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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bendris Noulg" data-source="post: 1379273" data-attributes="member: 6398">Technically, yes, gaining new abilities within the same class also requires some degree of training (assuming its not a naturally evolution of an ability already possessed, like Uncanny Dodge).  Even new spell levels gets thrown into the mix, although training in that regard is fairly quick and simple (meditate, study, etc.). Yes, and no.  Past events of a character can easily be used to explain certain gains (either as life experience or "pre-training" in order for a Feat slot or Skill Point to "slide in" to where it belongs).  The idea is simply to add a bit of detail/verisimilitude to leveling, via role-play, not to institutionalize a number-driven mechanic akin to a pit stop or software upgrade.  For instance, if a party has just crossed a few hundred miles of open wilderness and, at Level gain, the party's straight-class fighter announces that he want to take Skill Focus: Survival, I'm likely to just "give the nod".  If he wants to take a level of Ranger, than most everything is available except Track, which may be available automatically if recent/past events involved Tracking but still would be easy to gain once a means of doing so (including another Ranger or other PC in the party with Track). Although I must admit that, when it comes to becoming a spellcaster, I'm a bit more stiff about it.  But, over all, primarily for the same reason: Incorporating past events into a character's evolution and representing that evolution through role-play.  It's a bit free-form, not heavy handed unless campaign conditions dictate otherwise (Ex: If psionics are "illegal" in a particular nation, finding a teacher in that land is more problematic than finding someone to teach you the Dodge Feat), but requires some degree of interaction with the game world, that, over time, really has the benefit of providing additional contacts, allies, sources of information and supplies, and so forth.  In that respect, it could actually be a tool for those players that are smart enough to put this stuff to work for them rather than seeing it as a hurtle they need to get over to "officially" level up after gaining the experience for it. Which hits on another side-benefit to this: Familiarity of the world to the PCs abilities.  Taking my earlier example of the Duelist, to most people the PC is just one kick butt swordsman, one who's style is unique.  Later, however, the PCs run afoul of a local government.  During it all, though, the Chamberlain sees the Duelist in action.  He recognizes the fighting style, and thinks to himself, "my brother never would have taught that to a villainous criminal."  Now the PCs, while in trouble, are lined-up to gain an ally within the very government they are in trouble with, providing them the opportunity to clear themselves and resolve/expose/eliminate what ever scheme got them in trouble to begin with. And this is why I think I get irritated when it's implied that incorporating RP into leveling, training, or other such matters is simply an attempt to screw the players.  Sure, some GMs out there are pathetically hostile; I've sat at a few tables with such and always left (hell, it's how/why I started running games myself!).  But bringing RP into these aspects of the game doesn't automatically mean the GM is such a jerk; He could very well be trying to build bridges into other aspects of the game, adding more depth to the story and the world, and trying the give benefits to the PCs that aren't necessarily associated to game mechanics (which, sad to say, some players never consider and thus never actually reap the benefits of even though the opportunities are put in front of them again and again).</blockquote>

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