Training
Training is a way for Travellers to increase their skills over time with dedicated effort after they have left Character Discovery.
In order to train for a new skill, or improve an existing one, a Traveller must commit to a Study Period. A Study Period is equal to 8 weeks (or 2 months) of study and practice. These weeks within a Study Period need not be consecutive, but each week must be fully dedicated to study with at least eight hours per day spent learning and practicing.
If this cannot be achieved, if the Traveller is interrupted on the third day of a week and must perform a task for a patron, for example, then any training performed that week is wasted. Make a note for every week of training that is completed. The character sheet in Fantasy Grounds has a section for Study Period on the Skills Tab. At the start of learning a new skill the Traveller fills in the skill with level, the Number of Weeks it will take (8 weeks per study period for level zero skills) and spaces for which week is currently being attempted and how many Study Periods have been completed for that skill. Only one skill can be studied at a time.
Once 8 weeks of training and learning have been accumulated, over any length of total time, a Study Period has been completed.
At this point, the Traveller must succeed at an Average (8+) EDU check.
Success indicates the Traveller has learned something and if they were attempting to learn a brand new skill at level 0, they can now add that to his character sheet.
Failure indicates the Traveller has learned nothing new or useful but may try again after another successful Study Period.
To improve skills to the next higher level, the Traveller must accumulate a number of successful Study Periods equal to the level of skill they are trying to reach. For example, if a Traveller had Electronics (computers) 1 and was trying to learn Electronics (computers) 2, this would require two successful Study Periods.
Many Travellers take the opportunity of week-long Jump Travel to study, learning new skills during what might otherwise be a dull journey.
It is important to note that failing a Study Period does not necessarily mean the Traveller has not understood the study materials, just that they failed to get anything useful out of them. A Traveller failing their EDU check while studying Science (physics) during jump travel, for example, might find the Captain of the ship is constantly ordering them to clean the cargo deck, they might be distracted by a hobby or new vid show, or they might just be spending their time sitting in their bunk eating Sugary Puff sandwiches while reading What Space Bike? Magazine when they really should be studying...
Limitations
Remember, your Traveller may have a maximum number of skill levels equal to three times his combined INT and EDU score. If they already have this many skills after leaving a career, any additional skills may only be learned to level 0.
Exceptions
There are a couple of exceptions that must be kept in mind when learning new skills.
- The Jack-of-all-Trades skill may never be learned or improved.
- The Athletics skill may be learned or improved but does not use EDU. Instead, use the appropriate physical characteristics (STR, DEX or END). Any physical characteristic can be used to gain Athletics 0.
