Attributes 2

The previous post only details the basics of each attribute and their use individually. It gives no specific details on their use their scale or their value. As listed they have a very particular and distinct order. This is on purpose. The names of the Attributes are final, these are not working names.

Working information follows, these may be subject to change in scale or even effects, but right now I feel these are appropriate until circumstances imply another method would be better.

Each attribute ranges from a rating of one to five. Three is considered average. Each level of rating grants one six sided die when rolling to perform a test. This results in the following average and high or low end ratings before specializations.

Very Low Attribute (Rating 1): 1-6 avg, 3.5
Average Attribute (Rating 3): 3-18 avg, 10.5
Very High Attribute (Rating 5): 5-30 avg, 17.5

Important things to note are below.

1. Distribution will trend towards the average at higher ratings. This represents the idea that it will be less likely a more trained or capable person will roll poorly with the trending number always increasing. This also means that a lower attribute rating will have spontaneous areas of increased numbers giving them more unpredictable, but definitely lower attribute contribution to tests.

2. Both the minimum and maximum numbers increase as progression occurs. There is a definite benefit to increasing an Attribute, a multiplicative benefit. This means that each rating has a large and definite effect assuming that target numbers and other modifiers are appropriately set.

3. The attributes themselves are operating on a very small range. This is due to the fact after initial creation, there should be little or no increasing or decreasing of these variables. Also this avoids having to roll more than five dice.

4. Selecting the six sided die establishes a specific degree of volatility. Should I have wished for the variable range to widen, I would have increased the number of sides. This I felt would devalue the specializations to increase the numbers, also adding big numbers can be hard for some people, resulting in valuable time lost.

Attributes are likely to be implemented in many ways, a static number may be necessary to roll against. Therefore if a static target number becomes necessary, the number should be the rating x 3. In any situation, defender wins should there be a tie. This number is specifically chosen.

Without specialization an acting agent should be unable to succeed against a reacting agent with a rating above their own. Furthermore it becomes difficult, but not impossible to fail on a test against a reacting agent with a lower rating with no specializations involved.

This number also divides a die in half for a fifty/fifty odds should equal ratings meet in an agent vs agent test.

During creation of a vessel, attributes should be assigned based on the following scheme. Firstly, the vessel's attributes should all be set to rating 3. Reducing an attribute grants the player one point. Increasing an attribute costs one point. The vessel begins with no points by default.

This was chosen for the extreme changes each attribute grants. Should the player decide to reduce a vessel's attribute, that places the vessel at an extreme disadvantage against an agent utilizing an average or above attribute. However, this grants the vessel an extreme edge against an agent utilizing an average or lower attribute. It is for the player to decide what their vessel's fate will be in these tests. In the future, it may be that the player may not increase or decrease a vessel's attribute by more than once.

Increasing and decreasing an attribute should be a difficult prospect indeed. The methods listed make the task seem simple, however the further from the vessel's starting rating the player wishes to move their attribute, the more difficult it should be to change and the easier it should be to shift back to the starting rating.

Increasing past the starting rating only one unit should be a task requiring years of effort, and may only be implemented as a class or racial bonus in the future should those be implemented.

Returning to the starting attribute, should be the matter of months of effort for one rating back to starting, and weeks for two ratings back to starting.

These increases are for both up and downwards. This means outside extreme events, attributes should be unlikely to change, and should desire to return to the starting score.

This means that should the player wish the vessel's score to break the starting rating, they must represent the vessel putting effort to maintaining the higher score or it will be easier to lose. What takes years to gain, could take months to lose. However should the vessel take years to degrade through prison or lifestyle, they should find it easier to recover.

Finally, a special note on attributes. Should any attribute be reduced to zero rating, all attributes beneath that one are reduced to zero as well. This represents the dependency each attribute has on the other. Should the First or Second Attributes fail, the vessel is dead or in danger of dying.

Note that without the Third Attribute, the vessel is unconscious, but not in danger of death, it has lost it's ability to be consciously aware of anything however it's internal organs are still able to function.