Me and a friend were arguing about whether or not Vaylen have starting stat exponent caps, and I couldn’t figure it out from the book.
on p. 125 the book states that “Stats and Atribuites do not have a starting exponent caps. Stats are limited by character’s racial stock traits.”
On p. 217, the book states that Mukhadish may ignore starting stat caps." This seems to imply that there is a stat cap limit that exists out the mukhadish traits, when the earlier refrence leads me to believe there isn’t.
So do non-humans have a starting stat cap? And what are the Kerrn’s perception and Will caps, starting or otherwise?
Players may divide the points as they see fit, so long as they abide by
any common trait restrictions and stat maximums from their character
stock.
Kerrn mental stat maxes aren’t given, but I think they’re 6s. (Errata?)
Vaylen stat maxes are based on body, and are listed on page 190.
My guess is that the Mukhadish text is just a bit of overclarification, you’re quite right, the only maxes on stats come from the character stock common traits.
As Devin noted, Vaylen stat caps are given for each body type, beginning on page 190.
Kerrn caps fall under their Massive Stature common trait on page 203.
Mukhadish caps are expressed in their Bred for Slavery and Gigantic Stature common traits on page 217.
The bit you are looking at from the Mukhadish text says:
Mukhadish may always start with a Power or Forte exponent of 7 or 8 if they choose. Starting exponent maximums don’t apply to these stats.
That is a reference to the group’s ability to set exponent maximums for starting (newly burned) characters. The default maximum is 6, unless your group changes it. So, by default, no newly burned character may have a Stat or Skill exponent above 6. This can be found under the Setting Your Game’s Starting Power Level heading in the Character Burning chapter on page 125.
The point is that even with the default starting exponent cap of 6, a Mukhadish can start with an 8 Power or Forte if he chooses to spend the points to do so.
When you say that by default, newly burned characters my have a -stat- or skill exponent above 6, it seems to contradict the bottom of page 125, which says:
Stats and Attributes and the Starting Cap
Stats and attributes do not have a starting exponent cap. Stats are
limited by the character’s racial stock traits. Attributes don’t have caps.
No, I was. The decision to remove heroic and supernatural shades meant that keeping stat exponent caps (beyond stock maximums) was ridiculous. So we deliberately removed them from Burning Empires.
So the reference to Mukhadish not having to pay attention to starting stat exponent caps for Power and Forte is a legacy. It’s not really wrong, since no one has stat exponent caps beyond what their stocks give.