Mongoose Publishing

nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: How do characters "Level Up"?

i talked to a friend about Traveller and he mentioned that he didn't like the "old" way traveller characters advance in "level". I looked in the MGP Traveller book and couldn't find anything except in initial character creation.

Am I missing something?

James / Nezeray
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Twi'lekk_Den-keeper · Stoat Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 53

technically, no. The only upgrading you get to do pass initial creation is train for extra skills. Personally, that doesn't suit me, so I homebrewed rules for training on the run and for charecteristic upgrades. That I can do that is really what makes traveller for me.
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nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:00 pm Post subject:

Paladin · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject:

pg 59
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nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks!

Now for the next logical question. if it takes 1 week to improve a skill from 0 to 1, can you do it while in Jump Space, since the minimum travel time is 1 week?

(If there's a discussion along these lines somewhere else, feel free to post a link). Smile

Thanks

James / Nezeray
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Mongoose Infantry Demo Team - Kentucky

GhostWolf69 · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject:

There is nothig in the rules that says you need a trainer or access to training facilities and/or materials. But I'd say this is up to the Ref and his/her common sense.

Also: It takes a week from 0 to 1 assuming you have a skill level total of 0.

Remember training time is Level you want to reach PLUS Level Total.

/wolf
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Paladin · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:30 pm Post subject:

I think the base problem for me is that the MGP book isn't detailed enough. I know that T5 will be a lexicon of rules, so I may pick that up, but it seems like necessary details are missing in this version.

Another Example/question:

Bob the drifter is the doctor on a ship. The ship is planning a 6 parsec trip but only has a jump 1 drive. So it takes a minimum of 6 weeks, plus refueling/resupply time, correct?

He would like to improve 2 skills: Engineer(power) 0, and Engineer (jump drive) 0 on this trip. So he would need to spend 1 week for each skill, PLUS 1 week for the fact that he's studying 2 skills at once?

James / Nezeray
newbie Traveller GM in training.
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Mongoose Infantry Demo Team - Kentucky

Deniable · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

Assuming Bob has no other skills yet, he would need 1 week for the first skill (0 total skill levels +1 new level) and 2 (1 total skill levels +1 new level) for the other skill. If he already has some skills, add these up and plug them into the numbers above. (I would hope he had some levels in medic.)

Another way to look at 'leveling up' is that the players don't need to because they are not facing bigger and badder enemies in every adventure.

Maglaurus · Cub Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Los Angeles

This came up last night during a game session I was running.

Skills can be increased using training time that takes place in terms of weeks (time spend in "jump" works very well for this as ship's computers can provide training simulations), meanwhile--I decided in my capacity as GM--characteristics are set save for the interference of futuristic science. Cloned muscle replacements, cybernetic augmentations, and drug therapy can take aged crew members back to the fonder days of youth. More radical drug and genetic therapies (almost certainly illegal) might be able to improve brain capacity or synaptic speed at the risk of turning the patient into a mutated freak.

nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject:

One thing that worries me is that most of my players are used to games were, "We completed this adventure, got some treasure, and now how many XP do we get?". If they don't go up a level every few adventures, they think they're not accomplishing anything. D&D syndrom I guess.

How do traveller players then feel like they've done something? If a character has 6 skills after character generation, it's then going to take 6weeks + 1 week per skill advancing, + 1 week per skill point they want to go up? Bob's going to need to take a sabatical to improve a skill while the others haul cargo to pay for his food while he's studying....

I'm sure I'm missing something here. I have problems seeing how my game will go beyond a couple of one-shot sessions.

James / Nezeray
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Paladin · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject:

nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject:

I think for official demos it's not going to matter about levelling up. I think for my regular group (10+ years together) I may use this system:

1. The official system is in effect.
2. Each time I make them roll a skill check to do something, if they pass they get a "tick" mark. Once they have 10 tick marks in the skill, that cuts a week off the training time.
3. If they aren't activly training in a skill, and they get to 10 x new level ticks, then they get the next level. example. Han has Pilot 1, he is designated pilot when in combat. If he gets 20 ticks, he gets Pilot 2.
4. You ONLY get ticks for abnormal things. driving to work everday doesn't get you ticks in Drive. Smile

I think this will satisfy their need to advance, while keeping it slow. Of course The "bad" guys will get the same benefit for training.

James / Nezeray
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Duroon · Mongoose Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 166

nezeray · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:11 pm Post subject:

I think that makes sense then.

Thanks

James / nezeray
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Mongoose Infantry Demo Team - Kentucky