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[Ranakastrasz]

For a while, I've run a rule in my game, limiting what skills I can pick.
Specifically, I can only have 2+2x skillpoints in each tree, with x being the least number of skillpoints in any tree.

Aside from meaning I can't quite rush to get a t3 skill as trivially as before the general idea is to let me use all four trees, especially combat, without feeling like I was making a bad decision. Combat boosts are fun, but poor investments compared to things that buff your whole fleet.


Getting a t2 skill requires 6 skillpoints, but 3 of those are "Wasted" on just unlocking the other trees. Practically it is 9. And 10 gets you a t3 skill, plus 3 t1 skills in the other trees.

The +2 lets you get the first level one one skill in each tree, and the 2x means you can specilize in a particular tree, or go rather deep for a specific skill.
Past that, given the different number of skills in each tree, anything less than 1.5x would kinda break it. 2x is easy to remember however.


This mod helps, because without it, you will cap out, and lose out on maxing out critical techs. And while that might be ok, the idea here is to be able to try different skills, instead of always getting the "Must Have" skills.
Skilled Up

[Thaago]

Not only disagree, but skills are getting a complete rework next patch.

[Ranakastrasz]

What do you disagree on, and yes, but the next patch isn't here yet.

[Thaago]

That Skilled Up is required. Its good for people who want it, but in no way required.

[Ranakastrasz]

That Skilled Up is required. Its good for people who want it, but in no way required.

Did you read the rest of the post? Using the ruleset, you can't get nearly as many skills maxed out without it, which is important considering you are forced to spread your points out.

[Locklave]

The mod isn't required. It seems like you are trying to justify it to yourself.

[Ranakastrasz]

Eh, I used this ruleset before I even knew that mod existed. Before that I just removed the level cap, but considering the experience cost that barely helped.

I like being able to use all the trees, instead of being forced to specilize to get things like the 10% op boost and other critical techs right away. And more important, I like being able to use combat tree, without worrying about crippling my fleet power.

In any case, the issue is that without that mod, you cap out earlier.
But regardless of that, if we pretend I never included the mod, do you have an opinion on the actually important part? The restriction of skill choices?

I moved the mod to the bottom and specified how it helps, and reduced the emphisis. Hopefully that helps.

[Alex]

Prince Corwin of Amber

(This is incredibly off-topic, but that reminds me I've been meaning to re-read that...)

Edit: more on-topic, I think it's an interesting rule set! Maybe encourages *too* much spreading out of skills? I was going to suggest using the second-lowest, but then you might feel like you have to skip Combat again, so perhaps not. I'm a fan of "house rules" like that, it's fun and can really add an interesting twist. Do it myself now and again with TES games...

[Ranakastrasz]

Yea, I tried a few different varients. Basically I always end up overthinking everything and minmaxing, and unlike ship design, there is no takebacks.
Being forced to chose between a strong personal ship and a strong fleet is annoying, because I always choose fleet. Choosing combat is fun, but your allied ships can't keep up. Plus you get combat bonuses for everything BUT your ship because officers.
So various reasons, and this is my current version. Makes sure I use all four trees, and lets me try other skills I couldn't bring myself to risk using.

When there was this one respec mod, i was much more willing to experiment.

---
And yea, good book series. Gotta reread it again at some point.

[Plantissue]

I hate the idea of not being able to have all skills, but I wouldn't have said a mod was required either. No mod is.

[AgentFransis]

Being able to easily acquire all skills in a system like this would be exceedingly odd and cheapen the whole thing. Restrictions and limits are what make systems fun and drive replayability. Personally I do raise the level cap to 100 but getting anywhere near there is basically impossible. It just makes it so you still occasionally get a new skill point if you keep playing long enough, which is nice.

Being forced to chose between a strong personal ship and a strong fleet is annoying, because I always choose fleet. Choosing combat is fun, but your allied ships can't keep up. Plus you get combat bonuses for everything BUT your ship because officers.

But you're not really forced to choose to this extent. There are only a handful of skills that actually boost your fleet's power (Loadout design, Electronic warfare [1 point is enough], Coordinated manoeuvres [1 point is enough], Fighter doctrine [obviously optional], Fleet logistics, Officer management). So 11-14 points of essential fleet power boosting skills. The rest divide between boosting your own ship, logistics and economy. Personally I usually get a few key combat boosters early on then focus on getting the above fleet boosting skills and navigation. Then I alternate between getting combat skills and economic skills that I deem relevant to the current game.

[TaLaR]

Electronic warfare [1 point is enough], Coordinated manoeuvres [1 point is enough]

1st is true, 2nd is false. CM does not get countbalanced like EW and is easy to max out (at least at 500 battle size).

[Megas]

Coordinated Maneuvers 1 is nice for letting player ignore Nav points (and not waste OP on the Nav Relay hullmod).  For that purpose, one point is enough.  More than that is a luxury.  Can player spare two points for Coordinated Maneuvers 3 instead of another more useful skill?

[TaLaR]

Extra 10% speed for whole fleet is quite useful. AI may not be really good at utilizing speed advantage, but it's still better to have it than not.

[AgentFransis]

You're probably right, I may have overlooked it a bit. But past a certain threshold (being faster than the opposing ship) adding more speed has less value. Also I tend to go for fast maneuverable ships by and large so I rarely feel like I need more speed.

Also you can make a similar argument for ECM 3. Against most fleets this will give you another -10% range reduction but by the point where I would consider putting points in that I'm usually already strong enough that I don't feel the need.