Homebrewing the Numenera RPG

Descriptor	Stats	Skills	Special
Charming	+2 Intellect	Pleasant/Positive Social Interaction            Mind Influencing esoteries	Important Contact            Inability Lore, Knowledge, Understanding            Inability Resist Mental Attack            10 extra shins
Clever	+2 Intellect	Trickery            Mental attack defense            Assessing danger, lies, importance, quality, function, or power	Inability Lore, Knowledge, & Understanding            10 extra shins
Graceful	+2 Speed	Balance and careful movement            Physical performing arts            Speed defense	None
Intelligent	+2 Intellect	Knowledge of Choice            Memorizing direct experiences
Learned	+2 Intellect	3 Knowledge of Choice	Inability charm, etiquette, persuasion            2 additional books on topic of choice
Mystical/Mechanical	+2 Intellect	Identifying & understanding Numenera	Sense active numenera            Hedge magic estotery            Inability charm, etiquette, persuasion
Rugged	N/A	Climbing, jumping, running, swimming            Training, riding or placating natural animals            Identifying or using natural plants	Inability charm, etiquette, persuasion, deception            Explorer’s pack or extra if already have one
Stealthy	+2 Speed	Stealth            Trickery            Esoteries or special abilities involving illusion or trickery	Inability movement
Strong	+4 Might	Breaking inanimate objects            Jumping	Extra medium or heavy weapon
Strong-Willed	+4 Intellect	Resist mental effects            Focus/Concentration	Inability Puzzles, problems, memorization, lore
Swift	+4 Speed	Initiative            Running	Inability Balance
Tough	N/A	+1 Armor            +1 Recovery rolls            Might Defense	Extra light weapon

According to the optional rules in the Numenera RPG Core Book, some descriptors offer a +4 to a stat Pool and either two narrow and one broad skill while others have a +2 to stat Pool and either 3 narrow skills or one narrow skill and one broad skill. Additional skills can be added by adding an inability. Add 10 to 15 shins of additional equipment. As we can see, this is a very loose guideline. For example, the Tough character gets an extra light weapon. While I am not sure how the two relate thematically, it is interesting that the guideline recommends that 10 to 15 shins of extra equipment be given out to even things up, but the light weapon typically costs only 3 shins. I believe this is even further thrown out of whack when you consider a descriptor can be replaced with a different race or variable mutant ability.

This can make a bit difficult when trying to come up with new descriptors, which the Numenera RPG almost dares you today, but it can also make it easier. It really depends on your viewpoints. There is a lot of eyeballing here, which is one of the things I didn’t really like about the creation rules for Cortex’s Marvel Super Heroic RPG. Part of that, I have realized is my old school role playing experiences. Without a firmly defined schematic for defining descriptors, it frees those of us who want to homebrew new additions to the game from some more traditional practices of balancing, although it opens up more relying on others’ opinions and playtesting. I plan on creating some of my own descriptors here in the very near future—maybe even tonight. I’m curious how that exercise will work out, but I am also curious to hear others’ thoughts on the whole thing.