Prior history

[Kpeterson]

Hi there.
I have a few T20 questions related to the T20-lite PDF recently released.

In the T20-lite PDF an example is given of character generation, and the resulting character musters out at 5th level. This gives me some concern as to what range of levels will be available to starting PCs. 1st level, wet-behind-the-ears, characters who unluckily failed a survival roll in their first career term... to ..... Xth level characters with a plethora of skills and feats, not to mention other perks (starship ownership, etc.)

In what way does a Referee(/GM) impose a form of balance on newly-generated PCs? GM house rule?: "Characters are limited to X terms before mustering out", or is there some assurance that level differences between starting PCs will not have a dramatic effect on gameplay.

 

[hunter]

As a referee you can choose to impose a limit on the terms that a character can serve in prior history, nothing wrong with that. You could even rule that you won't allow any prior history and require characters to begin play at 1st level.

As far as failing to survive a term, there isn't any real reason that the character couldn't attempt to continue prior history under another career (provided they are otherwise qualified).

Honestly, in previous versions of Traveller it was quite common to have characters of varying degree of skill and ability. If you are worried primarily about low level T20 characters dying off too easily if they accompany higher level characters on adventures, don't. The combat system pretty much assures that everyone has pretty much the same odds of surviving being hit no matter what their level.

Also consider that the lower level characters in a group will advance in level much more quickly than their higher level counterparts. This should keep any real disparity between skill based abilities short lived.

Hunter

 

[RabidVargr]

Originally posted by Kpeterson:

In what way does a Referee(/GM) impose a form of balance on newly-generated PCs? GM house rule?: "Characters are limited to X terms before mustering out", or is there some assurance that level differences between starting PCs will not have a dramatic effect on gameplay.

Well, with CT it was simple, If you didn't want a dex of 2, you stopped by age 50 or so.

This version (Hopefully they put in some ageing rules, haven't checked yet) I'm not gonna let my players start at more than 5th level or so without special reason. (Aged historian hires party to take him to timbucktoo to study somethingorother and you base a campaign around getting him there) He's not gonna be a combat monster, but he can play the yoda or puzzle solver of the group.

Since most of my ideas involve a little bit of a chance for combat (ok, a lot sometimes) I'm probably gonna think a younger crew will do better, especially with one or two older ones (retirees) to ride herd on them.

Remember with CT, if you didn't have a few terms under your belt, your skills were pretty limited. I'm actually thinking T20's about the closest version to CT I've seen so far.

RabidVargr

Yet again, I've been up about 34 hours on duty, so if I made no sense, too bad.

 

[Kpeterson]

Thanks for the quick response. Your responses were very enlightening.

Honestly, in previous versions of Traveller it was quite common to have characters of varying degree of skill and ability. If you are worried primarily about low level T20 characters dying off too easily if they accompany higher level characters on adventures, don't.

My concerns weren't related to survivability. More a factor of how characters would compare in terms of skills and feats initially. And whether this might prove to be a problem in gameplay.

Also consider that the lower level characters in a group will advance in level much more quickly than their higher level counterparts. This should keep any real disparity between skill based abilities short lived.

Are there variations in advancement according to the class chosen? That is, are the experience points needed to advance from (let's say) 4th level to 5th level the same if you were a Merchant vs. a Scout?

P.S. I have to admit that I've quite intrigued by some of the features that a D20 Traveller could offer. I've been an intermittent Traveller fan over the past 12 years, but have yet to be truly satisfied with the released rules sets to run a campaign of it. (I've got CT, MT, T4, and G:T staring at me from the bookshelf, and there's enough that I dislike about each system's character generation, that it makes me hem-and-haw over running a Traveller campaign).

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by Kpeterson:
Are there variations in advancement according to the class chosen? That is, are the experience points needed to advance from (let's say) 4th level to 5th level the same if you were a Merchant vs. a Scout?

Yes the progression is the same. All classes use the same Experience Level chart for advancement.

Hunter

 

[tjoneslo]

Originally posted by Kpeterson:
Thanks for the quick response. Your responses were very enlightening.

My concerns weren't related to survivability. More a factor of how characters would compare in terms of skills and feats initially. And whether this might prove to be a problem in gameplay.

As part of the full T20 playtest I was running a group of 5 players, who's characters varied in level between 7th and 17th. Our experience was thus: The 17th level character attempted to be a generalist, a Jack of all trades, and could do just about everything reasonably decently. The other characters were all much more specialists, and any one of their skills outdid the high level character. T20 has enough skills (and feats) that attempting to be a generalist means that a specialist even half your level can still be better than you.

For people used to the usual D20 style of all characters being exactly the same level, and all exactly XP balanced and all feats and skills carefully balanced, the much looser T20 style may be a difficult conceptual hurtle. T20 is not set up for carefully balanced characters going up against carefully balanced Challenge Level matched monsters. It is, from the original Classic Traveller, designed to have a wide range of characters with differing abilities all work together.

I know many of the player I play with hate the thought of trying to start another D&D campaign at 1st level, and being able to start at a higher level with a pregenerated back history is very exciting.

 

[Kpeterson]

Our experience was thus: The 17th level character attempted to be a generalist, a Jack of all trades, and could do just about everything reasonably decently.

17th level? Interesting.
Is there a level limitation in T20? 20th level?

 

[tim_manley]

Originally posted by hunter:
.....in previous versions of Traveller it was quite common to have characters of varying degree of skill and ability.....

In fact it was my experience with Classic Traveller that removed any trepidation I had about having varying levels play together even in a normal D&D game -- and since it's now all D20 (and not like AD&D & then 2nd Ed AD&D) it'd be easier.

What happens is that as game play progresses the youngers will quickly catch up to the olders and it will all balance out in the wash eventually. The only issue in a normal D&D game is that Hit Points play a big role -- in T20 even higher levels can die much easier; so that limit has been aleviated for the most part.