New Fighter Perk: Training Sessions

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Aradin
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New Fighter Perk: Training Sessions

Post by Aradin » Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:36 pm

In the feedback discussion on RP perks for non-caster classes, I suggested this as part of a bigger, different idea. I've done some more thinking on it and taken into account some of the other comments to flesh it out.
Feedback thread: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=30176

There's a currently a lack of RP cookies for Fighters, and there's little incentive to go pure Fighter for mechanical reasons. This idea aims to provide some help in both directions.

OVERVIEW OF TRAINING SESSIONS
The suggestion: Training Sessions. With a new text command (-train), Fighters can designate one friendly PC they are partied with and enter into a Training Session with them. While in this mode, the trainer PC sacrifices exp to give the trainee PC exp at a rate determined by the trainer PC's total levels in Fighter. Each exp tick takes 2 RL minutes, giving you plenty of time to RP the training any way you like.

5-8 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 10 exp.
9-13 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 13 exp.
14-17 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 15 exp.
18-22 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 17 exp.
23-27 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 20 exp.
28-30 levels in Fighter: Sacrifice 100 exp per tick to give the trainee 25 exp.

The trainer PC must have the majority of their levels be in Fighter, and they must have a minimum of 5 Fighter levels in order to unlock the -train command. The idea here is to eliminate the eligibility of characters that dip 3-4 Fighter levels and really keep this perk for dedicated Fighters. It also eliminates level 1-4 characters, who wouldn't reasonably know enough yet to train others.

HOW WOULD IT WORK?
The -train command can be used once per 24 RL hours. Once a Training Session is completed or ended early, a countdown timer starts until the command is refreshed and can be used again. A Training Session can be ended in one of two ways: Firstly, by either PC leaving the party. Secondly, if either PC is no longer in the same area as the other. This would stop players from doing no-RP Training Sessions while dungeoning.
When the trainer PC uses the -train command and targets a friendly PC they're partied with, the prospective trainee PC has a dialog box pop up prompting them to accept the training and for the session to begin. Just like -yoink.

A Training Session lasts for a number of 2-minute ticks equal to the trainer PC's total levels in Fighter. For example, a level 27 Fighter's training lasts for 54 RL minutes, unless ended early. The trainer PC sacrifices 2,700 exp (27 ticks x 100 exp/tick) and the trainee PC gains 540 exp (27 ticks x 20 exp/tick).

CONDITIONS
To avoid exploitation, here are the proposed conditions that must be met in order for Training Sessions to work:
1) As stated above, the trainer PC must have the majority of their build be in Fighter levels and a minimum of 5 Fighter levels to unlock the -train command. If at any point the majority of their build moves to another class or they delevel to below 5 Fighter levels, they lose access to the -train command.
2) The trainer PC can only train one other PC at a time.
3) The trainee PC must have the majority of their build be non-caster classes. This is to avoid Fighters training mages, but still allowing them to train classes that rely on martial prowess like monks, rogues, barbarians, etc.
4) The trainer PC can only sacrifice exp until they reach the point where they would delevel, and the trainee PC can only gain exp until they reach the point where they would level up. If either happens during an active Training Session, the session ends immediately. If either is the case when a Training Session would be initiated, the command is rejected (but is instantly refreshed so you can use it again, like -teleport if you cancel out of the dialog box) and a prompt tells the respective player to either 'gain more exp before training others' or 'level up before training further'.

CONCERNS
There's no way to mechanically enforce the RP of a training session. So while I optimistically and perhaps naively imagine an elven sharpshooter guiding a new member of the forest guard at ranged target practice or an old grizzled veteran Cordorian sergeant taking a new recruit to the arena for some sparring, it's possible you could have two PCs enter a training session without RPing it at all.
The only answer I have to offer - which was helpfully thought up by Skarain - is that the trainer PC and trainee PC gain a visible aura of some kind (not magical, but visible to other players) indicating a Training Session is ongoing. If fellow PCs notice a Training Session happening without RP, they could report the offenders to the DMs? I don't love it as the built-in response, but I can't think of a better one.

GOALS
The idea of Training Sessions is peculiar in that it doesn't make the Fighter mechanically stronger. It actually makes them weaker by giving them an option to lose exp for no personal mechanical gain. However, I think that for the range of possibility it opens up for RP and for helping other PCs grow in a very tangible, mechanical way, it would have great value and would incentivize pure Fighters (or at least Fighters going to higher levels and not just dipping).
From a flavour standpoint, the ability to train others is far-reaching in RP scope so it wouldn't pigeonhole you into being any particular archetype of Fighter. Ultimately I think it would add lots of fun without being too unbalancing, and give Fighters an RP cookie all to themselves.

Was Lloyd Grimm, Sai Aung-K'yi, Stink Spellworped, Ikarus, and Revyn the White.


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