Jobs

skills whenever they have enough
points, their skill lists will eventually
grow indistinguishable from one
another. If every PC can tackle every
task, the players might conclude that
their characters no longer have any
need for companions. This can break
up the party – and possibly the gaming
group. It is realistic to learn some
skills quickly under pressure, but you
should feel free to rule that others
(especially magic spells and secret
martial-arts skills) are hard to learn
except as part of a dedicated career.
Give awards other than points. Give
out the occasional award in the form
of specific abilities instead of discre-
tionary points. Social advantages –
Patrons, Rank, Reputation, Status,
Wealth, etc. – make the best awards,
as they often make sense as “rewards”
in the game world. Another realistic
possibility is direct improvement of a
well-exercised ability. Few players will
complain if you give them a skill level
worth four points in a well-used skill
instead of two discretionary points!