Training

Training is an alternative progression system to better capture and accentuate the exploration pillar of tabletop role playing games. Training also serves to turn progression into a player-driven experience that serves to further engage players within the game world. Training is split into four distinct components, which progress systematically and end with a reward for the player in the form of progression either with Class Levels, Feats, Statistic Bonuses, Equipment, etc.

Seek

Seek is the first component of the Training progression system. In this stage the player decides on a goal for their training. They must decide on what they seek to gain from their training, and then the remainder of the components are spent in pursuit of this goal. Goals can be determined to be anything the player wishes to gain for their character, and the easiest default thing to seek is the next Class Level.

Catalyst

Catalyst is the second component of Training. Catalysts are DM-controlled, and are the beginning of the acquisition of the rewards of Training. Catalysts can be many things, but serve as the resource or avenue of pursuit to further the goal determined in the Seek component. A catalyst could be a tome containing information about swordsmanship, which the party Samurai could study from in order to claim their next Class Level. The Samurai would first decide to Seek their next level, and their acquisition of the tome would be their Catalyst.

Experience

Experience is the third component of Training. Experience could be considered the application of the knowledge or resource gained from the Catalyst. Most often this involves the player going out on a limb and attempting to use an ability they do not yet possess, taking great risks and likely enduring one or multiple failures before being able to move on. A Samurai that has decided to Seek their next level may have a tome of swordsmanship as a Catalyst, meaning that their Experience would be to attempt to Challenge a foe in single combat, and likely face heavy repercussions for attempting to take on a foe far above their skill level.

Improvement

Improvement is the final component of Training. Improvement is claimed whenever the application of the character’s Training has yielded fruitful results. The significance of the Improvement gained from the Training is usually proportional to the amount of Experience, and failure, the character must live through before they gain their Improvement. A Samurai that has decided to Seek their next level may have a tome of swordsmanship as a Catalyst, meaning that their Experience would be to attempt to Challenge a foe in single combat, and they have decided to make their foe a legendary Akohn warlord. In their duel with the warlord they are beaten within an inch of their life, however they are able to prove themselves in combat enough to impress the warlord, and long enough to allow their teammates to surround the warlord and finish them off. As the Samurai delivers the finishing blow, they have claimed success, and seized their Improvement as a result, in this case leveling up.