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<blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 5662566" data-attributes="member: 54877">I don't disagree with that.&nbsp; Part of my point is that when youthful vigor trumps old age and treachery, it is because the young guy was smart enough to move the dispute onto grounds where he can win.&nbsp; Or the old guy was dumb enough (or dramatically and foolishly proud enough) to let the contest get so moved.&nbsp;Young Strong-As-Ox the farrier apprentice gets into a crafting duel with Old Eats-Nails-For-Breakfast, a master smith.&nbsp; On any kind of contest where Nails can brings to bear his vastly superior skill--he wins--end of story.&nbsp; So Ox manipulates the situation by appealing to Nails pride and vanity, such that the contest is to make the most quality horse shoes over a week.&nbsp; Nails is sure his superior skill will triump, but doesn't reckon with the strength of Ox.&nbsp;Try to do that with each guy having a single skill modifier, and Nails having his &quot;master&quot; skill represented by +X more.&nbsp; Ox's strength always applies the same little bit, instead of being maginally useful most of the time and immensely useful occasionally.&nbsp;Not that the Mearls idea totally solves that problem, of course, but it is taking the first necessary step of getting away from the single number.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Crazy Jerome, post: 5662566, member: 54877"] I don't disagree with that. Part of my point is that when youthful vigor trumps old age and treachery, it is because the young guy was smart enough to move the dispute onto grounds where he can win. Or the old guy was dumb enough (or dramatically and foolishly proud enough) to let the contest get so moved. Young Strong-As-Ox the farrier apprentice gets into a crafting duel with Old Eats-Nails-For-Breakfast, a master smith. On any kind of contest where Nails can brings to bear his vastly superior skill--he wins--end of story. So Ox manipulates the situation by appealing to Nails pride and vanity, such that the contest is to make the most quality horse shoes over a week. Nails is sure his superior skill will triump, but doesn't reckon with the strength of Ox. Try to do that with each guy having a single skill modifier, and Nails having his "master" skill represented by +X more. Ox's strength always applies the same little bit, instead of being maginally useful most of the time and immensely useful occasionally. Not that the Mearls idea totally solves that problem, of course, but it is taking the first necessary step of getting away from the single number. [/QUOTE]

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