Copyright (c) 1992 by Joel M. Halpern

In our latest campaign (Old West, semi-authentic, 1868), we are
using a modified version of Eidetic Memory.

The modification is very simple.  Eidetic memory becomes a three grade
advantage, costing 5, 10, or 15 points.  As a 5 point advantage, it gives
an IQ roll for remembering any significant detail of a scene that was
viewed (heard, etc).  This would be called "Good Memory".  The 10 point
level lets you automtically remember any detail you noticed before.  Thus,
If you looked over a scene carefully, then you can reliably recreate it.
This would be called "Very Good Memory".  The third level, costing 15 points,
is "Absurd Memory".  With this advantage, the character can remember any
detail that he has encountered before, whether or not he noticed it at the
time.  Thus, the tracker with absurd memory can, having discovered that they
took a wrong turn following someone, whink about the branch points, and try
to find (eg notice) the clues he missed.  There is no risk that he will have
forgotten anything, it is as good as standing there.

The basic premise of this is to remove the multiplicative skill cost bonus
from Eidetic.  This was done by noticing that in the non-abusive cases,
eidetic behaved like a +1 IQ, without Alertness (per level). By removing
this "IQ" point, IQ returns to where it belongs, and the abusive cases of
very high mental skills for low cost are avoided.

One can easily debate at great length what the appropriate cost for these
"Enhanced Memory" advantages are.  I have set them this low because I
do not feel that they are particularly useful.  Some GMs may want to use
10/20/30 points as the cost for them.  You could also re-arrange into
a two level setup, with just "Very Good" and "Absurd Memory", charging
probably 10/20 or 15/30  (or even, I suppose, 20/40 but that seems much
too high to me.)  The break-down used above seemed to us to reflect a
moderately realistic granularity without being excessive.

Thank you,
Joel M. Halpern			jmh@network.com
8009 Orchard Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
612 - 560 - 0214