Southern Cross Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) It looks like the new Universal skill enhancers are the Hero System's equivalent to GURPS 4e's "Bang skills".Not having actually even seen the book's cover (I'm going by what a previous poster has written) I can't really say any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Yes, those are in there. I have the book - I can't say I've read it cover to cover because a) it isn't written to lay people and damn, that's thick. 400 pages of expansion rules, basically. What I have read has been brutally excellent - just tough to get through in sections because it is a fine piece of technical writing, which occassionally makes me nod off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Is there any further discussion on straight Skill Levels (the ones you pay for based on how broad the skill is' date=' not 3/2 or whetever) in [i']Ultimate Skill[/i]? I think I understand what you are asking... There are two pages dedicated to Skill Levels. More clairification about what you can and can't do with such skill levels and exactly how broad of an area they can cover. There are some alternate rules for varying the cost of movement skill levels based upon the type of movement you are buying them for (for instance Tunneling movement skill levels are cheap). The subject of negative skill levels is also touched upon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) It looks like the new Universal skill enhancers are the Hero System's equivalent to GURPS 4e's "Bang skills".Not having actually even seen the book's cover (I gong by what a previous poster has written) I can't really say any more. There's also an interesting indication of compound skills where Steve lists the older Champions uber-skills like Detective Work and shows the various current skills each comprises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Which makes The Ultimate Skill invaluable for converting pre 4th-Edition characters into 5th Edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Can anyone tell us poor members of the studio audience exactly when TUS hits the Online Store for purchase? I've got $50 just screaming to be spent on Hero books and I don't wanna wait much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Doesn't seem that it has swum the Pacific yet. I'm sure that it will have things in it that I hadn't thought of, just as the other "Ultimate" series books did. When do we get "The Ultimate power Armour" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Can anyone tell us poor members of the studio audience exactly when TUS hits the Online Store for purchase? I've got $50 just screaming to be spent on Hero books and I don't wanna wait much longer. Darren has hinted that this and a buncha other stuff should be in the online store this upcoming week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Is there any discussion on talking someone that doesn't have a skill through using it? Like say, telling a desperate flight attendant how to land a currently pilotless plane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) I didn't see it specifically, but I would rule it (have ruled it) as: Complementary Skill Roll, added to either untrained or everyman, and possibly make it an extended task roll. The 'trainer' can attempt to use Persuasion, Conversation, etc. to better make themselves understood to the 'actor' thus improving the chances of the plane landing, instead of say, crashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) It's a good book -- I'm up to Climbing thus far. The only complaint I have is that while there are a lot of options provided, there is not a lot of reasoning behind them (when or why you should use a given option, or one option over another). I would have liked to see a bit more categorization (for example, options defined as being for skill-heavy, average, or skill-light games), so GMs have an easier time figuring out what to use. OTOH, the Climbing section was exactly what I was hoping for -- a set of well-defined modifiers so that everyone can have a common understanding of what Climbing will let you accomplish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shike019 Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) I must say, I absolutely Love this book, but have a couple of problems with the Musical Instrument Familiarities. From practical experience a saxophone should be classified witht he woodwinds (as it uses a modified clarinet mouthpiece and modified clarinet fingerings). As well an English Horn is the next step up from an Oboe, and as such should be classified as such. I don't know if steve was going by construction or practical playing, if it was from construction then he should have clarinets in the "brass" catagory as well (yes they make brass clarinets). Again, Other than a couple of problems with the musical instruments this book is amazing and probably the best $35 dollars I'll have spent in the past 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) I want this book intensely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemurion Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) I keep fluctuating on whether to order this one immediately or not. It sounds great-- but the question I have is whether it will force more skill inflation into the game or not? Will GMs with TUS want people to take the narrower skills which will require more skills for the same effect and thus raise the point caps again? My current game is very pulp so I'm using fewer broad skills to define the characters, and I'm wondering how much this will apply. And most importantly, are there any skills dealing with Zeppelins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) I keep fluctuating on whether to order this one immediately or not. It sounds great-- but the question I have is whether it will force more skill inflation into the game or not? Will GMs with TUS want people to take the narrower skills which will require more skills for the same effect and thus raise the point caps again? My current game is very pulp so I'm using fewer broad skills to define the characters, and I'm wondering how much this will apply. And most importantly, are there any skills dealing with Zeppelins? It gives advice and groupings for making broader skills. Don't remember about the zeppelins off-hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Darren has hinted that this and a buncha other stuff should be in the online store this upcoming week.An 11 day "week" (so far) and still no TUS in the store. I'm not a happy camper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) An 11 day "week" (so far) and still no TUS in the store. I'm not a happy camper. It's been since at least the 24th. DOJHERO116 is the sku, right there before Champions and after You Gotta Have Character. GreyGarudian started a thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48487 on the 24th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) It's been since at least the 24th. DOJHERO116 is the sku' date=' right there before Champions and after You Gotta Have Character.[/quote']Thanks. I've now ordered a copy. I would have ordered it a week ago if I'd known it was available then. What's up with that? Now I'm left wondering why there was no official thread announcing TUS's online store availability, yet we have two Sticky threads about Champs 25th which will have a vastly smaller appeal because it's genre- specific and much more expensive? Isn't DOJ interested in selling their products here? I buy books here instead of at my FLGS because DOJ gets a bigger profit margin despite the fact it's cheaper at my FLGS (I get a 10% discount there) because I want to help DOJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) Thanks. I've now ordered a copy. I would have ordered it a week ago if I'd known it was available then. What's up with that? Now I'm left wondering why there was no official thread announcing TUS's online store availability, yet we have two Sticky threads about Champs 25th which will have a vastly smaller appeal because it's genre- specific and much more expensive? Isn't DOJ interested in selling their products here? I buy books here instead of at my FLGS because DOJ gets a bigger profit margin despite the fact it's cheaper at my FLGS (I get a 10% discount there) because I want to help DOJ. Well, I know we beat Ben to the punch on the announcement in the Online Store Forum, I can only guess with all the post GenCon hubub the rest of the forum announcements got lost in the shuffle. That's all merely speculation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) My copy arrived today (stupid holiday, normally I get my packages on Wednesday, my day off so I can read all my new books). Only read a little bit since it's been in my hands 30 minutes. I think it's my new favorite 5E book. The thing is freakin' AWESOME. Kudos Steve. ghost "cell phone man" angel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted September 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) It showed up at my FLGS yesterday (9/6/06) so I bought a second copy. Too many people in my group are going to want to borrow it and I'm still using mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Main Man Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) My friends all want to borrow it too. I can't believe that both of my main suggestions* made it into the book! Steve you are the Main Main Man! *My two main suggestions were power-skill relation description and to a degree the modified Cramming rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Re: The Ultimate Skill (micro review) All I can say is, I hope some of the art gets recycled...like all those guys in buckskins with flintlocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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