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Character
Development
To Improve a CURRENT skill:
"Therefore, earned character points
can only be spent to improve those skills that, in the GM's
opinion, were significantly used on the adventure in which those
points were earned." (B82)
This is interpreted by the GM to mean: You must have used it at least once in an
appropriate stressful situation and been successful in the
attempt. The argument can be made that learning can occur
from a failed attempt or a series of failures at using a new
skill, but it is this GM's opinion that these failures do not
contribute to a higher skill unless they are followed by at least
one success. For each success, the player may raise the skill by
one level by spending the appropriate amount of character points.
Character Points may be accumulated and
spent to improve a skill from a different session than in which
they were earned, but only skills used in the previous session
can be targeted for improvement.
To Learn a NEW skill (or
maneuver):
A skill may either be learned by repeated trial (from Default) or
by studying it ....
1. Learning News Skills
from Default
The skill must have a valid default, and the player must be
successful at using it from that default in the previous session.
If these conditions are met, the player may buy the skill at the
initial level. This with usually mean that 1/2 point may be put
into the skill, but in some cases this will range from 1/4 point
to 1 point. There is no penalty charged for self-teaching the
skill. This penalty is reflected in acquiring study points as
mentioned below.
Attempting new skills from the default
is encouraged.
In attempting this roll, if the player fails, he may try again in
an another appropriate stressful situation. If the player scores
a critical success in this attempt he immediately acquires the
skill at the initial level without paying the cost. It is assumed
that he is a natural at it. If the player scores a critical
failure at this attempt, he immediately acquires a BLOCK against learning this skill. He may not learn
this skill without a teacher unless he scores a critical success
for that skill from default at some point in the future. A
critical success in this case removes the BLOCK that was
acquired. Note: The amount of study points accumulated in any
skill (see below) remain until they are transfered into actual
points.
Real Life Example: A person is
trying to learn to ride a bicycle and falls for the first few
tries. This can be thought of as trying the skill from the
default, when the chance of failure is high. Each time the person
falls, he is gaining valuable knowledge on how not to fall the
next time, but has not acquired a new skill yet. Only after the
person finally gets it right and succeeds at riding the bike is
there a chance at actually acquiring the skill. Future successes
determine if the skill will be learned at a higher level.
Realistically, any tutoring in this skill would be helpful, but
not necessary for acquiring it. (Note: In GURPS, Bicycling
defaults to DX-4.)
2. Studying New Skills
There are four methods available for the study of new skills: Study, Applying Knowledge, Quick Learning Under Pressure, and Intensive Training. Some methods are only appropriate in specific situations.
Study PointsAn alternate way to acquire a new skill is to either find a teacher or a method of self- teaching (such as a book or scroll) and study the skill. The time to learn a new skill assumes a 200 hour/point course. Time spent studying is kept track of in Study Points with 1 study point equaling 10 hours of study. It will be accepted that 10 hours/day is the quickest that a skill can be learned from a teacher, therefore 1 point represents roughly 1 day of study. It will also be assumed that self- study takes twice as long. In hopes to simplify the process of keeping track of study time and study points, the student will receive 1 point for 1 (full) day of study from a teacher and 1/2 point for one (full) day of self-teaching. A skill learned from a teacher cannot exceed the skill of the teacher himself. The following chart lists the costs for hiring a teacher.
Teaching Level Cost $/day 12 - Self varies 12 - Tutor $20 14 - Scholar $25 16 - Teacher $30 18 - Professor $40 20 - Master $50 If the player acquires 10 study points they can be transferred into 1/2 character point in the skill, and 20 study points can be transferred into 1 character point. Some skills (such as spells) must be learned initially at the 1 point level. If a skill is bought in this manner, the remaining study points are not spent and can be saved for a future transfer. It would be possible in theory for current skills to be increased using the Study method.
Example#1: Joe Skullcrusher would like to learn a new skill: Shield. He has a few weeks before the next adventure and decides to hire a teacher. He has always been a quick learner when it comes to physical skills (having a DX=15) and probably wouldn't learn much from a basic Tutor , so he seeks out and hires a Scholar. He spends 10 hours each day for 10 days learning Shield from the Scholar which costs him $250 total. At the end of this period he spends 1/2 point in shield which he now has saved and acquires the skill at the 14 point level.
Applying Knowledge
Upon having accumulated 2 study points in any skill, that skill may be attempted from default by trying to apply knowledge that has been learned to a specific situation. Before an attempt is made, the player must make a roll at Teaching Level-4 of the teacher (or the teacher responsible for most of the teaching). If the roll is not successful, the knowledge learned may not be applied to that situation and a new skill may only be used if there is a valid default as per the "Learning New Skills from Default" method. A critical failure on an Apply Knowledge roll or a regular failure to Apply Knowledge towards a skill that could not otherwise be used will result in the loss of a turn. A critical success will generally give a bonus to the default roll. If the roll to apply knowledge is made, then the player can try the skill from default using these guidelines:
Skill Type Physical Mental Easy DX-4 IQ-4 Average DX-5 IQ-5 Hard DX-6 IQ-6 Very Hard IQ-7 Once the default is attempted, the rules for "Learning New Skills from Default" are followed with the following modifications: If a success is achieved in an "appropriate stressful situation", the player may transfer all study points earned so far in that skill into the right to buy that skill at the initial level. If the Applying Knowledge method is used, all study points accumulated in that skill are sacrificed. If a critical success is achieved, the iniatial level of that skill may be given to the player in exchange for all study points earned with no cost in character points charged. If a critical failure is rolled, then 2 study points in the skill are sacrificed. The balance of study points are never taken below zero.
Upon having accumulated 4 study points in a specific skill, the player may apply knowledge and try that skill from default with a +1 bonus to the roll. After having accumulated 8 study points the player gets a +2 bonus to the default roll when applying knowledge. After 12 study points have been accumulated, the player gets a +3 bonus to the default roll when applying knowledge which is the equivalent of having 1/2 point in that skill. No further bonus can be gained from applying knowledge. These bonuses can be used gained if the skill has a valid default to begin with when using the rules for Applying Knowledge.
Example#2: Alia the Elf would like to learn to throw the Bolas. She has no idea how to use them and decides to seek out a teacher. Her DX is 12, so she decides that a Tutor would suffice. She spends 2 days and $40 learning the very basics of throwing the Bolas and then leaves on an adventure. Her party encounters a group of Goblins and she wants to see if she can apply the knowledge that she has learned so far to the combat situation. She needs to roll an 8 or below (the skill of her teacher - 4) and if she makes her roll she gets to use the Bolas at the Default level of 7 (DX-5) in that situation. If she wants to use the Bolas again, she would have to roll another 'apply knowlege' roll. If she is successful at using the Bolas, then she is elgible to put up to 1/2 point into that skill. (The idea here is that the application of knowledge in an appropriate way is an invaluable part of the learning process.)
Example#3: Bogart a Priest of Smokus (the God of Odors) has been studying Staff (Physical Hard) from a Master and has acquired 8 study points in that skill and spent $400. He has a DX of 12. If he earns 2 more study points, he will have enough to purchase Staff at the skill level of 9 (1/2 point). He has always been able to "Learn the Skill from Default" by rolling a 6 (DX-6). He encounters a combat situation and decides to try to apply his knowledge of Staff to the situation. If he rolls a 16 or below, he will be able to apply the knowledge that the Master has taught him. If he is successful, he gets to use the skill at a default of 8 (DX-6 + 2). If he succeeds in using the staff, then he can sacrifice all of his study points to buy Staff at the 1/2 point level. (Note: If he fails his 'apply knowledge' roll he can still attempt Staff from the default of DX-6.)
Spells: Knowledge Can also be Applied to learn new spells. If a spell has been partially studied, then it is assumed that the knowledge has begun to form in the student's mind, although not yet complete and in a fully usable form. By applying knowledge the student will gain the opportunity to attempt the spell from default, and if he achieves a success in an "appropriate stressful situation" then he will have an opportunity to purchase the spell as detailed above without spending the usual 200 hours (20 days) in study. The drawbacks of using the Apply Knowledge method for learning new spells is that it makes a critical failure far more likely.
Example#4: Albright, Master of the College of Light and Darkness, wants to learn a new spell -- Major Healing. He has previously learned Minor Healing and has meet all of the prerequisites for this new spell. He visits a local merchant and purchases a Scroll of Major Healing for $25 and devotes four-day's time to studying this spell. At this point Albright has 2 study points in that skill and can attempt to apply knowledge at any time by making a roll of 8 (Teach Level-4). If Albright succeeds on his Apply Knowledge roll, he gains the Major Healing Spell at the IQ-7 level, and if he makes this roll in an "appropriate stressful situation", then he can buy the spell at the initial level (1 point).
Example#5: Farlong the Battlemage is trying to learn Explosive Fireball and improve on his usual offense of Fireball. He pays the dear price of $200 to learn 4 days worth of lessons from a Master Teacher in the College of Fire (4 study points) and acquires an Apply Knowledge roll of 16 (Teach Level-4). In any situation in which Farlong makes a roll of 16 he can use Explosive Fireball at the IQ-5 level. The following week, his party finds themselves coming up on a gang of kobolds and he tries to launch his new surprise. He easily succeeds in making his Apply Knowledge roll, and takes his first turn to concentrate on his Ball of Flame. The next round he rolls vs IQ-5 and succeeds. Things have finally 'clicked' in his mind and he has gained an understanding of the mechanics of the spell. He takes the next two rounds to enlarge the spell to 3 points and blows away the gang of kobalds with his explosive surprise. (Farlong can now transfer the 4 study points that he has in Explosive Fireball into the right to buy the spell at the initial level.)
Quick Learning Under Pressure (CI 114-116)
When a skill is directly related to the immediate survival of a character, it is sometimes possible to use the rules for "Quick Learning Under Pressure" as outlined in Compendium I. One restriction listed here is that the skill must have a valid default and used extensively during the learning period. Complete details can be found at the above mentioned source.
Learning News Skills from Default (CI 116-117)
This is a method of allowing a character to teach another character (or group of characters) a single practical skill during the course of an adventure. By using the teaching skill the character can possibly raise the natural default roll or the current skill for the character being taught by a margin of success of the teaching. The maximum possible skill that can ever result from intensive training is four levels less than the teacher's own level in the skill being taught. The rules of "Intensive Training" are outlined in Compendium I.