TRAINING

Once you have earned enough experience to gain a character class level, you are ready to train.

Mentor(s). You must find a mentor to train your character. A mentor must be higher level and the same character class as the trainee (a mentor of a similar sub-class may be allowed, per the GM). It is frequently difficult to find trainers willing to immediately forgo other activity just to train the character, especially if this becomes too frequent (due to back-to-back adventuring). Planning ahead for mentorship is an important activity for all PCs.

Required Training Time. If using performance ratings, this will determine the number of weeks required for training. Otherwise, the GM will set the number (usually 3 weeks).

Training Cost. Each week spent in training costs 1,500 g.p. multiplied by the trainee’s current class level. If training for less than a week, each day costs 300 g.p. multiplied by the trainee’s current class level (at least 2 days a week are self study according to the mentors curriculum; costs round to one full day). Exception. See Bards below.

Maximum Training Expense. No matter the number of weeks required for training, the maximum expense will be equal to the experience points necessary to gain the new level in gold pieces. Lower level characters will have lower level trainers (who will work for less expense).

Example. Finn, a 1st level thief has a performance rating of 3 and requires 3 weeks of training to gain 2nd level. Normally the price would be 4,500 g.p. However, Finn only need 1,251 XP to gain the level, so the training expense for the three weeks of training is only 1,251 g.p.

Multi-class Characters. A multi-class character with earned experience allowing level progression for only one class can train and gain a level for that class. If experience is available to train for both classes, this can be done, but each class must be trained separately. This usually means double the time required (ratings are by character). In extreme circumstances and where the mentor is the same class combination as the trainee training for both can be done during the same set of weeks. However, this is taxing on both mentor and trainee and rarely done and while expense is not decreased, it may increase due to the amount of work and focus required by the mentor.

Training for Bards. Bards require but one week of mentorship or self training (they can do either). They must pay a tuition equal to 1,000 g.p. per level (using the level to be gained) and 50% of their total monetary gains acquired during the previous level. This tuition is paid to the particular college through a druid and the bard must train at the college. The druid, whether they mentor the bard or not must be high enough level to cast higher level spells than the bard.

Non-Player Characters. All NPCs automatically receive a performance rating of 3.0 (Good) and thus require 3 weeks to train in each class level.

SELF-TRAINING

Self Training for Low Level Characters. Self training means the character does not need to locate a mentor. However, self training takes twice the time as mentor-assisted training (learning through trial-and-error). Any character that achieves a performance rating of 2 (superior) or better can self train.

Self Training for High Level Characters. High level characters do not use mentors to train. The level where self training becomes the default is based on class and is noted in the character class statistics, called “self train”.

Training time is still based on performance rating but rates are different and, unlike lower level characters, the time period is not doubled. Self training rates for such high level characters are:

• Cleric/Druid/Shaman: 2,000 g.p. per current level per week.

• Fighter/Ranger/Paladin/Barbarian/Cavalier: 1,000 g.p. per current level per week.

• Magic-user/Illusionist/Death Master/Witch: 3,000 g.p. per current level per week.

• Thief/Assassin/Monk/Shadowmaster: 2,000 g.p. per current level per week.

PCS TRAINING OTHER PCS OR NPCS

To be a mentor, one must have trained for the task and spent goodly amount of time crafting a curriculum with plenty of testing and rework. Based on the class and level, suitable materials must be collected to effectively administer the training. Assuming the training takes place in the jurisdiction of a local government, taxes and, in some cases licenses must be obtained and paid. Often, there are limits in place for the number of trainers operating in a certain area. Training is big business! Where there is such a lucrative trade, bureaucracies step in to receive their cut.

So, while you may have a few weeks to spend training a lower level henchman, it’s not as easy as setting up a few practice dummys in the woods.

Preparation. At minimum, you must dedicate two full months to training as a mentor and creating plans and materials. This must be done under a mentor of the same class higher level than yourself. Such mentors rarely look to go creating competition (and others are simply too busy). Assuming one agrees, the expense is typically 500 g.p. per your current class level per week (or more). If you are multi-class, this is per class (although the time requirement is still 2 months).

Once you achieve the level at which you self train (per Self Training for High Level Characters above), you do not need to incur this time or expense.

Once you have everything ready, you are ready to take on students. Your expense as a mentor is 500 g.p. per week per the trainee’s current level not counting living expenses for you or your trainee. The trainee must be half your level or less.

INTERRUPTIONS IN TRAINING

Any break in time spent training means the character will need to start that week over and that prorated amount (at 300 g.p. per level per day) is forfeit. If one month passes after interruption, training must begin again from the start and all expenses to that point are forfeit.

EXPLAINING TRAINING EXPENSE

A look at the experience charts shows that to gain levels, an incredible number of experience points must be gained. Over time, this gain will come less from monsters defeated and overwhelmingly from treasure gained and magic items sold.

This means, in order to advance, PCs are going to become extremely wealthy. The training system is built, in part, to alleviate PCs of all that wealth.

The gold equals XP rule is integral to the game and serves as an incentive for players to adventure, negotiate, and search every nook and cranny. When treasure is found, it is TREASURE!

Good players will always hew to story objectives especially as their characters make their mark upon the world. Story objective awards are good, but finding that treasure horde (and deciding what to do with it all) is fun.

Players must also make the hard decisions whether to include NPCs and how to support their training. On one hand, NPCs will de-risk encounters by bringing more firepower. On the other, XP will be divided into smaller shares and, if training is not done, ultimately wasted.