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CF: Player balance.




 I deciding to start a new character in crossfire, and then decided to look
over the PlayerStats file.  I noticed it was a bit out dated (missing
Pow stat, along with skills).  I thought this might be a good oppertunity
to get some thoughts and the balance of these stats.

 For the skills, the chart only shows those that the character starts with -
I don't include skill scrolls.  Maybe Brian can answer this:  Is there any
reason some classes do get skill scrolls?  Why don't we just start everyone
with skills?

 One thing that I notice pretty much immediately is that in most cases, a
net gain of 0 is maintained.  However, some classes certainly start with
more or better skills than others.  Maybe these advantages should be balanced
out some based on the stats.  I see the elf as an example of this -starts
out with fighter, mage, a couple misc. skills and a net gain of +1.
Perhaps this should be balanced better?

 But that said, there is one disadvantage to using stats to even things
out:  Starting stat bonuses/penalties determine maximum natural values
for the stats.  Thus, the wraith that starts with a -12 penalty will still
be 12 stats points behind overall after he maxes his stats with potions.
However, the fact that most of that loss is charisma may even things out
(and this could be true for other classes - a class that is never going
to be a spellcaster may not care about the loss of intelligence, wisdom,
and power..)

 The short skill descriptions are just that - short.  They hardly tell
the whole story.  The main idea of updating the document is so that when
you decide to start a new character, you have some better idea of what class
to choose depending on what you want to play.




------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Class/Prof   | Str | Dex | Con | Wis | Cha | Int | Pow | Net | Skills      |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Barbarian    |  4  |  1  |  4  | -1  | -2  | -6  |  0  |  0  | F,cl,wd     |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Cleric       |  0  | -1  | -1  |  2  |  1  | -2  |  1  |  0  | F,or        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Dwarf        |  3  | -4  |  4  |  0  | -3  |  0  |  0  |  0  | F,sm        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Elf          | -2  |  4  | -2  | -3  |  2  |  1  |  1  | +1  | F,M,bo,wd   |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Fireborn     | -7  |  4  | -3  |  3  | -4  |  2  |  0  | -5  |B,mi,sc,pr,ft|
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Human        |  0  |  0  |  0  |  0  |  0  |  0  |  0  |  0  | F,ra        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Mage         |  0  |  1  | -1  |  0  | -3  |  1  |  2  |  0  | F,C         |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Monk         |  2  |  2  |  1  |  0  | -3  | -1  | -1  |  0  |B,mi,me,ka,se|
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Ninja        |  2  |  2  |  0  | -1  | -1  | -2  |  0  |  0  | F,ju,hi     |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Priest       | -3  | -2  | -2  |  3  |  2  |  0  |  2  |  0  | C           |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Quetzalcoatl |  4  | -4  |  4  | -10 |  0  | -10 | +7  | -9  |B,mi,cw,sc,mw|
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Swashbuckler |  1  |  3  |  1  | -2  |  1  | -4  |  0  |  0  | F,st,si     |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Thief        |  0  |  4  | -2  |  0  | -3  |  1  |  0  |  0  | F,st        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Viking       |  1  |  1  |  2  | -1  | -1  | -2  |  0  |  0  | F,ba        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Warrior      |  3  | -1  |  2  |  0  | -1  | -3  |  0  |  0  | F,or        |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Wizard       | -3  |  0  | -3  |  0  |  0  |  3  |  3  |  0  | C           |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Wraith       | -4  |  4  | -4  | -3  | -10 |  2  | 3   | -12 | C           |
+--------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------------+
| Class/Prof   | Str | Dex | Con | Wis | Cha | Int | Pow | Net | Skills      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enclosed are codes used for the skills above.  The ones in basic, casting,
and fighting should all be pretty self explanatory.  For the other skills,
a brief description is given, for a more detailed description, look at the
skills.doc file.

Skill codes:

B=basic skills (find traps, remove traps, use magic items)
C=casting skills (melee weapon, spellcasting, praying, find traps, remove
        traps, use magic items)
F=fighter skills (melee weapon, missile weapon, find traps, remove traps,
        use magic items)

ba=bargaining.  Increases charisma for buying/selling items.
bo=bowyer.  Identify missile weapons and missiles.
cl=climbing.  Better movement through mountains?
cw=clawing.  Allows for bare handed attack.
ft=flame touch.  Unarmed fire attack.
hi=hide.  Allows partial invisiblity.
ju=jumping.  Can jump over spaces.
ka=karate.  Unamred combat.
me=meditation.  Regain hp/mana at faster rate.
mw=melee weapon.  Can use hand held weapons.
mi=missile weapon.  Can use missile weapons.
or=oratory.  May recruite followers.
pr=praying.  Can cast cleric spells.
ra=random skill
sc=spell casting.  Can cast wizard spells.
se=sense magic.  Can detect magic items.
si=singing.  May pacifiy hostile monsters.
sm=smithery.  Identify arms and armor.
st=stealing.  Can take items from monsters inventory.
wd=woodsman.  Move faster through wooded terrain.



-- 
 --Mark