Author Topic: Character Law: Stacking Talents  (Read 2022 times)

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Offline Frabby

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Character Law: Stacking Talents
« on: June 09, 2017, 12:11:21 AM »
From Character Law #5806, p. 48:
Quote
[A] character cannot choose the same talent more than once. In addition, a character cannot choose talents that duplicate each other. For example, a character cannot take a +3 St stat bonus and a +8 St stat bonus.
Our group recently had different opinions on how to interpret this - specifically, what "duplicate" means.

One player was going to take Animal Empathy (which gives +25 for maneuvers with a certain type of animals) and combine it with Summon (which gives +20 to any skill that would allow you to direct the summoned creature's actions).
The idea was to apply this to a riding beast. If tailored to, say, horses, it would allow the character to summon a wild horse, and get +45 to all taming, control and riding attempts.
Clearly, the talents overlap when it comes to skill bonus when dealing with the specific animal; but despite the considerable overlap, these are also very different talents.

So could the player pick those two talents despite the overlap?
Or is this a case of duplicate effects, because the +25 and +20 stack, and thus forbidden?

Offline Sable Wyvern

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2017, 01:47:09 AM »
I wouldn't allow these to stack. However, if you don't think a +45 bonus to these skills is going to hurt your game, it's not necessarily unreasonable to allow it.

I'm quite strict on Talent selection, because I find that's the easiest way to avoid combinations that I don't like -- I've gone through and weeded out most of the talents, leaving a list of 50 - 60 that are allowed, and don't allow any talent selections that have any duplicate effects at all. That's just me though.

Offline Pazuzu

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2017, 09:08:08 AM »
When I GM, I allow only one bonus to apply. If a character has more than one talent that provides a bonus to a skill or stat, they only get to use the highest bonus.

Conversely, for flaws, if they have more than one flaw that affects a skill or stat, the penalties DO stack.

This seems to keep the worst of the problems in check.

Offline AV1611

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2018, 11:39:34 AM »
As a rule, I don't allow "stacking" of Talents.  Example: Inner Reserve + Natural Physique = stacking. 

Offline Majyk

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2018, 01:59:02 PM »
I have never allowed picking a Talent or background option, ever.
When I roll up (N)PCs for myself, I hold myself to the same rule.

There is just something I am super into, in rolling randomly.

Anyone else do the same or is it always Vanilla “PCs always pick the following x Talents with x Flaws” and break the game?
I find it this way with Shadow Run as my group switches over to this new 5th Ed. long @$$ed way of making a PC!
Hours!

Online Hurin

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2018, 03:05:51 PM »
I like rolling randomly for them too, though I might give a mulligan if the talent/flaw is totally wrong for the character.

I'm mulling the idea of allowing talents to be chosen, but only paid for with flaws that must be rolled randomly. That would prevent players from trying to game the system by choosing flaws that won't really affect their characters.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline Majyk

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2018, 11:18:10 AM »
Hmmm, that’s not a bad idea to counter things.
T’would be rare to get something that would cancel a Talent but it does happen.
A ranger PC of mine rolled randomly and received something that gave a bonus to Will and Enchantment RRs on the one hand, but then basically took it away when I rolled it’s companion Flaw!

It sucks but I didn’t gripe about it since they basically cancelled one another out besides keeping the Will bonus.

Offline Grinnen Baeritt

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2018, 04:12:19 PM »
I have a simple rule: GM veto.

But since I'm fairly generous and allow a large amount of Talent Points so some stacking does occur, so I'm not that bothered it if *some* talents stack, if they do then the characters often are far weaker in other areas. If they deliberately Min/max (especially with combat skills) then I say no... :)

But I do allow choice of purchase with points.... or completely random (but at a discount) or they choose to spend half and receive half as randomly rolled talents.

Offline Dreven1

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Re: Character Law: Stacking Talents
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2018, 12:06:21 AM »
I simply don't allow any stacking, ever. There are just too many horrific game-breaking combinations. I also don't allow background options to be picked by using 2 points. I also don't allow flaw stacking. All this, but I will still consider rediculous talents if the player is responsible and respectful of the other players and system. I often allow "Power" if the player chooses a lay healer or healer class.
I also restrict undead or summoned creatures levels; and only allow as many levels as the caster has levels.
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