Character skills and Natural Combat Ability

[RockJock]

So, I am considering doing something I normally don't like to do, which is let a player build a character with Natural Combat Ability. I tend to block the character because it is a lot of extra book keeping. Anyway, an issue has popped up as I consider it. Would you let a NCA character alter skill programs?

The player has a good background and all, but really fits as a Military Specialist. The problem is they more or less won't get a big chuck of their skills(hth and WP) because of their power. It seems kinda unfair to require them to take a bunch of skills that they literally cannot make use of. What do ya'll do for this sort of situation?

I'm not looking for book answers, since I'm fairly sure the book answer is just to give them a bunch of unused skills. What I'm considering is letting the character trade the WPs and Hth skills they can't use for secondary skill, one for one, or possible other Military/Espionage/Physical skills. Related, I usually let a character who has repeat skills trade them in two for one for secondary skills. For example you take Computer, Science and General Mechanics programs, which require you to take Computer Operations twice and Basic Electronics twice. I would let you trade one Computer Operations and one Basic Electronics in for one single secondary of choice.

Do you do anything like this in your game, has it ever been an issue? Thanks in advance!

[Stone Gargoyle]

When a character gets a skill twice, you are supposed to stack extra bonuses the same way you do with dancing and such, to indicate professional quality and ability. I think it is like 10% for the second taking of the skill.

[Marcethus]

When a character gets a skill twice, you are supposed to stack extra bonuses the same way you do with dancing and such, to indicate professional quality and ability. I think it is like 10% for the second taking of the skill.

Only certain skills get that option. Mainly domestic and certain communications/technical.

As to the OPs question. I don't have a lot of experience with NCA, but your suggested option sounds workable and not unbalancing.

[green.nova343]

Main issue with NCA & a Military Specialist is the WP Program...but that only gives you 3 skills you can't learn. There are only 2 wasted skills in the Basic Military program (HTH Basic & WP Rifle), but the other 4 are fine. For Espionage, if you pick Basic Espionage the HTH: Martial Arts is wasted, but the other 5 aren't wasted. Picking another Espionage or Military package gives you 4 more skills that aren't HTH training or WP skills. So out of 24 total skills including their Secondary skills (25 if you picked the Military Demolitions program), 6 are "wasted", limiting them to 18 (19) skills. Could be a let-down (particularly given how NCA's abilities with weapons are actually less impressive), but not decidedly so. Try looking at it this way: they have the same number of effective skills as a character with no more than the "Two Years of College" education option, excluding the MIlitary one (where they can pick any program except science & espionage, plus 1 military/communications along with Basic Military). The civilian options all have 2 programs & 8-10 secondary skills, which puts them at 16-20 skills as well.

If it causes a major problem, I'd suggest the following options:

• allow them to substitute another skill from the category in the Military/Espionage programs for another skill in the category (since they save time during their training)
• let them substitute another Military, Communications, or Espionage program in place of the Modern WP program
• have them use the Military (Basic) option, but they can pick Espionage (normally excluded)

[RockJock]

It isn't a giant problem, just sort of robs the character of being the military trained "type" feel. I think they are going to go with a different direction in the end.

[The Artist Formerly]

Save yourself the work, give the PC a pick of the physical training HTH skill.

When the we hit a dupe skill, we just give another skill choice. Doesn't seem to unbalance anything.

[Regularguy]

So, I am considering doing something I normally don't like to do, which is let a player build a character with Natural Combat Ability. I tend to block the character because it is a lot of extra book keeping. Anyway, an issue has popped up as I consider it. Would you let a NCA character alter skill programs?

The player has a good background and all, but really fits as a Military Specialist.

What power category?

[RockJock]

More of style/goal then a category at the time. If the player went with the original I am guessing Mutant, but it wasn't set at the time they changed direction.

[Regularguy]

It isn't a giant problem, just sort of robs the character of being the military trained "type" feel.

I wonder how close you could miss it? If you take the ‘doctorate’ option, you could:

* Use the physical skill program and secondaries to get prowling and running and scuba diving and every physical skill other than what NCA disallows, and

* Use the journalist program twice to get Computer Operation, Detect Ambush, Disguise, Impersonation, Intelligence, Research, Surveillance, and Writing; and

* Use the ‘pilot advanced’ program to get Navigation, Pilot Airplane, Pilot Jet Aircraft, Pilot Jet Fighter, Read Sensory, and Weapon Systems; and

* Use the remaining secondaries to get First Aid, Radio Basic, Recognize Weapon Quality, and Wilderness Survival.

If you do all of that — and help the effect along with the pilot skill and secondary skill left over — then as far as I can tell you’d cover the same ground as a military-trained ‘type’.

[RockJock]

It was more a feel problem. The whole group was originally going to be on the military/spec force spectrum. Think of a team with Wolverine, Black Widow, Cap, maybe a government Antman, and similar(mentioned for flavor, not as any sort of conversion). Like I said, plans changed.