Skillsets
 

I am currently in the process of implementing a new skills system based upon how the Harnmaster pen and paper rpg deals with them. I have the standard type of skills associated with classes but I'm also in the process of adding skills which the character learnt from it's upbringing and history for example skills learnt in the character's youth. I thought I'd just ask for everyones opinions on whether they like this idea and what other blocks of skills should be added.

Re: Skillsets
 

I'd love to give an opinion, but I'm unclear as to exactly how your skill system works.

You have your class skills, right? Then you have another way of obtaining skills, but I'm not sure what that is. Do you pick up historical details about your character? Is it determined by roleplay?

More details would help us give more feedback.

Thanks!

Re: Skillsets
 

Harnmaster doesn't have Classes, so don't force those in.

It doesn't have XP system. but your skills has opportunity to rise when you use those in meaningful and stressfull situation.

Rules cover system to learn when someone is teaching, as well as learning when using that skill every day work. (like how much skill has opportunity of rise when doing blacksmigth work of one mont's period).
Spells can be invented, or researched if there is some guides available (usually in written form).

Those are ways to learn when playing is going on.

At character generation process then

There is childhood time skills, what have been learned from paren'ts work. If character has natural talents (stats are high in areas what covers those skills), it can have perhaps 20% of real skill. This is usually random (and parents are in Farmers in 96% propablility)

Character's has done also something what is logical to do when Parent's social status has been taken in account (no Squire if parent's were farm slaves). This is something player can pick. It should give some basic skills for trade, lets say 5 years of work. from age 10 to 15 for example.

After those it's up from Player's own action what happens, past doesn't affect (no classess) , exept in gameworld's social network way.

Re: Skillsets
 

It would definately be a random event at character generation, the character's history would be randonly ceated with certain types of character's more likely to occur than others perhaps as a handy aid to adding some balance (several hundred noblemen characters could add a strange air to the game). Of course I'm worried that players will feel this is unfair but I personally think it's a system that has a lot of possiblities. In my opinion by taking into account the characters history, his parents and his social status I could boost the likelyhood of the chance of quality rp even though I don't plan to heavily enforce roleplaying.

Re: Skillsets
 

If any significant aspect of the character is generated randomly this will lead to an enormous number of characters being created and discarded as players keep generating new characters over and over again until they get whatever "random" combination it is they're looking for. Save yourself a lot of time and aggravation and just let players choose their own backgrounds. :)

Obviously you need to make sure that any allowed combination is reasonably well balanced with any other. You'll only get several hundred noblemen if being a nobleman is a more powerful option than being anything else.

Re: Skillsets
 

I am going to let the players write some form of personal history it's just the social backgrounds and stations I want to implement as randomly generated. I did not mean to say that noblemen would be more powerful so to speak just that my game world has a low amount of noblemen and thus having them limited would make the world more realistic. I don't want people would just to keep hammering away at character creation till they got the "right" character but I limit connection spam so even if someone did want to do something as annoying as that they couldn't!!! Thanks for the feedback so far though.

Re: Skillsets
 

If you have player account system in your MUD, then you can give RolePlaying points, or something similar. Then players can spend those to their Next character, and buy certain priviledged, like Noble, or Clerical status.

One way to make certain socially high ranking characters less tempting is to artifically limit their available skills, or those have consequenses, like loss of dignity, or charisma.
Nobleman just don't do farmwork, tend horses, or kill, butcher, and roast their meal, if there is any workforce around to do those .... works of commoder.

So, Nobleman or Church cleric should buy their food from Tavern for example.