Author Topic: Aging clarification  (Read 4670 times)

Lamont-Cranston

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Aging clarification
« on: 15 August 2017, 03:50:49 »
Characters start at 20 with 5000 points, and for each year older they can gain an additional 100 points, and additionally at 25 they get 100 xp for each attribute except dex. So then a 28 year old character would have 6700 points, or 5800 + extra 100 per attribute?

monbvol

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #1 on: 15 August 2017, 15:03:25 »
It is per year after 21 and an optional rule.

So if using the rule that would be an extra 700 XP to spend as you wish then the xp applied to the attributes as specified in the table.

Col Toda

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #2 on: 17 August 2017, 09:42:20 »
21 for Inner Sphere 18 for Clan . Also the AToW Companion has a + or - up to 20 percent random life experience factor . I do point buy using the life path as a guideline of what skills should they have . Language skill rank should be at least equal to Officer or Title Rank or half of the Enlistment rank to a practical maximum of 4 in a language . Protocol on the other hand should use the same guidelines but without a practical maximum of 4 .

Stallion12

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #3 on: 17 August 2017, 14:43:02 »
How do the aging rules work with modules? Do they have to take enough modules to equal the desired age?

monbvol

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #4 on: 17 August 2017, 15:08:15 »
Yes.

Stallion12

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #5 on: 19 August 2017, 00:41:42 »
Couldn't you keep adding modues to raise your xp amount to start with? I feel the rule is a little abusable.

bluedragon7

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #6 on: 19 August 2017, 04:24:11 »
Modules cost typically more than 100 XP per year of duration, so you will run out of XP eventually, my oldest char created was 51.

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #7 on: 19 August 2017, 05:16:10 »
Also, don't forget that if you repeat modules, you only get the Skills, not the Attributes or Traits.

Lamont-Cranston

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #8 on: 04 September 2017, 02:40:13 »
Language skill rank should be at least equal to Officer or Title Rank or half of the Enlistment rank to a practical maximum of 4 in a language . Protocol on the other hand should use the same guidelines but without a practical maximum of 4 .

Is this in AToW or Companion?

Col Toda

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #9 on: 08 September 2017, 04:40:01 »
It is what makes sense after you read the skill description at 4 ranks in a language assuming no stat penalties you are not only fully fluent but largely idiomatic as well . So unless you are a deep cover spy there is no possible benefit of getting more ranks . As for protocol you only normally required to have the minimum protocol to interact with your peers and subordinates to a level of your station . Note there is no maximum expected . Social Superior's will appreciate but not expect someone of lower station having better social graces . Manners maketh the Man . When someone is made an Officer they are elevated to gentleman status and are taught and expected to have a higher level of protocol . Having enough for the social level the character aspires to achieve will at least eliminate his peers objection of " He is ab ill mannered lout that will start a war with his mouth " compliant.

Lamont-Cranston

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #10 on: 03 October 2017, 04:59:06 »
Would the same apply for a noble from the outback/periphery?

Col Toda

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #11 on: 16 October 2017, 04:04:02 »
Nobles have a rank system so yes . Noble from a backwater planet might be an ill mannered lout provincial and have less than normal but will pay a social price in the opportunities presented through marriage and alliances . T 2  costs 400 XP so protocol and language at 4 seems a good benchmark .

Hythos

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #12 on: 18 November 2017, 18:14:25 »
If you wanted a more seasoned veteran, they're likely going to be older.
Since MechWarrior / AToW is not like D&D (and others) where stats define the character, aging a character isn't really relevant; Use of the points-only system allows for a player to choose virtually ANY type of character they would want (assuming it would fit in the role & setting), as it should be.

Want an elite-anything? 4300 attributes, 500 in traits (including -500 or so from Enemy, Compulsions, etc), and 1500 in skills = age 29 (5000 @ 21 + 800 through age + 300 from maturation at age 25 = 6300XP).
Attributes: 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4
Traits: +5, +3, +2, -2, -2, -1
Skills: 1x 6+, 2x 5+, 3x 4+, 3x 3+, 5x 2+, 2x 1+, 1x 0+

Characters like this would take 2-3 minutes to whip out. Just decide on a hook, and prioritize stats accordingly.
Or, just take the Character Template, and modify it...
Want anything higher? Add a bit more age, or take a chance at the Random Life Event roll.

MechWarrior:
Strength: 5
Body: 6
Dexterity: 7 (or 5)
Reflexes: 5 (or 7)
Intelligence: 5
Willpower: 7
Charisma: 4
Edge: 4

Traits:
Compulsion/Favorite Enemy, CC (-1TP)
Connections (2TP)
Dark Secret (-2TP)
Enemy/CC (-2TP)
Rank (+5TP)
Vehicle (+3TP)

Skills:
Gunnery/'Mech: +6  (Table-top skill, 2)
Piloting/'Mech: +5 (Table-top skill, 3)
Small Arms: +5
Tactics/Land: +4
Mix'n'match the rest.
Agent 722
Salt Lake City / Utah
Have 'Mech, will travel.

thkaal

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #13 on: 24 November 2017, 23:43:54 »
I actually have a similar question in reverse.

One of my players wanted to play a "still in high school" runaway.  So, I took a rough average of stage three and stage four modules added together, then subtracted that from the 5000 leaving 3600 and said, "There's your xp.  Do the modules up to late childhood then finish the character."

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #14 on: 25 November 2017, 00:34:13 »
No need to penalize them quite that much.  The -100 XP per year under 21 and inability to take any serious training should be enough.

Lamont-Cranston

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #15 on: 03 December 2017, 21:18:20 »
So a 16 year old would be -500? Giving them 4500. You mention no serious training, but in the succession wars era children in noble mech owning families began learning as young as 12, which the atow life paths don't stat unfortunately, and the clans also started young. Could a 16 year old have average skills for mech piloting and gunnery, but probably little else?

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #16 on: 03 December 2017, 21:43:31 »
Easily... Level 4 skills are only 120 XP each (without fast or slow learner).

babayaga

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #17 on: 08 January 2018, 20:16:13 »
The way I read the text is that, if you use Life Modules, you get 5000 xp first, then apply the Life Modules and take whatever age comes out - but this does not retroactively change your xp. The text explicitly says that if you end up younger or older than 21 it's ok; it's just that 21 should be a rough idea for what you'd expect a "balanced" character with with 5000xp to end up at (and a rough ballpark for what age characters build on points rather than Life Modules should have).

Adding or subtracting 100xp per year is something you'd do equally for all PCs in order to push forward, or backward, the age that naturally emerges from use of the Life Modules. Otherwise, there's a lot of incentive to get a nice, stable Civilian Job (at 600xp/6years...).

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #18 on: 08 January 2018, 20:25:54 »
Except that Civilian Job costs 600 XP, so you're gaining no Attributes, and mostly non-combat skills.  And eventually, your age catches up with you and you start taking Attribute penalties.

babayaga

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #19 on: 08 January 2018, 21:16:30 »
Except that Civilian Job costs 600 XP, so you're gaining no Attributes, and mostly non-combat skills.  And eventually, your age catches up with you and you start taking Attribute penalties.

You are getting 85 flexible xp per pick, plus any that you can recoup from optimizing other skills, and if you have taken a military field you get to spend 20xp on each of four military skills! Sure, eventually age catches up with you, but age is largely beneficial up to a point; and if you gift older characters with 100xp/year over 21, you are creating a lot of incentives for players to "unnaturally" try to extend the careers of their characters and bring them to their 40s and 50s. Remember that, in terms of sheer attributes, a character who is 60 compared to one who is 20 has +200 STR, +100BOD, -50DEX, -100RFL, +200INT, +250WIL, -25CHA - that's 575xp more for being 40 years older. Do you want to give that character another 4000xp on top of that?
« Last Edit: 08 January 2018, 21:20:02 by babayaga »

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #20 on: 08 January 2018, 21:18:27 »
If I let a PC be that old in the first place, yes.  And I don't just say that because I'm old... :)

babayaga

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #21 on: 08 January 2018, 21:29:59 »
If I let a PC be that old in the first place, yes.  And I don't just say that because I'm old... :)

:) I don't know. To each his own. But:

1. I don't see it written that way: "All starting characters in A Time of War receive an initial allotment of 5,000 XPs— a value that represents the experience of a normal human character at a baseline of 21 years of age at the start of play (18 years of age for Clan warrior characters)...If using the Life Modules system (as opposed to the Points-Only design method described on p. 51), a character’s actual age may not conform to the XPs allotted to his “baseline age”. This is perfectly legal, so long as the allotted XPs are properly accounted for."

2. I don't find it "realistic" (even in a "big stomping robots" universe). The strongest combat pilots are not 60 - in fact not even the strongest chess players are 60 :)

3. Perhaps most importantly, it does not work at my table!

monbvol

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #22 on: 08 January 2018, 21:38:38 »
Plus not everyone ages the same way at the same rate.  Which is why I wrote some super simplified aging rules for my house rules.

Daryk

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Re: Aging clarification
« Reply #23 on: 09 January 2018, 04:31:23 »
Re your #2: Natasha Kerensky?

 

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