Idea: Expanded Stances

[Brokkr]

Like the funny thing to me is we don't have Reading and Writing, and as Brokkr pointed out previously, it makes becoming a 'genius' at crafting pretty difficult, in his opinion.

If that was your takeaway, I don't think you got the full picture.  There isn't reading and writing....as substitutes for on hands/master taught level learning, which also isn't available for the most part outside GMH.

[Veselka]

Like the funny thing to me is we don't have Reading and Writing, and as Brokkr pointed out previously, it makes becoming a 'genius' at crafting pretty difficult, in his opinion.

If that was your takeaway, I don't think you got the full picture.  There isn't reading and writing....as substitutes for on hands/master taught level learning, which also isn't available for the most part outside GMH.

Right -- I suppose I'm saying trial and error learning only goes so far when 'mastering' any skill. The missing part of the equation is (or should be considered) teachers of greater knowledge than most Commoners, where GMH are concerned. It's the only thing that makes sense as to why a nobody Commoner can suddenly have access to archaic designs -- there is someone in the House who knows about them, and teaches the formerly nobody Commoner what they are. Particularly in a society where reading and writing is outlawed for most Commoners, the sensible way of passing on knowledge is through oral tradition and teachers.

Similarly, where swordplay is concerned, trial and error learning is likely very valuable, but you don't suddenly learn how to turn your wrist just so when being attacked at this angle, etc. It's more of a survival learning than actual 'learning' of the skill. You avoid dying to a Carru so many times, and you know how to adjust for certain attacks it makes. But does that make you a Master at Swordplay? I suppose by Zalanthan standards, yes, but a more realistic (or at least sensible) approach would be through a mentor or teacher.

Again, just #showerthoughts, not stating my opinion as fact.

[Riev]

I would +1 the idea of Basic Stances that anyone can have/be taught/etc and the domain of fighters (or maybe heavy combat itself) is that they have access to "advanced stances". Most classes can be taught to use weapons, and to a very decent degree. Getting Journeyman weapons on a crafter is spectacular, considering they used to not get weapon skills at all.

I don't know about the branching or the balancing, or how to determine your skill gains based on your stances, but the base idea is very intriguing.

[gotdamnmiracle]

I am confident we won't see anything like this.

But in reality, all of the combat skills could be made into stances where it's not immediate when you proc it and it "looks for an opening", either quicker or slower based on your offense against their defense. Starting combat from stealth would be an immediate success, and thus would be useful for things like backstab and sap, while also allowing them to be used more than once in combat if very infrequently.

The benefit of this is that, like riposte, you can see them entering the stance. So if you decide you don't want that dwarf to bash you then you have the opportunity to flee. The downside is the possibility of balance issues.