Re: [BNW] Splitting Skill Points - Why?

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

>So, since you are limited to 10 points of Hindrances in Deadlands (or at
>least, you used to be), you can't take more than 10 points of Edges?  I
>don't recall that for Deadlands, although we're on an earlier edition (see
>below).

This has been the rule in Deadlands since Day 1. If you are a Veteran of the
Weird West, you may spend the extra points on Edges without taking
Hindrances to match them, but otherwise you must take Hindrances to get Edge
points. Several groups ignore the rule, but it is there. When I get home
this evening I'll look it up and get you the page number. I haven't heard of
this rule changing in the 2nd Edition books, but it may have.

>Well, a few things there...
>
>1) Which edition of Deadlands?  I have the first edition hardcover but
>didn't pick up the recent "split edition."  I don't recall what you're
>mentioning as far as first edition, but I don't doubt it may have been
>changed.

Since first edition. I have the 2nd printing first edition books. The first
printing book may state it differently...I'm not sure. I can tell you that
the DLCG works that way, and I'm sure I would have been royally chewed up
one side and down the other if I did it incorrectly :)

>2) The "Hindrances only for Edges" thing sounds more like what White Wolf
>introduced.
>
>3) It shouldn't really make a difference in Deadlands, should it?  The main
>difference it makes in BNW is because points are allocated for specific
>skills, while in Deadlands/HoE you just get a general skill/point pool
where
>the points can be put anywhere.  I suppose there's a way to abuse it in
>Deadlands/HoE, but I can't think of it right off hand.

HOE uses the Edge/Skill Point pool. Deadlands doesn't, but I wish it did.
It's significantly easier to code that way.

>I suppose you could abuse it by taking a low-skilled character, but that
>usually tends to provide its own game balance and/or punishment...  ;)

I agree wholeheartedly.

>4) Maybe there should be a FAQ for this list.  There doesn't seem to be any
>indication of Web Sites, you have to ask to find the Accumulated Listings,
>_and_ now there's a BNW character generator that I haven't heard of until
>now.  Where might one find it...?

Unfortunately the DeltaTimes site hasn't been updated in a long while, and
has no content yet in any case. The BNWCG should be there soon, but I have
to send it to them first.

The Accumulated Rulings are maintained by Allan Seyberth, who does a
fantastic job. Hopefully they will be linked to the DeltaTimes site as soon
as someone gets around to updating it. I'm guessing that since Matt and BNW
are becoming AEG-affiliated now, Zeke probably hasn't given DeltaTimes a
high priority. Given AEGs absolutely DISMAL record of keeping their own
sites updated, I'm not expecting much of an improvement after the switch
either. I hope I'm wrong though...Matt's done a hell of a job IMHO on BNW,
and I want to see it supported on the web.

As for the BNWCG, I am in the final stages. The code has been ready for a
few weeks, and all of the distribution tests are complete. The only thing
left is to key in all of the skill/power/quirk descriptions, and that is
getting done as fast as my limited free-time allows. As soon as that's
complete, it will ship.

Thanks,
James "it sucks to have to do WORK at work...it really cuts into my typing
time" Cook