Re: [BNW] Splitting Skill Points - Why?

["James Cook" <jcook@net-serv.com>]

Hi Steve,

I'm not official by any means, but I think this is how it works...

>First of all...presumably this deals with _starting_ characters only,
during
>character creation.  Presumably you can _not_ trade in points any time
>during the game (i.e., buy two Spirit skills at level 1 for 1 exp each,
then
>cash them into raise your Shooting from 5 to 6).

Correct.

>Although why this Swapping is in the Skill section instead of the "Creating
>a Character" chapter is not clear.

A layout goof?

>Anyhoo, it's not made incredibly clear that swapping skill points is during
>character creation only (it's wedged in-between recommended skills and
>Targeting modifiers).
>
>But assuming it is..._why_ would you "convert" skill points in this
>uneffective method?  There's a much easier way to do so.
>
>Let's say your Gunner character starts with 3d6 Strength and 5d6 Speed.
>Rather than take a "sports" skill, or overby his Running and Swimming, he
>spends 5 of his 9 (Strength 3d6 x 3 = 9) Skill Points on Strength skills,
>and he uses the remaining 4 points to buy Positive Quirks (PQs).

This is not correct. Positive Quirks may only be bought with points gained
from Negative Quirks, like in Deadlands. I don't think this is explicitly
stated anywhere in the RB, but is implied. Matt has stated this as well in
answer to a previous list question...it should be in the Accumulated
Rulings.

Swapping points allows you to get an extra point or two on a skill that you
just "have" to have. It's not point-efficient, but it's there if you really
need it.

>Then...he takes four points worth of Negative Quirks (NQs) and puts the 4
>Skill Points into his Speed skills.

You can do this, but not by the method mentioned above.

>So you get a 1-for-1 tradeoff, which seems a lot better than the 1-for-2
>mentioned on page 86.

No, since PQs can only be bought with NQs.

>The rules say you can use NQs to pay for PQs _and_ Skill Points.  There
also
>seems to be no limit on where you get the Skill Points to pay for Positive
>Quirks.

True, but the rules never say that you can use Skill Points for PQs. I agree
that it should have been more explicitly stated.

>Granted, you can only "convert" 10 SPs in this manner (the limit on NQs you
>can take).  But that would seem to be more than enough for any starting
>character.
>
>Although right off hand, it doesn't look like the archetypes have any more
>points in a particular Skill/Attribute than the Skillx3 (after including
the
>"freebies"), there is no limit on doing so, is there (i.e., I can have a
>speed of 5D6 and 18 points in Speed skills)?

A starting character may have upto 5 points per attribute, but with only 12
points to spend they go fast :)

Thanks,
James "madly keying data so I can shove it out the door" Cook