Rules questions

[Dr Magister]

I've finally got round to preparing a longish Maelstrom game and have a couple of questions regarding the rules.

Firstly, in the main rules, it states that all rogues are able to escape capture and avoid pursuit in urban surroundings, and later in the book suggests possible rolls to make to do so. What it doesn't mention is how these rolls would differ from a character with any other living attempting an escape and making the same rolls. Would a -30 penalty for the captor/pursuer, similar to Perception rolls against the Hunter in the countryside, work for rogues in the cities?

Secondly, althouh the idea of a character taking more than one living is dealt with fairly exhaustively, what if one wanted to have a character stick in one career for a greater amount of time? I could have a character with all the skills and abilities of a rogue and the combat abilities of a mercenary, but what if I wanted to start play as veteran swordsman who's been a soldier for 16 years, instead of one who's been a mercenary for 8 and a thief for 8?

It seems that since there's an option for older characters, there should be the choice to stay in a single living for longer.

Thanks very much!

Dr M.

[PaulB]

...in the main rules, it states that all rogues are able to escape capture and avoid pursuit in urban surroundings, and later in the book suggests possible rolls to make to do so. What it doesn't mention is how these rolls would differ from a character with any other living attempting an escape and making the same rolls. Would a -30 penalty for the captor/pursuer, similar to Perception rolls against the Hunter in the countryside, work for rogues in the cities?

I'm not clear whether you're asking one or two questions here - how do escape rolls work for non-Rogues and do Rogues get a modifier like a Hunter when hiding from pursuers in an urban environment.

Firstly, a non-Rogue trying to escape from someone should probably have to make more rolls to get away. While a Rogue might need to leap a rooftop (Agility ST) to gain some distance (Speed ST) to allow him to hide somewhere (Perception ST), a non-Rogue might also need to identify how to travel between buildings at roof level (another Perception ST) and keep pace enough to escape (Endurance ST) without cracking under the pressure of the intimidating pursuers (Will ST). So, Rogue needs to make three Saving Throws to escape, while a non-Rogue needs six.

You might also want to modify the base rolls where more than one throw might be necessary for a non-Rogue to simulate the pressure and reduce the number of rolls where you have multiples - so, you know that the non-Rogue will need to spot a route into the rooftops, avoid a loose roof tile and find somewhere to hide. Instead of making three Perception Saving Throws, you get the player to roll once with a -20 modifier.

On top of all this, both Rogues and non-Rogues will suffer from things like bad weather, numerous pursuers, unexpected obstacles, etc.

Secondly, yes - I think if you want to check to see if a Rogue can hide from someone in an urban environment, use the same negative modifier on anyone looking for him as the Hunter. As above, you might want to reduce this multiplier if many people search or due to unexpected circumstances (fire or flood has swept the streets leaving less to hide behind!).

[parkusuk]

Seems a good plan to me. It is my opinion that very few things in Maelstrom are exclusive to a living. A wealthy noble may know something about wines, and a peasant may know some butchery skills for example. It is just about finding the best modifier to the right test!
If someone doesn't have the professional ability, add a negative modifier and/or require more tests.

As far as extra experience for age goes, i would probably use the Characteristics listed in the advanced section (p173-174), and award 2 experience rolls per year for the Addition stats and a negative roll for each of the Subtractions. For this, the character must make an experience roll or lose 1 point.
This reflects the fact that most of a normal day-to-day profession is boring. Most mercenary time is spent on garrison duty etc. It also reflwcts the fact that your average labourer has very little study time!

[PaulB]

I definitely think pre-game (or mid-game) aging warrants further consideration (but, I can only manage one or two complex rule responses over breakfast). I was thinking along similar lines, Graham, in respect of using that very table.

I'm also inclined to consider conjuring up a few tables to broaden the potential gains (and losses) associated with passing years. The Mercenary could gain and lose against the characteristics on the existing table, but he might also acquire additional 'booty' from participating in a small war abroad, gain a family heirloom from the passing of a relative, suffer a significant wound that left him bedridden for months and still makes running long distance impossible without crippling pain, and bring the ire of a local and prominent landowner down on himself following a drunken brawl.

[Dr Magister]

That makes sense for the non-rogue escaping, and more-or-less what I was pondering (certainly negative modifiers for non-rogues), thank you.

For some livings, making the additional attribute gain/loss rolls for additional stints in careers makes sense, like the professional and noble, but for a mercenary say, increased AS, DS etc works, but not reduced Knowledge or Will. An old soldier is unlikely to know much more than a young one, but there's no reason they'd know less.

Thanks for the answers! I'm hoping to run my Maelstrom game on Wednesday nights, once our current Unknown Armies campaign comes to an end.