MA 1E rules questions

[terje]

So, I recently bought the MA 1E pdf and have just begun to read it. I'm thinking of running a short campaign or at least a one shot. But I'm not sure if I have missed some parts of the rules.

There are no rules of character advancement?

In the character sheets that are in the book there is mention of skills, but I cant find anything relating to that in the actual rules text. I'm guessing this works like many of the skills in EPT - they are binary, either you can perform that kind of action (and you are always succesfull) or you cant. Is that right?

[coffee]

That's right, there are no rules for character advancement. The only levels dealt with in MA are the levels of the Starship Warden.

Characters advance by learning things (that is, the player learns things) about the world and by gaining items.

I don't recall any mention of skills whatsoever. Since the sheet says "Judge given skills..." I would imagine that the judge might give out skills based on circumstances, such as the type of village/people the character comes from.

Another type of "skill" that can be acquired is in how to use technological items. This is governed by the table on p. 22; once the character knows how to use a specific item, he or she would be able to continue to use it.

Also, I would rule so for any other item of that specific type -- for example, if the character found a Jensen Mark II Ray Gun, and learned how to use it, he or she would also be able to use any other Jensen Mark II Ray Gun he or she found. But not necessarily a Jensen Mark III.

Hope that helps!

[dwayanu]

The article "An Alternate Beginning Sequence for Metamorphosis: Alpha," reprinted in Best of the Dragon, is one example of the sort of skills implied. IIRC, one of Jim Ward's MA Web pages has links to some other old articles touching on neglected subjects.

[terje]

Thank you for your answers!

dwayanu - that is exactly what i was looking for. I will make a similar list of skills for tribesmen (hunting, herb lore, animal empathy, healer, etc).