Re: [HOE] soldier edge seems like a waste

["Kai Tave" <kaitave@harborside.com>]

Actually, even if you don't take the Soldier background, I still find Rank
to be a wonderful edge.  I mean, any former-military character I'd make
would probably include some levels of Leadership of Professional: Military
in there SOMEWHERE.  Rank provides a perfect way to do that for the same
cost I'd spend just buying the skill.  Why pay three points for just a skill
when the same three points nets me the skill AND something that fits in my
background with no fuss?  Sounds fine to me.  In fact, I'm adopting this for
Cyborgs as well.

Also, some of the Soldier packages are pretty good stuff.  Sniper gives you
9 skill points off the bat (Shootin': Rifle 5, Sneak 2, and Survival: Any
2), and Logistics automatically doubles your Belongin's value, no Rank
needed.  I wonder what would happen if you took Logistics AND Rank...
Quadruple your Belongin's?

Anyway, I approve.

--Kai Tave


>Hmm.  No, I think you're looking at this wrong.  Rather, IMO, it works
>more like this.  For ease of example, let's pick a specialty...let's say
>Infantry:
>
>If you just take the 5 point Background in Infantry, you get:
>1.  9 points in skills
>2.  0 in rank (no point gain)
>3.  The bonus of doubling the effect of belongings for military gear, #
>pts. = to rank (however, since rank is zero, no point gain).
>4.  A pull from the soldier chart (the effect of which averages out to
>be a hindrance equal to approx. a -4).
>
>So, for 5 points you get 9+0+0-4= 5 points.  You pretty much break even.
>
>----------------------------------------------
>Now, lets say you took the Background with a point in Rank and a point
>in Belongings.  Now you get:
>
>1.  9 points in skills.
>2.  1 point in rank.  The first effect of this (that of military rank)
>is admitably a bit questionable as to it's usefulness - it will depend
>upon your campaign and how much stress your marshal puts on it (ie. your
>mileage may vary).  However, it also gives you a "free" point in
>leadership or professional soldier.  This effectively is a gain of 2
>points for the cost of 1.  You of course also gain the ability to raise
>skills in your specialty up to six now.
>3.  The doubling of the effect for belongings now kicks in.  The Rank of
>one lets you double the effect of 1 point in belongings, giving you the
>effect of another "free" point.  Again, this gains you 2 points for the
>cost of one.
>4.  A pull from the soldier chart (the effect of which averages out to
>be a hindrance equal to approx. a -4).
>
>So, for 7 points you get 9+2+2-4=9.  You've actually gained
>approximately (due to averaging hindrance value) 2 points.
>----------------------------------------------
>One last example (but I'm sure you can see where this is going).
>Suppose you take the background with Rank 2 and belongings 2.  You get:
>
>1.  9 points in skills.
>2.  2 points in rank.  Again, for the first effect of this (that of
>military rank), your mileage may vary.  It now also gives you a 2 "free"
>points in leadership or professional soldier.  This effectively is a
>gain of 4 points for the cost of 2.  You of course also gain the ability
>to raise the skills in your specialty to 7 now.
>3.  The doubling of the effect for belongings again kicks in.  The Rank
>of two lets you double the effect of 2 points in belongings, giving you
>the effect of two "free" points.  Again, this gains you 4 points for the
>cost of two.
>4.  A pull from the soldier chart (the effect of which averages out to
>be a hindrance equal to approx. a -4).
>
>So, for 9 points you get 9+4+4-4=13.  You've actually gained
>approximately (due to averaging hindrance value) 4 points.
>
>I think that's more how it's supposed to work...it's my interpretation
>anyway.  Doesn't seem like a waste looked at like this - in fact it
>seems rather balanced.
>
>Matt Steflik
>Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com/grifflik
>
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