SKILLS Patch

["Brian Thomas" <>]

	Hi, 

	 I have been working on a patch for the skills code to bring
	the code in CF0.91.8 up to date with my own efforts (the
	stuff in CF0.918 is only current with my 2nd of 3 patches).

	In the time since I coded that stuff I have been playtesting,
	adding to and refining the skills code. Persons interested 
	in obtaining the code will find it on ftp.astro.psu.edu in
	pub/thomas/. Grab the tar file skills4.tar.gz. There are 
	instructions on how to install the code, so I won't go into
	that here. Below I detail the new code, its changes, and 
	some brief philosophy/description of each of the skills. Also,
	a few ideas I am thinking on implementing are included. 


				Best Regards, 
					b.t. 
 					()	
 

	NEW SKILL CODE FOR CF0.91.8 ===> ala patch skills4.tar.gz 

	Installation - 
		instructions are in the file INSTALL.SKILLS.

	Philosophy -

		To create a roster of skills which will 1) to hopefully 
	differentiate the character classes. Give each class a unique starting
	advantage over all the others, 2) to balance the starting and 
	continuing discrepancy between the effectiveness of spellcasters
	and non-spellcasters and 3) to add color to the game. The 
	ultimate goal of these objectives is to make the game more fun to
	play :)

	Changes -

		(1) Several minor bugs where fixed. 
		(2) Modified chances of hiding and stealing 
		    (for playability) 
		(3) Addtion of many new skills, the roster is below 
		(4) Jewery skill can now ident rings as well as jewels
		    (i orig wanted to do this, but implementation slipped
			my mind :< )
		(5) Altered the starting skills of characters, + now
		    players start with skill scrolls (try selling
		    them and the "Gods will retrieve" your scroll ;) 
		(6) Altered the cost of skill scrolls. 
		(7) Implemented "beta" code for map makers to design
		    items which confer skills to the possessor.

	Skills (the shortlist) -

alchemist	bargaining	bowyer		boxing		climbing
find traps	hide		jeweler		jumping		karate
literacy	lockpicking	oratory		sense curse	sense magic
singing		smithery	stealing	thaumagragist	woodsman
wrestling

	Character starting skills -
 
         The starting skills distribution is given in below. I have
         tried to balance the power of all characters starting possessions
         (eg equipment, skills and spells) to make things fair. All in all
         though, "skilled" characters may still need some fine tuning.
	 Since the creation of the "smithery" and "karate" skills, I have
	 been thinking about the creation of the 'dwarf' and 'monk' 
	 character classes. 

		Character 	Skills	 

		barbarian	climbing, woodsman			 
		cleric		oratory (*note cleric no longer starts w/ spells) 
		elf		bowyer, woodsman 
		ninja		hide, jumping 
		swashbuckler 	stealing, singing 
		thief		stealing, lockpicking 
		viking		bargaining
		warrior		boxing

	 The wizard, mage, priest, wraith, quetzalcoatl, and fireborn 
	 classes start with no skills.
	
	Skills description -

	 The following is now the complete roster of skills. 
	 A * denotes a skill which is not 'applied', but rather is 
	 in effect passively while it is readied.

	  	Skill	description
		-----	-----------

	    alchemist	User can identify potions, containers, and
			amulets. One day I would like to see this skill
			allow mixing of potions and at higher levels
			creation of all non-stat raising potions.
			(using $$ and monster parts!!)

 	   bargaining*	While this skill is readied the user has +10 Cha 
			for purposes of purchase and selling of items only. 
			Cha is never allowed to exceed 30.  

	       bowyer	User can identify missle weapons and missles.	

	       boxing	User can make a "bare-handed attack". Damage
			is based on the user's Str and level. For some 
			creatures the boxing attack can "confuse" 
			(ie the monster is "punched silly").  

	     climbing*	While the skill is readied, the possesser will
			move faster through "hilly" terrian (hills,
			mountains, etc.)  

	   find traps 	User can search (more effectively) for traps.
			Not a 'passive' skill, it is applied in order
			to gain the advantage in discovering traps.

		 hide	User enjoys limited form of invisibility. If
			they attack or move too much they become 
			visible. Right now it is possbile to  
			hidden while next to hostile monsters. Not
			a reasonable feature!

	      jeweler	User can ident gems and rings that they hold.

	      jumping	User can 'skip' over 1-2 spaces in a selected
			direction. Distance depends on weight carried,
			Str and Dex of the user. 

	       karate	User can make a "bare-handed attack". Damage
                        is based on the user's Str and level. This attack 
			is the fastest and (at higher levels) most deadly 
			of the 3 "hand to hand" attacks available. 

	     literacy	User can ident books and scrolls that they hold.
			Since scrolls are currently always identified,
			this is not the greatest of skills.

	  lockpicking	User may 'pick locks' (open doors). No equipment
			is currently needed to to this. Eventually, I 
			would like to make this only available through
			possession of 'lock picks'.

 
	      oratory  	User may 'recruit' followers. Recruitees must be
			of lower level, and unaggressive to start. Use
			of this skill may anger the audience. Also,
			'special' monsters are immune to recruitment. 
			Success depends on User Cha and level.

	  sense curse	User may discover whether items that he holds
			are 'cursed'. Controversial skill, may go away
			in later versions.	

          sense magic   User may discover whether items that he holds   
                        are 'magic'. Controversial skill, may go away 
                        in later versions.

	      singing	User may pacify hostile monsters with this skill. 
			Certain kinds of monsters are immune. Success
			depends on user level and Cha.

	     smithery	User may ident arms and armour that they hold.
			Right now this is a powerfull skill, and I 
			am considering breaking it up into 2 ident skills
			in the future.

	     stealing	User can take items from the inventory of other
			monsters. 

	thaumagragist	User can ident rods, wands and horns that they
			are holding. 

   	     woodsman*  While the skill is readied, the possesser will
                        move faster through "wooded" terrian (forest,
                        grasslands, brush, jungle, etc.)	

	    wrestling	User can make a "bare-handed attack". Damage
                        is based on the user's Str and level. For some
                        creatures the boxing attack can "paralyze"
                        (ie the monster is "held down").