First on behalf of those who will having nothing to say other than, well that's not what Traveller is about, I get it. Now on to the situation. I have several players who like the genre of Traveller but would really prefer if there was some sort of leveling system. Has anyone ever created this type of house rule?
Looking for a Potential Leveling System
- Thread starter KrisComet
- Start date
CosmicGamer
SOC-14 1K
Yes.
Oh, you want specifics? Well I'm not familiar with MegaT so I don't know if the details will work but here are some of the concepts I've seen used in games or discussed here or on other Traveller sites.
1) Skills increase based on usage.
1A) Roll a 12 on a skill task (based on 2d6 roll high to succeed) and the skill used goes up.
1B) Roll a 12 on a skill task (based on 2d6) and the skill used has a chance of going up. Roll 1d6 and if the result is > the skill level, you gain a level.
1C) Roll a 12 on a skill task (based on 2d6) and you gain points towards leveling up.
I've seen derivatives that
- believe a roll of 2 on a skill task (based on 2d6) indicates 'learning from your mistakes'
- have detailed book keeping with every task roll being documenting and counting toward some amount that must be reached to level up.
2) Skills increase based on time. Several Traveller systems have built in methods of training up skills. From what I've seen, this is usually a system that determines the amount of time it takes to train a skill level. Some people running a campaign simply provide down time between adventures so that characters can gain skill.
3) Point buy system. Ran across this on one of the forums recently. In MongooseT, one of the optional character generation methods is a point buy system. At the end of each game session, the players get a point and they can spend or save points to buy skills and characteristics based on the predefined point buy system.
- you could assign points based on degree of success
- you could assign points based on good role playing
I know you don't want to hear about how Traveller characters start at a high 'level' compared to D&D or other games in regards to arguing against a leveling system. I point it out though for the following.
- Consider how long it takes a 1st level D&D character to level up compared to a 8th level one. Should a Traveller character that has the numerous skills of 6 terms of service (essentially a high level character) be treated differently than a character that has fewer skills from only 3 terms of service. (essentially a mid level character)
- Personally, if using a system that has fairly fast 'leveling' I would severely limit the # of terms for the starting characters to possibly only 1 or two terms so that they start out like in other games as newbies and the added skills they get early on have a much greater benefit.
I've often thought of starting a game where there is no chargen other than characteristics and all the characters are 18yo.
I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but the Character Improvement chapter on page 41 of the Mega Traveller player's manual covers this at least in part.
A lot of it is a re-build of the Classic Traveller 'learn a new skill through instruction' material. But it does include a new system where characters can earn "AT" points through which they can roll once a year to level up a skill or learn a new skill.
Also, while Traveller isn't a kill-and-level-up system, it does fit Traveller to say that if characters are going to be around for a few years in game time, they do have the potential to keep their skills growing in a way that is at least ballpark what they had through their service careers.
A lot of it is a re-build of the Classic Traveller 'learn a new skill through instruction' material. But it does include a new system where characters can earn "AT" points through which they can roll once a year to level up a skill or learn a new skill.
Also, while Traveller isn't a kill-and-level-up system, it does fit Traveller to say that if characters are going to be around for a few years in game time, they do have the potential to keep their skills growing in a way that is at least ballpark what they had through their service careers.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Have you looked at T20? It might be just what the doctor ordered for you. I haven't played it, but from what I hear, it's a damn good mesh between d20 and Traveller.
Also: Are you sure your players want a leveling system? Or is it that they just want to feel like their characters are improving?
That's real hard to do with CT and MT--mainly because the 2d6 system isn't granulated enough. A +1 DM for a Skill-1 is a huge modifier when throwing 2d6. So, if you change the nature of the game using CT and MT mechanics, I think you'll be in for so many violations of the Rule for Unintended Consequences that it will ruin your game.
Better to go with T20.
Lastly: One way that characters "improve" in CT and MT is that they get better and better equipment. Higher Tech. A move from civilian to military equipment.
So, as a GM, if you can sparse this out or the life of your campaign, your PCs will improve as they get access to better and better equipment. Like starting out with a normal sword, then getting a +1 Long, then ending up with a +3 Vorpal or a +5 Holy Avenger, equipment is an idea you may want to explore.
You could also introduce cybernetics. There's been plenty of magazine articles on it for MT. These would be inhancements that the PCs could get, but it would cost them credits and downtime.
Finally, consider using drugs. Combat Drug, for example, might be your ticket to keeping the game balanced but allowing the players to build their characters.
MT has one.
When you use a skill in a significant way, you record the date and tally one "AT" on the sheet. 180 character-days later you may erase the date; until the date is erased, you may not record another AT for that skill. Roll 15+ 2d6+ AT's at the end of each character month for a skill with AT's to go up. AT's are erased if the skill goes up, but retained until it does. Each skill records AT's separately.
Failed instruction rolls generate an AT as well.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
I never knew about the 180 day rule.
the wording on PM p. 41 is "A character can gain up to two ATs per game year for each skill." A Q&A somewhere specified 1 per 180 days. (which while not quite a synonymous definition, is far more workable, since the character sheet has room only for ONE date...)
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
I didn't doubt you. I just didn't remember any time limit. But, now that you menioned the "two AT's per game year", something out of the clouds moves and takes shape...
E.D.Quibell
SOC-13
ATs to a maximun of 8 on any one skill.
You also need to factor in the INT+EDU skill max rule, so if you improve your skills over this you have to drop another one of your skills.
You can have lots of skill-0s though so you don't totally forget everything about the skills.
You can go for charicteristic improvment via ATs as well (to bost the INT+EDU if needed) while still accumulating ATs for other skills.
You can use observations to gain ATs for new skill-0s, or you can be taught by fellow PCs who have instruction skill.
Regards,
Ewan
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
The AT thing reminds me of another "character boosting" method that could work well with CT/MT.
It's not quite a "leveling" method, but it is a way of rewarding the players and having the characters grow a bit.
What you do is set up an AT-like structure, but use the AT's as modifiers to skill throws. It would be like increasing the skill for a single throw. Once you use the AT, you lose the points.
For example, by whatever method, your character gets an AT to his Snub Pistol skill. He's got Snub Pistol-3. The next time he uses the skill, there's a temporary modifier of +1. In effect, on this one throw, the character has Snub Pistol-4. Once the point is used, though, it's gone.
You can work out how the points are awarded, and you can decide if the player has to use the point the next time the skill is used (which I think is neat), or if the player has discretion on when the points are used. Be careful with that last idea as the player will save the points and, with everything he does, he'll never fail.
What I'm attracted to is awarding a point to a skill when a random event happens--let's say that the player gets a point on that skill whenever boxcars are thrown on the dice. The next time the skill is used, the point has to be spent.
But, you could also award some point not attached to skills that a player can use on any skill throw. Award these for good ideas, story goals, and good roleplaying. Be stingy with them, though, as these points are powerful. Anytime the player wants, he can boost a skill throw and probably not fail. You can't give him so many points that he can do this all the time.
It's not quite a "leveling" method, but it is a way of rewarding the players and having the characters grow a bit.
What you do is set up an AT-like structure, but use the AT's as modifiers to skill throws. It would be like increasing the skill for a single throw. Once you use the AT, you lose the points.
For example, by whatever method, your character gets an AT to his Snub Pistol skill. He's got Snub Pistol-3. The next time he uses the skill, there's a temporary modifier of +1. In effect, on this one throw, the character has Snub Pistol-4. Once the point is used, though, it's gone.
You can work out how the points are awarded, and you can decide if the player has to use the point the next time the skill is used (which I think is neat), or if the player has discretion on when the points are used. Be careful with that last idea as the player will save the points and, with everything he does, he'll never fail.
What I'm attracted to is awarding a point to a skill when a random event happens--let's say that the player gets a point on that skill whenever boxcars are thrown on the dice. The next time the skill is used, the point has to be spent.
But, you could also award some point not attached to skills that a player can use on any skill throw. Award these for good ideas, story goals, and good roleplaying. Be stingy with them, though, as these points are powerful. Anytime the player wants, he can boost a skill throw and probably not fail. You can't give him so many points that he can do this all the time.
Thanks again
You all were more than helpful, it's nice to see all the MT talk. I am very aware to the AT and the way the standard MT rules mention ways to improve ones skills.
I was really looking to see if anyone had developed their own, kill (succeed) gain exp, move on up to level two type of system.
It sounds like the easiest way to deal with this is to eliminate the player who complains he's not leveling up... tisk tisk...
Thanks for all the fresh help
You all were more than helpful, it's nice to see all the MT talk. I am very aware to the AT and the way the standard MT rules mention ways to improve ones skills.
I was really looking to see if anyone had developed their own, kill (succeed) gain exp, move on up to level two type of system.
It sounds like the easiest way to deal with this is to eliminate the player who complains he's not leveling up... tisk tisk...
Thanks for all the fresh help
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Or....switch your game to Traveller 20. Viola, you've got XP and hit points and levels. And, it's still Traveller.
You can pick up a used one for $24 bucks on Amazon: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F3K6EC7NL._SL500_AA300_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Travellers-Handbook-Traveller-T20-D20/dp/1558782176&usg=__l0sybGgj2XxCKfKUkgKfNgAAo7s=&h=300&w=300&sz=26&hl=en&start=5&itbs=1&tbnid=RTNOHEjrD9FNFM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraveller%2B20%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1
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A good way to "eliminate" him without ejecting him is to take him aside and describe that Traveller is more about gaining skill prowess and economic and social power, rather than levelling. See if he's willing to look at it that way first.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Not even that...it's about roleplaying. It's about playing a character. That, in and of itself, is the reward.
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