Re: [DL] LS:tex rangers rules question

["Mr. Christopher McGlothlin, M.Ed." <sosentinel@adelphia.net>]

At 01:38 AM 5/23/2002, Mr. Bruce Boragine wrote:
>1st, i'm not bothered at all by the d20 material, even though i'm running 
>a 'original' edition.
>2nd it's a good read. true it has a different 'flavor' than MiBD, but then 
>again, so do the rangers...:-))

         Thank you very much, good sir!

>my 1st question[s]. must all his skills be at or above the levels listed 
>on the left column; rank 1; to be rank 1? must he be at all of the skills 
>listed at rank2 to be rank 2? i understand about gaining and losing 
>merits/demeits, but does the character have to be, exactly like the 
>'templete' of the ranger promotion chart?
>
>next set of questions.. does he have to buy the edge, rank (ranger) up 
>also to increase in rank? or can he do this instead of bringing all his 
>skills up to whats listed on the chart?

         First off, the bold-print numbers on the Ranger Promotion table on 
page 70 indicate the level of Rank (Ranger) Edge. The book should say that, 
but doesn't.

         I hope this example will answer your question. If not, please let 
me know and I'll take another shot.

         Justin Bradshaw enlists in the Rangers, and gets (among other 
things) the Edge "Rank (Ranger) 0" (for free, natch). This makes him a Private.
         Bradshaw proves himself to be a natural at ghost-busting, 
vampire-slaying, etc., but before he can advance to Corporal, he must:

1) Have the necessary Aptitude minimums to buy Rank (Ranger) 1: Academia: 
occult 1, Fightin' 3, Horse Ridin' 2, etc.
2) Enough Bounty Points to buy Rank (Ranger) Edge 1 (That would be 1 BP, BTW).
3) Have at least 3 Merits.
4) A Marshal who's ready to have a Ranger Corporal in the Posse.;-)

         To become Sgt. Bradshaw, he must:
1) Have the necessary Aptitude minimums to buy Rank (Ranger) 2: Academia: 
occult 2, Fightin' 4, Horse Ridin' 3, etc.
2) Enough Bounty Points to buy Rank (Ranger) Edge 2 (That would be 2 BP, BTW).
3) Have at least 6 Merits.
4) A Marshal who's ready to have a Ranger Sergeant in the Posse--this IS 
LeMat Undertaker level, after all.:-;

         Making 1st Sergeant is considerably easier. All Bradshaw has to do 
is earn up to at least 9 Merits, and he gets the extra stripes.

         Becoming a 2nd Lt. is much pricier, as Bradshaw must:
1) Have the necessary Aptitude minimums to buy Rank (Ranger) 3: Academia: 
occult 3, Fightin' 4, Horse Ridin' 4, etc.
2) Enough Bounty Points to buy Rank (Ranger) Edge 3 (That would be 3 BP, BTW).
3) Have at least 12 Merits.
4) A Marshal who's ready to have a Ranger Officer in the Posse. (He's 
getting close to the Congreves, ya know!:-))

         1st Lt. requires only that Bradshaw work up to 16 Merits, and so on.

         Some ranks are obviously more Bounty-consuming than others, but at 
least the higher-BP ranks are ones that represent a substantial increase in 
character responsibilities to the organization, for the most part.

>if a ranger must have certain skills at specific levels, as well as the 
>specific edges[s], before he can move to ranger rank 2 or such; characters 
>will be 'cookie cuttered' except with some differences.

         Cookie-cuttered, perhaps, but that's part and parcel of having 
certain jobs, particularly military-related ones (All cavalrymen are good 
horsemen, and are handy with a carbine, etc.).

>thx.,

         You're most welcome--hope this helped!

Deo Vindice,
Mr. Christopher L. McGlothlin, M.Ed.

Freelance RPG Writer At-Large
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