Training action

If optional rules for training are being used, then character actions may be required to advance in level, learn new skills, feats, or languages and other such activities. This training does not provide experience points or bonus skill ranks; it simply represents time character spend getting their level-based abilities. Characters may not generally gain skill ranks or experience through training alone.
Variant: Some DMs may allow character to train to gain +1 hit point. The player should re-roll their character's hit points. If their randomly rolled hit points exceed the character's current hit points then the character permanently gains +1 hit points. This variant helps allow characters with below average hit points to remain viable, although it may take several months to gain a significant number of hit points.

• Skills: The DM may require PCs to carry out research actions before spending skill points gained from leveling-up on buying unfamiliar skills.
  

• Feats: If DM requires PCs to research a feat rather than gain it automatically when they go up a level, then this action can be used to mechanically represent the study concerned.
  

Enhancement beyond the normal number of skills, feats, etc for the PC's class and level is possible only with DM permission as it can be unbalancing. In general it is a useful option in cases where the players have a mix of adventuring and domain level PCs and the DM does not wish to make 'mixed' PCs inferior at one level of play.

• Gain a skill point. Gain a skill point in a skill that can be practiced - non-combat skills in particular, but a creative PC can probably argue how they have practiced more militant skills.
  

• Gain a hit-point. The player can re-roll their hit-points, if they roll higher than their PCs existing total, then the PC gains a hit-point. DMs are likely to be wary about automatic HP gains, or HP gains in excess of the class/level maximum.
  

• Gain a feat. A feat is probably going to be unbalancing, however a kind generous DM may allow a PC to train for a 'non-combat' or 'domain level' feat, particularly if the PC is optimized for role-playing rather than roll-playing.
  

• Gain xp. DMs may give XP for training, representing minor adventures not worth role-playing, encounters with diplomats, nobles etc that present minor but nevertheless challenging issues, etc. The xp gained will depend on the level-range of the game, but a gain of 1 level for every two-four years is probably similar to an NPC who routinely trains for xp, a PC who wants more rapid advancement should undertake adventures and other challenge-rich activities.
  

Unlike most D&D games, in Birthright a PC may be but one of the characters 'under the control' of a player. Regents in particular may control vast domains containing thousands of NPCs, some of which may be wholly or partly under the player's control (generally lieutenants, aides, henchmen and the like). An action (generally a court action) may be used to train these characters.

• Train for xp. This is probably the most common way for an NPC to gain xp, most NPCs do not adventure regularly, rather they take part in military exercises, court intrigue, explore, devise methods of achieving their master's aims, etc. Training acts to consolidate this activity into xp gains, and provides structure to daily activities to make them challenging and worthy of xp. DMs are likely to reduce the effect of repeated training, and using training actions on high level NPCs is likely to be futile. Training towards the expert class is more likely to be successful than for 'adventuring' classes.
  

• Train for skill. A PC who wants someone with a specific skill is likely to have more success attracting an apprentice or journeyman and training them up, than in attracting a master-craftsman. Accordingly DMs are likely to look benignly on training NPCs in non-adventuring skills, and prefer this method of obtaining a McGuffin skill level than if the PC is trained - the NPC can after-all more easily be removed or subverted than the PC's skill gains.
  

• Train troops. Troops can be trained to gain in experience and skill, or to gain special abilities. This is explained in more detail in the chapter on warfare.