs ago but I am new to the D20 system.

Elliott

 

[DrSkull]

Yes you can do that. Take Professional levels in University, then Army levels in the Army, then Professional levels again in the professional service. I;ve put a more detailed example in another post, take a look, see if it clears things up.

 

[manley_t]

You guys have it backwards.

There are two separate issues here. One if them is the "Character Level" and the other is the "class level".

The character level is the overall level of the character. This is what you get when you look at the main xp chart on page xxx (I don't have my book at work for the page reference).

You get what this chart states. Next comes the class level.

So, you're a 1st level character and you want to enter university. You make your rolls and end up with 3,000xp. It's time to spend those 3,000xp. What is it you want to do? Well, you could spend them in professional -- but a doctor has a PhD. You could spend them on academician and gain all the feats that class has to offer.

Note -- class skills are not skills that you 'get' for free -- those are skills that you can buy at the 2 skill point cost. Cross class skills are those skills that are out of a class and you must spend 4 sp on them. Also, the max level for cross class is level restriction. It's mention in T20 and I think it's different from the standard D20 rules but I don't recall (std D20 is 1/2 your level).

So, you spend those XP on levels in academician (I may be forgetting the actual name) and then go to try and get a bachelor’s degree. You have two numbers now, you’re character level and your class level. Since you only have 1 class they’ll be the same. But, after you get the x,000 xp for the next stint in college you can spend them in the professional class if you want. Now you have a character level and a class level in 2 classes. Each class has it’s own level chart and you follow that one as well as the main chart for your character level.

So, when you’re a 4th level character you get the ability increase as well as any feat bonuses that the chart indicates.

Make sense?

 

[Ran Malia]

I understand that game mechanics are important, but are they too limiting. Say for example I take a term in a service and then I decide that I want to go to school to get my degree for ease lets say an PHD from what I understand I would have to leave the service, do my education, and then try to get back into the service. Each of the American services have programs for basic and advance education in which you are not removed from the service, or you can get your degree while you are in service. Take for example scout x-boat pilots how do you handle them? Just some thoughts and questions.

 

[themink]

As far as I can tell, if you don;t fail your re-enlistment or get thrown out when surviving, the service is still open to you.

So, from a game mechanics point of view, you do a term in the Scouts, then do your bachelor degree, then (if you are allowed to re-up & wheren't discharged) you do another term in the scouts.

In game time this is 11 years - you may have done your degree by correspondance throughout those 11 years or taken time out to study full time - it doesn't matter how you describe it. The game gives the "results" it is upto player/ref how they wish to turn the dice rolls into a background story.

at least IMTU

 

[GypsyComet]

Originally posted by Big Tim:
You guys have it backwards.

There are two separate issues here. One if them is the "Character Level" and the other is the "class level".

The character level is the overall level of the character. This is what you get when you look at the main xp chart on page xxx (I don't have my book at work for the page reference).

Good so far.

You get what this chart states. Next comes the class level.

So, you're a 1st level character and you want to enter university. You make your rolls and end up with 3,000xp. It's time to spend those 3,000xp. What is it you want to do? Well, you could spend them in professional -- but a doctor has a PhD. You could spend them on academician and gain all the feats that class has to offer.

As noted by others above, you can take the levels earned in whatever class you qualify for, as suits the concept you have for the character.

Note -- class skills are not skills that you 'get' for free -- those are skills that you can buy at the 2 skill point cost. Cross class skills are those skills that are out of a class and you must spend 4 sp on them. Also, the max level for cross class is level restriction. It's mention in T20 and I think it's different from the standard D20 rules but I don't recall (std D20 is 1/2 your level).

This is one confused paragraph.

When you take a new level, the listed class skills for that class (and any you might have as "permanent class skills" from your homeworld or other source) may be purchased at 1-for-1. All other skills except exclusives must be purchased at 2 points for one Rank. Exclusive Skills may only be purchased when leveling up in the class that has access to them, so they are always purchased at 1-for-1.

The maximum ranks you may have in any skill that is a class skill for ANY of your classes (or other sources) is Character Level +3. Skills that have NEVER been a class skill for the character have a maximum of half that (so (Lvl+3)/2). Exclusive skills are limited to 3 plus the total levels on classes with access to that skill (so an Aca-2/Prof-4 may have 5 ranks in Decipher Script, purchased only with levels of Academic).

Finally, there are no inherent limits on multiclassing. Spread your earned levels around how you like, so long as they are in classes you qualify for.

So, you spend those XP on levels in academician (I may be forgetting the actual name) and then go to try and get a bachelor’s degree. You have two numbers now, you’re character level and your class level. Since you only have 1 class they’ll be the same. But, after you get the x,000 xp for the next stint in college you can spend them in the professional class if you want. Now you have a character level and a class level in 2 classes. Each class has it’s own level chart and you follow that one as well as the main chart for your character level.

So, when you’re a 4th level character you get the ability increase as well as any feat bonuses that the chart indicates.

Make sense?

That part, yes.