Professions are not straightjackets

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Slimcreeper
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Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Slimcreeper » Mon Jan 29, 2018 1:05 pm

So I've been writing up some 1879 stuff for my own chuckles lately, and I've found myself using the Professions far less strictly than the book implies. I've been focusing on street gangs, for example, and I've included one that is a Soldier in the employ of street gangs but had never been in the military. Instead, she's an enforcer for criminals. In another case, I've got an Investigator for the Millwallers, a gang operating out of the Isle of Dogs. He makes sure the lieutenants are acting in the boss's best interest. I haven't made his character yet, but he'll be skipping Knowledge (Law) and Research.

The Profession system is remarkably flexible, since it isn't described as an overarching philosophy in the way that Disciplines are. In both cases, it's a feature, not a bug. A Pioneer might be a mule-skinner in the army or a Sami reindeer herder. A Military Officer could be a crime boss or a caravan guide for merchants on the Silk Road.

What do you think?

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Andrew1879
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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Andrew1879 » Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:06 pm

This aligns nicely with the Variants option that will be in the Players Companion, that allows you to revise Professions to change their focus. For example, there's a Variant of the Aristocrat called the Dilettante, who's basically a rich adrenaline junkie, with the more active Skills swapped up from Optional to Core and some of the sedentary Skills from Core moved to Optional. We're also presenting a Variant of the Cowboy, the Outlaw, who swaps Equestrian for Firearms, making shooting their Professional Skill and riding a Core Skill.

I'd like to see the writeups on these characters. Post them here maybe?

Slimcreeper
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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Slimcreeper » Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:01 pm

Mercie Grace is pretty much a regular Soldier, stat-wise (assuming I advanced her correctly. I didn't have her fill all available skill slots.) Her role in society is that of an elite enforcer for a criminal gang, though.

Mercy Grace, troll. Professional Rank 3 Soldier - Criminal

It's not who you know, it's who you know who knows whose skulls you've cracked that matters.

D: 15/6 S: 19/8 T: 16/7
P: 6/3 W: 15/6 C: 12/5
PD: 9 MD: 4 SD: 7 PA: 0/5 MA: 3
Initiative: 6 Move: 7 SL: `
Karma: 9 Max: 9 Die: d4
Uncon: (32) 53 Death: (39) 63
Wound T: 10 Rec: 3 Durability: 3
Attack: Heavy Pistol, Revolver (A: 12 D: 8 Cpy: 6 Rof: 2 Rng: 30/100 Bonus: +4), Spiked Mace (A: 11 D: 14)
Armor: Flak Jacket (5)
Racial Abilities: Heat Sight
Skills:
Languages: British (S)

Professional: Firearms (6) step 12;

Initiate Core: Avoid Blow (5) Str 1, Step 11; Melee Weapons (5) Step 11; Shake It Off (5) Step 12, use Rec. Test; Sprint (5) Str 1, +rnk to Move;

Initiate 1 Optional: Streetwise (3); Unarmed Combat (3);

Novice PR 2 Core: Anticipate Blow (5) Str 1, Step 8 vs MD, reserve act to get rnk bonus on attack; Battle Shout (3) Str 1, Step 8, Rng rnk x2 yds, -rnk to target’s tests 1 rnd;

PR 2 Optional: Haggle (3)

PR 3 Core: Riposte (3) Str 2, Step 9 vs melee attack test, if extra success then use result as counterattack test; Wound Balance (3) Step 11

Free: Kn: Gambling (3); Etiquette (2); Frighten (2) Step 8, -1 per success for rnk rnds; Swimming (2); Conversation (2); Tracking (2)

Equipment: Woman’s work-a-day suit, battered, with military insignia. Chatelaine with flask, large folding knife, snuff box. Busted top hat. £1d4, 1d8 s.

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Andrew1879
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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Andrew1879 » Wed Jan 31, 2018 1:49 pm

The only thing I see that sticks out is the missing SL, which would be 1, since she's a career criminal. Using the Soldier as a gang enforcer works for me. :)

Slimcreeper
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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Slimcreeper » Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:06 pm

Here's the other one I was thinking. Also happens to be a troll, no relation! I love the idea of proper Victorian London being peppered with these incongruous giants.

Franco in the write up is a snark Dodger, PL 2, who has maxed out his unarmed combat abilities and leads the cohort with an iron fist and weak wits.

Harold would make a pretty decent candidate for an Investigator variant - the Agent, with acting, disguise, mimic voice bumped up in priority. Although Harold doesn't do disguises. Troll, ya know?

As an aside, is that breech-loading shotgun supposed to be double-barrelled? I'm confused by the Cpy 2, RoF 1/2 thing. Should it be RoF 2, taking a std action to reload?

Harold Gleason
PL 2 Investigator - Criminal

Harold Gleason is an Investigator by Profession, though he works for the Millwallers, not law enforcement. Prior to his bout of LGF, he was a fairly successful actor. While his troup kept him from starving to death, they certainly couldn’t give him much work. His role with the Millwallers is to keep an eye on the lieutenants and make sure they are working in the boss’s best interest. He has been with this cohort for a full year, and they have no idea. They don't even really know that he has medical skills. He is content to let them think him a dumb brute, but he secretly hates Franco. Franco has forced Harold to fight him a couple of exhibition fights, in which Franco handily won.

D: 13/6 S: 16/7 T: 12/5
P: 16/7 W: 10/5 C: 16/7

Initiative: 5 Move: 7
PD: 8 PA: 5
MD: 9 MA: 2+1
SD: 9 Social Level: 1

Karma: x3 Max: 6 Die: d4

Uncon: (24) 29 Death: (29) 35
Wound T: 8 Rec: 2 Durability: 1x (5/6)

Attack: Club (A: 8 D: 10), Breech-loading shotgun (A:8 D: 1 Cpy: 2 RoF: 1/2 R: 10/50 Success: +3)
Armor: Hide Armor

Skills:
Languages: British (S & R/W)
Professional: Evidence Analysis (3)
Core: [8 ℅ slots, min 4 Core] Awareness (2), Eidetic Memory (2), Firearms (2), Lockpicking (2), Streetwise (3), Danger Sense (2), Empathic Sense (2)
Optional: [Up to 4 slots] First Impression (2)
Free: [6 slots] Kn: London Geography (3), Kn: Smuggling Routes (2), Eagle Eye (2), Physician (2), Melee Weapons (2), Acting (4)

Equipment: Physician’s Kit, Thieves’ Pick & Tools, Aspirin,

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Andrew1879
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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

Post by Andrew1879 » Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:14 pm

Slimcreeper wrote:
Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:06 pm
Here's the other one I was thinking. Also happens to be a troll, no relation! I love the idea of proper Victorian London being peppered with these incongruous giants.
We're having a bit of fun with it in the upcoming comic strip, and in the artwork.
Slimcreeper wrote:
Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:06 pm
Harold would make a pretty decent candidate for an Investigator variant - the Agent, with acting, disguise, mimic voice bumped up in priority. Although Harold doesn't do disguises. Troll, ya know?
There's also a Spy Profession slated for the upcoming Great Game sourcebook that might be appropriate.
Slimcreeper wrote:
Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:06 pm
As an aside, is that breech-loading shotgun supposed to be double-barrelled? I'm confused by the Cpy 2, RoF 1/2 thing. Should it be RoF 2, taking a std action to reload?
RoF 2 would be two shots per round. R0F 1/2 is one shot every other round, with a round required to reload. It is double-barreled, which causes some problems in the mechanics. Theoretically, it should probably be 2/3, with an option to let off both barrels in one round for an increase in Damage at a cost of accuracy reflected in an Attack Test penalty. We'll sort this out in the Errata.

Nice character.

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Re: Professions are not straightjackets

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