Glorfindel

[Glorelendil]

Personally I would be extremely careful to allow any PC to have any 6 on their sheet, since that would set them to be equal to the greatest warriors and loremasters of their age.

This has me puzzled. I agree 6's are most likely extremely uncommon, and I think Rich's comment nails it on the head...but "allow" it? So if a player actually accumulated that many XP or AP you might say, "Sorry, you can't spend them on rank 6"?

[Woodclaw]

Personally I would be extremely careful to allow any PC to have any 6 on their sheet, since that would set them to be equal to the greatest warriors and loremasters of their age.

This has me puzzled. I agree 6's are most likely extremely uncommon, and I think Rich's comment nails it on the head...but "allow" it? So if a player actually accumulated that many XP or AP you might say, "Sorry, you can't spend them on rank 6"?

Okay, "allow" was definitly not the right word. What I meant is that going all the way up to "6" should be a really involved process, not just because of the amount of APs/XPs involved, but also because it has some really big consequences on how the character is perceived. If a player is determined to go up to 6 in any skill, I think he should discuss it with the LM and have something in the story justifying it. If I can see a character going up to 3-4 at the school of hard knocks, getting to higher levels requires something more in my book.

[Rich H]

What I meant is that going all the way up to "6" should be a really involved process, not just because of the amount of APs/XPs involved, but also because it has some really big consequences on how the character is perceived. If a player is determined to go up to 6 in any skill, I think he should discuss it with the LM and have something in the story justifying it. If I can see a character going up to 3-4 at the school of hard knocks, getting to higher levels requires something more in my book.

I was mulling over a few ideas once with regard to increasing Common and Weapon Skills to 5 and 6 that required something other than just spending APs/XPs. It was all just at the embryonic stage but off the top of my head it involved things like finding an appropriate mentor/teacher or something specific happening to the character - some kind of revelation or quest or some such. I didn't develop it any further than that though, mostly on account that my players are nowhere near raising any of their skill to those levels!

[Stormcrow]

What I meant is that going all the way up to "6" should be a really involved process, not just because of the amount of APs/XPs involved, but also because it has some really big consequences on how the character is perceived.

Getting enough advancement points to make it to skill level 6 will require getting a lot of great or extraordinary successes and doing a lot of very special deeds, over a long period of time. By the time you've done all that, you're already perceived as a big shot.

[Woodclaw]

What I meant is that going all the way up to "6" should be a really involved process, not just because of the amount of APs/XPs involved, but also because it has some really big consequences on how the character is perceived.

Getting enough advancement points to make it to skill level 6 will require getting a lot of great or extraordinary successes and doing a lot of very special deeds, over a long period of time. By the time you've done all that, you're already perceived as a big shot.

A fair point as far as common skills are concerned, but since weapon skills advance through XPs that makes them a bit trickier.

[Rich H]

What I meant is that going all the way up to "6" should be a really involved process, not just because of the amount of APs/XPs involved, but also because it has some really big consequences on how the character is perceived.

Getting enough advancement points to make it to skill level 6 will require getting a lot of great or extraordinary successes and doing a lot of very special deeds, over a long period of time. By the time you've done all that, you're already perceived as a big shot.

A fair point as far as common skills are concerned, but since weapon skills advance through XPs that makes them a bit trickier.

Surely, that's no different - you're character is still adventuring and achieving great things so the logic is pretty much the same. The APs may not even be accrued in the skill you're increasing to ratings of 5 or 6 so if that works for you then amassing XP should be no different.

[Rocmistro]

In fact i daresay that weapon skills are easier to reach XP level of 6 in.

A typical adventure has what...MAYBE a max of 5 things he's going to increase with XP: a melee weapon skill, a ranged weapon skill, a backup melee weapon skill, wisdom and valour. And that's really pushing it, as I would speculate that at most 2 weapon skills, and for many adventurers, maybe even just one will suffice.

Most adventurers are going to want to increase anywhere from 6 to 10 common skills in order to really define what their character specifically is meant to be "good" at. (and by good I don't just mean "successful" in, I mean the portfolio of skills that really defines them).

When you also factor in that it takes 63 XP to get from 0 to 6 in weapon/valour or wisdom, but 84 AP to get from 0 to 6 in common skills, the likelihood is you'll start seeing 6's in weapon skills earlier than common skills.