How would you stat a world-class concert pianist an an Olympic gymnast that is a terrible fighter?

[dsatow]

It would depend on GM I think more than the genre.  Different GM stat things out differently.  One GM's 14- might be another's 21-.  In general, people tend to thing of a 20 characteristic as top of the line for human ability which is 13- (20/5+9).  So a 14- or 15- would generally be thought of as a world class ability.  This might be good for Heroic more realistic games.  In Champions level games though where you have super-geniuses like Mr. Fantastic and Mr Terrific, a skill roll of 14- to 17- might be really good, but world class might be in the 20s.  Similarly, futuristic abilities in some heroic games might require a higher roll too.

 

I once tried to set a scale with  rolls as to determine level of equivalent competence.  It didn't get too far but it went something like this.

 

Hobbyist, basic knowledge                     8-

Proficient, 2y  into College major         10-

4y College grad, high school teacher  11-

Phd , college professor                          12-

Tenured professor                                  13-

Cutting edge researcher                        14-

 

+1 if the character is obsessive about it.

+1 if the character has a knack for it.

 

PS: I don't think this is a great system of equivalence for rolls.  Just something I thought up a while ago.

[massey]

Well, I think there are real world Olympians and fictional ones.  Depending on my mood, I'm not always particularly impressed with people in the Olympics.  Don't get me wrong, I can't do any of it, but they're well below the level of ability we see in movies or comics.  Michael Phelps would blow me out of the water in swimming, but watch the judges in the background of this video. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejFVFtJdP3s

 

He's all the way up to the speed of "regular guy walking mildly quickly".  In Champions terms he might be a Speed 2 with a mighty 4 inches of Swimming.  Maybe.  But that absolutely sucks, and it crams normal humans into such a tight range that it's basically impossible to differentiate.  In a cinematic game, Michael Phelps should have a Speed 4 and 6 inches of Swimming at least, even though he doesn't really.

[megaplayboy]

Well, for a scale from 8 to 10 to 20+ or less, that's 12 points of differentiation.  11- is set as "basic competence".  12- is "highly competent".  I'd start expertise around 13 or 14-, world class expertise/mastery at 15-16-, best of the best/high mastery at 17-18-, and best ever/grandmastery at 19-20+.  For relative "point value", a 20- on a skill that's stat-based(3 points, +1 per 2 points), is equivalent to a 25 point ability.  That would be an exceptionally potent talent or perk, and a noteworthy minor power.  A 15- is equivalent to a 15 point ability.  

[Toxxus]

On 4/28/2019 at 4:59 PM, massey said:

Well, I think there are real world Olympians and fictional ones.  Depending on my mood, I'm not always particularly impressed with people in the Olympics.  Don't get me wrong, I can't do any of it, but they're well below the level of ability we see in movies or comics.  Michael Phelps would blow me out of the water in swimming, but watch the judges in the background of this video. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejFVFtJdP3s

 

He's all the way up to the speed of "regular guy walking mildly quickly".  In Champions terms he might be a Speed 2 with a mighty 4 inches of Swimming.  Maybe.  But that absolutely sucks, and it crams normal humans into such a tight range that it's basically impossible to differentiate.  In a cinematic game, Michael Phelps should have a Speed 4 and 6 inches of Swimming at least, even though he doesn't really.

 

Misapplying the rule of using the higher costing power when multiple ways to accomplish something exist I'd go with:

+2 SPD - Only when swimming.