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Thunderforge
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 Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:09 pm Post subject: Why Are Professional Edges for Novices? |
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While writing a setting conversion, I noticed that all of the Professional Edges in Savage Worlds are Novice rank. Generally, that makes sense; you can be a fairly inexperienced professional Thief. But I'm wondering if there's some mechanical reason that anybody knows about for whether or not they are all Novice Rank.
Also, are there any settings that have new Professional Edges for higher ranks? And is there any reason why I might not want to make a Veteran Professional Edge for a homebrew setting?
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JackMann
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I think the main reason that professional edges are novice level is that they're somewhat difficult to plan for, due to the somewhat involved requirements. It's therefore easiest to take them when building the character. There's no reason you can't have a veteran-level professional edge, but keep in mind that the player will have to do more to plan their character out to qualify for it. |
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Thasmodious
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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The reason is that the time, skill and training that goes into acquiring a profession is something that usually happened before the start of the game. It's hard to justify that one moment you are normally educated and then you take an advance and are suddenly a learned scholar. Anyone can get a d6 in lockpicking, but the level of expertise that +2 represents is not easy to acquire.
SWD notes that professional and background edges can be taken past creation but that the GM should require some justification.
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Wiggy
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Why Are Professional Edges for Novices? |
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| Thunderforge wrote: | | Also, are there any settings that have new Professional Edges for higher ranks? And is there any reason why I might not want to make a Veteran Professional Edge for a homebrew setting? |
A forthcoming Hellfrost book has some, but they're not "entry level" Professional Edges. They're advanced ones for existing Professional Edges, so you're assumed to be practising and learning on the job as part of your daily adventuring life.
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Sitting Duck
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Why Are Professional Edges for Novices? |
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| Thunderforge wrote: | | Also, are there any settings that have new Professional Edges for higher ranks? |
The Agency and Texas Ranger Professional Edges in Deadlands Reloaded have a Seasoned requirement (unless this was changed in the more recent editions).
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Timon
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:00 am Post subject: Re: Why Are Professional Edges for Novices? |
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| Sitting Duck wrote: | | Thunderforge wrote: | | Also, are there any settings that have new Professional Edges for higher ranks? |
The Agency and Texas Ranger Professional Edges in Deadlands Reloaded have a Seasoned requirement (unless this was changed in the more recent editions). |
That is still true, though of course you could take them after having become seasoned with Veteran o' the Weird West
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ValhallaGH
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Thasmodious wrote: | The reason is that the time, skill and training that goes into acquiring a profession is something that usually happened before the start of the game. It's hard to justify that one moment you are normally educated and then you take an advance and are suddenly a learned scholar. Anyone can get a d6 in lockpicking, but the level of expertise that +2 represents is not easy to acquire.
SWD notes that professional and background edges can be taken past creation but that the GM should require some justification. |
To reinforce this point:
Professional edges represent years of specialized training or experience. It is generally extremely difficult to get those while in an active campaign (not a lot of time for college classes while you're a professional adventurer). So, it's best to work them into a character's back story, when he had the time to do all that learning.
It's possible to justify a professional edge from in-game events, but that requires active participation from the GM, and may require an extended hiatus for all the characters - "You beat the necromancer and spend the next three years being national heroes. What do you do?" Alternately, you can have a Dumas-like moment and set the sequel Twenty Years After while using the same characters.
But without those kinds of moments, it's usually very difficult to justify the Hedge Mage learning the skills taught in the exclusive Academy of Magic - even Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry doesn't expect you to be a true Wizard (as the professional edge) or witch until the end of year five.
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Snate56
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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I have lots of Dumass moments... oh, wait...
Novice don't mean ya just fell off the turnip truck, it's not the begining of your life, it's the begining of your adventuring life. You just got yourself a brand new shiny d6 that makes you a Wild Card!
SteveN
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