New and Improved Advanced Starts

[Halaster]

Overview:

We are happy to announce that starting now you can use a Special Application to create a character who starts with some advanced skills.  Previously this was limited to Heavy Combat (raider, fighter, enforcer) and Light Combat (scout, infiltrator, soldier), and you had to pick the T'Zai Byn, Arm of the Dragon, or Tuluki Sun Legions.

Now you can pick any class, and not be required to start in a clan.

You can still the Arm of the Dragon or Tuluki Sun Legions and start as a private (based on openness of clan during a Season).  If you pick one of those, you get some extra starting gear plus 500 extra starting coins.

If you do not pick one of those, you do not start with extra gear, nor do you start as an advanced rank (unless otherwise agreed on with staff of that clan).  However, you do start with an extra 1200 coins.



Requirements:

- Must have 1 karma
- Character cannot be a mul, a half-giant, nor any kind of mage or psionicist.  Other races such as city elf, desert elf, dwarf, and half-elf are allowed to use this option as long as they are not a mage or psionicist.  Normal racial restrictions apply based on the organization.
- If you start in the AoD, or Tuluki Sun Legions, your character must remain an active member of the organization for at minimum of 2 Real Life months, actively played.  If the organization has a longer commitment, such as lifesworn, that still applies.  Starting unclanned does not have this commitment.
- Must have a Special Application slot available.  See https://www.armageddon.org/help/view/Special%20Applications



What Skills Get Boosted:
You MUST start with the skill from either class or subclass to get the boost.  Branched skills will not be added.

For Raider, Fighter, and Enforcer:
- Offense, Defense raised a medium amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to high journeyman.
- Parry raised to high journeyman
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to advanced
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised to journeyman/advanced (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to journeyman/advanced
- Ride set to low advanced if you start with it
- Minor boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.

For Scout, Soldier, and Infiltrator:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to low journeyman.
- Parry raised to low journeyman
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to journeyman
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised to low journeyman (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to low journeyman
- Ride set to high advanced if you start with it
- Moderate boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.

For Stalker, and Miscreant:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to apprentice.
- Parry raised to low journeyman
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to low journeyman
- Ride set to master if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- Sneak and hide set at low advanced

For Laborer:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to apprentice.
- Parry raised to low journeyman
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to low journeyman
- Ride set at low advanced if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 2 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to journeyman

For Pilferer:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to apprentice.
- Parry raised to low journeyman if you start with it
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to apprentice
- Ride set at journeyman if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 2 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to advanced
- Sneak and hide set at low advanced if you start with them

For Adventurer:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to apprentice.
- Parry raised to apprentice if you start with it
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to journeyman
- Ride set to advanced
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 2 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to advanced
- Sneak and hide set at low advanced if you start with them

For Craftsperson:
- Offense, Defense raised a low amount
- Two weapon skills of your choice raised to apprentice.
- Parry raised to apprentice if you start with it
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- One ranged weapon style (archery, blowgun, crossbow, slings, throw) raised to apprentice
- Ride set to journeyman if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 4 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to advanced

For Fence:
- Offense, Defense raised a tiny amount
- Parry raised to apprentice if you start with it
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- Ride set to journeyman if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 2 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to master
- 2 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to advanced
- Sneak and hide set at low advanced

For Dune Trader, and Artisan:
- Offense, Defense raised a tiny amount
- Parry raised to apprentice if you start with it
- Two fighting styles (two-handed, dual wield, or shield use) raised to apprentice
- Kick, bash, disarm, rescue, guarding, riposte and hack all raised a small amount (depends on skill) if your guild/subguild combo starts with the skill.
- Ride set to journeyman if you start with it
- Large boost to 3 "other" skills.  Examples would be hunting, direction sense, skinning, clothworking, etc.  Again, a skill you start with only.
- 6 crafting skills (in addition to above) set to master




Note:  Some of this may be updated based on feedback.



EDIT:  Updated Fence based on feedback.
EDIT:  Updated the race restriction section to be more clear.

[Halaster]

Q&A here:  https://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,60351.0.html

[Urbais]

I'd like to re-iterate a portion of the above:

- If you start in the Byn, AoD, or Tuluki Sun Legions, your character must remain an active member of the organization for at minimum of 2 Real Life months, actively played.  If the organization has a longer commitment, such as lifesworn, that still applies.  Starting unclanned does not have this commitment.

I recently made a mistake by bending/breaking this rule due to IC circumstances.  I should not have allowed it to happen, because by allowing it for one person it is unfair for everyone else who is playing an Advanced Start character in one of the above clans.  I was in the wrong here and will eat some humble pie.

Going forward, if you intend on playing an Advanced Start character, please make sure you are alright with the above requirements.  They will be held firm to ensure they are fair for everyone and we are all playing by the same rules. 

To be clear: unclanned Advanced Start characters are free to join one of these organizations as the starting rank and can leave anytime they want - only by starting as a higher rank are you beholden to the 2 RL month requirement.

[Halaster]

We are removing the option to use Advanced Start to begin play as a T'zai Byn Trooper.  The real-life 2 month time commitment is unpopular for that clan.  You can still choose an Advanced Start as an unclanned person and then join the T'zai Byn in-character as a runner.  Advanced Start as an Arm of the Dragon private is still available.