Learning D20

Learning is an interesting subject to consider when contemplating D20. 3D20, 4D20, or 5D20. How is it that learning is handled? In many systems, and in many games the rule is as such. 'I the conductor tells you that you learned something, and instructs you to write it on your sheet' and that's that. One friend of mine uses a numerically vertical system to mechanically handle learning. This is a 5D20 dot system. When you succeed at a check, you get a dot. When your dots equal your value regarding that skill your value goes up by one. Quest for Glory and the Elder Scrolls systems use this kind of numerically vertical utilize and benefit system. I consider that to be a worthy and emminatly playable system. I also consider innacurate in the terms of verisimilitude. In reality you should learn most from your failures than you sucesses, as the old addage says. Success breeds regularity and rutine. Hard work is regular, successful, and yes familiarity comes with regular use of any system. However, it is more in the 'I'll never do that again' moments, than the development of habits (and often the cause of the development of habits) that one should call learning. imo.

I prefer spot attribution of experience and learning, but cnsidering the amount of time shift and miss that occures in the system during the narritive.. you are looking at countless scads of unquantified skill checks that are occurring conceptually, but not provoking reaction from conductor or players as the incident occurred outside the narrative. I have thought on this often, and a 'Learning System' is an intended major feature of the Complete SRD.