Short question: why can't a character learn a new specialization? A character can use a Fellowship Phase to get a new Distinctive Feature, but it says there that this doesn't count for Specializations.

Am I missing something? I would think it was easier to learn a new Specialization than a Distinctive Feature?

Any thoughts?

-Eirik

IIRC, you don't gain a new Distinctive Feature so much as switch one out.

I think the idea is that personality can change over time, but not knowledge. Specializations tend to be skills/talents/hobbies that a character has picked up and he wouldn't lose them.

Even more so, Specializations are defining skills that the character has. Samwise Gamgee may learn and forget things over his life, but being a gardener defines him.

That really makes sense. Some specializations couldn't be learned in-game (Elven Lore being the best example, I think). But yes, it makes sense. Thanks for the input.

-Eirik

I think practically any of them could be learned in game - over time. It's forgetting the ones you already know that would be the problem. You need to come up with some sort of rules for a character to have 3 or more specialties.

I could see it, especially for very experienced characters, but I think there needs to be some sort of limit (Wisdom +1?) to keep it from getting out of hand. IF a character has too many specialties then they aren't that special any more.

I would only allow it for a character that spends years out of adventuring circulation. A specialization isn't something you can pick up in a summer course at the Y; it's a lot more in-depth than that.

For sure there must be some of them that should be able to pick up during adventuring. For instance, boating, cooking, smoking, enemy-lore, fire-making, fishing, folk-lore, herb-lore...well the list goes on and on. If you spend points it should be possible to pick up these specialities. If you get the opportunity to spend time with Radagast would he not be able to teach you about herbs, and old lore? If a beorning spends alot of time at Eastely Inn would he not be able to learn about smoking and its history and traditions? I bet Glóin would love to teach fire-making to someone who would be interested...or am I wrong? I think that makes the Hero more interesting too so get multi-traited Heroes....


My two cents!



/Khamul

I agree with Khamul. I allowed one of my players to purchase 'Smoking' for his dwarf PC during a Fellowship Phase without swapping out another trait for it. I think I charged him 4 or 6 XP - can't remember the exact amount. I do have a house rule allowing additional purchases of specialities and distinctive features but with Loremaster veto/flexibility due to the fact that, as has already been mentioned here, some are easier to learn/pick-up than others.

Maybe I see these differently, but I don't consider Specializations to be mere "skills" that can be picked up so easily (we already have Common Skills for that). I see them more as character defining abilities.

... And characters grow in many different ways.

Like others have said, I really don't see the problem with allowing a character to take on an extra distinctive feature or two and I'd look at specialisations on a case-by-case basis. All paid for with XP and only if it fits in with what's occuring/occured in the game.

Fair enough.

Along those lines you may want to consider charging Advancement Points rather than XP. Traits fall under the "domain" of Common Skills, so it seems more appropriate to "invest" AP into something that would generate AP, rather than have it bought with XP, which handles a totally different set of abilities.

That's a good point. I personally went with XP to allow players to spend those on things other than Weapon skills and Valour/Wisdom allowing for them to look at options other than those. APs tend to be at a real premium in my campaign so I steered clear of those - just leaving them to be spent on common skills.

Yes I think this is a great way to bring "flavour" to our heroes. And I will also use AP to "buy" Specialization.