Finalizing Characters

[Josh]

I'm still torn on this B6/B6 vs G4/B3 or B4/G3 stat assignment. It just seems like I have plenty of skill points to assign, so starting a skill at 2 and upping it is not a big loss, whereas it's REALLY hard (from my initial impression) to get stats to shift from Black to Gray... Not to mention a gray stat opens up a lot of skills as gray, and the combination skills get a decent boost to their opening...

What skills are you looking at opening as grey?

[AfterCrescent]

My actual BW copy is with a friend (I shall get it back tomorrow). Currently all I have is the Character Burner, so I'm at a lost for which mental stat I want to be more important for my character. My thought was that if one seems more important, I can start it at G4 and the other at B3 (like all my physical stats, since I only have 12 physical points to work with). That way, it's a G4, already superior, and anything it starts at, begins at G2, right?  Then anything that's a combo skill gets a +2 before averaging (because one skill is gray). So I just don't know which would be better. Having one Gray stat or two good stats. It seems like the base root starting one higher (B3 for the 6/6 allotment vs G2 for the 4/3 allotment) versus having a better shade leans me towards gray, but I'm not sure how good of a choice that is.

[Josh]

If you have a G4 that means your skills start at G2, but your B3 skills would be B1 and that would really suck.  B4/G3 is a little better, if you have cool skills and you hustle.  The other concern is perception only advances on successful tests. 

[AfterCrescent]

Ah, I had forgotten there are a few skills that only advance on successes. I'll have to double check which ones those are...  I guess it comes down to which skills I want, which I'll probably do Monday (tomorrow is my RL D&D game). My physical skills all start at B1 anyways, but if I have plenty of points, it may be worth it to open B1s and advance them. I dunno.

Another quick question: One of my required traits has my head shaven (I think it's tonsured). Any chance I could switch that out? It's an earlier lifepath, and I figured once he went heretical and exorcism/cultist he'd let his hair grow all crazy and not do any upkeep for it...

[Josh]

What I would do is B5/G2 skills start the same and I could crank my low stat up right quick.  And B5 is respectable.

You can buy off traits only by spending 2 trait points on Quiescent to buy off a required trait.  The required traits is one of the games balancing mechanisms. 

[tsuyoshikentsu]

I'm still torn on this B6/B6 vs G4/B3 or B4/G3 stat assignment. It just seems like I have plenty of skill points to assign, so starting a skill at 2 and upping it is not a big loss, whereas it's REALLY hard (from my initial impression) to get stats to shift from Black to Gray... Not to mention a gray stat opens up a lot of skills as gray, and the combination skills get a decent boost to their opening...

There was a thread on this topic in the BW forums.  It was universally agreed that a grey stat is better.

[Josh]

I'm still torn on this B6/B6 vs G4/B3 or B4/G3 stat assignment. It just seems like I have plenty of skill points to assign, so starting a skill at 2 and upping it is not a big loss, whereas it's REALLY hard (from my initial impression) to get stats to shift from Black to Gray... Not to mention a gray stat opens up a lot of skills as gray, and the combination skills get a decent boost to their opening...

There was a thread on this topic in the BW forums.  It was universally agreed that a grey stat is better.

In a game where you start with a lot op lps that is not necessarily true.  Part of the reason the argument from authority is weak.  In a high power political campaign purposefully losing  lot in the beginning might be bad. 

I would suck it up, others might not.

[Dumb-Age Master]

So, um...I bit confused. How does a stat being gray as opposed to black make any difference. Either I read over the part where shades have a mechanical effect on the game, or they just don't.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

So, um...I bit confused. How does a stat being gray as opposed to black make any difference. Either I read over the part where shades have a mechanical effect on the game, or they just don't.

You know how you have to roll a 4 or above to succeed?  You only need a 3 if it's a grey stat.

[Dumb-Age Master]

Ah. Right...I see...

So the shade determines the number that needs to be rolled, and the number determines the number of dice you get to roll?

[AfterCrescent]

Ah. Right...I see...

So the shade determines the number that needs to be rolled, and the number determines the number of dice you get to roll?

Yup.

[Dumb-Age Master]

Blarg. It's so hard to make what you want to make. Never mind. TOO OLD!

[Dumb-Age Master]

Okay, with some simple mathematical calculation, I figured the youngest I could possibly make my character is 45. Not exactly in his prime, but it's better than the 57 I had before.

Here's the life paths I plan on taking:

Born Noble 8yrs 1t 15res
Apprentice 2x 12yrs 6t 20res +2 Men
Acolyte 2x 10yrs 6t 20res +2 Men (Leads to City-Dweller, +1 yrs)
Student 2x 8yrs 4t 10res +2 Men
Sorcerer's Apprentice 6rs 3t 10res +1 Men

That's a total of 8+12+10+1+8+6=45yrs old. 1+6+6+4+3=20 trait points. 15+20+20+10+10=75 resources. 2+2+2+1=+7 to mental stats.

What does everyone think?

[Josh]

What is the premise of the character?  We already have two Mages who are effectively your character and more.

1 - TheWordSlinger - Captain of the Guard
2 - Gesshoku – Courtesan/Duelist
3 - Meg – Master of Assassins
4 - The87 - Wizard/Advisor
5 - tsuyoshikentsu  - Elven Advisor
6 – Dumb-Age Master

Additionally You don't want to max out lifepaths.  Not Having Artha to start screws you.  You want to take as few as possible, the reason I gave the option was if somebody had some convoluted character they really wanted to play.  That's why you kept saying your character was too old.

Also your character is a 45 year old Apprentice?  And your last LP needs to be noble or noble court.

Do this, pick a job in court, that is not already taken.*  And work backwards from that.  And I do not recommend Sorcery for new players.

Some ideas: Coronor, master of hounds, justicar, chaimberlain or steward.  Also no one is making either a baron or heir of the Duke (a person could be both)



*BW supports two people playing the same thing however it makes the game harder for the player.

[Dumb-Age Master]

Okay, hmm...

What about a character who is...a detective? How would I build one of those? Finds out major crimes and such? Who-dun-it?

[Josh]

Okay, hmm...

What about a character who is...a detective? How would I build one of those? Finds out major crimes and such? Who-dun-it?

Perfect, Think one level up though, chief of detectives.  And since this is medevil nobility the person who finds crimes is also the dispenser of justice.  The name is Justicar.  And there are lots of ways to do it.  Given that no one else has expressed an interest in being a noble so far I might suggest this Noble/Intellectual build

Born Noble
Student
Lawyer
Bailiff
Justicar
Count

That would indicate a rising legal star who is such a good justicar you have been appointed a count in your own right.  Think Harvey Dent before he went crazy. 

Lawyer is one you could flip around.  you could be a doctor.  or a bastard (bastards are awesome btw).  Or you could be something crazy like an artist. 

[Dumb-Age Master]

I can't seem to find Bailiff or Justicar. Where are they?

[Josh]

Noble court, page CB 136

[Dumb-Age Master]

Um...that's the page skills start on.

Did I get the wrong version of Burning Wheel?

[Josh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Wheel

this is what the books look like.