WFRP 1e & 2e Careers: The Exciseman & The Fisherman

 The Exciseman - i.e. the tax and customs collector - didn't initially survive the transformation from 1e into 2e, presumably it being considered to have moved into the Burgher container career.  As mentioned in earlier posts, there were some design issues with this and it ended up returning in the Terror in Talabheim adventure book. It was a mediocre but not terrible career, especially if one ended up getting the Law skill which was always helpful.  I thought some of the Career Exits were a bit random, but nothing to get excited about.  Anyway:

EXCISEMAN (Original 1e)

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

+10

+2

+10

+10

+10

Skills: Blather, Numismatics, Read/Write, Supernumerate, 50% chance of Law, 20% chance of Embezzle.

Embezzle and Numismatics were pretty niche skills and were fairly unlikely to come up in the adventures I am aware of.

EXCISEMAN (Modified)

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

+10

+2

+10

+10

Skills: Blather, Evaluate, Haggle, Numismatics, Read/Write, Supernumerate, 50% chance of Law, 20% chance of Embezzle, 20% chance of Charm

Far too many of the 1e characters have a random bonuses to initiative (and weapon skill) which are hard to justify (unless it is being thought of as generalized 'experience'...but then it shouldn't be used for tests of agility) so that has gone.  Otherwise it is pretty similar with just a couple of extra skills to make the character a little more useful.

Thinking of that advance for Initiative, can anyone think why an exciseman would get one but a fisherman wouldn't? No, me neither.  But this does lead us on to the Fisherman career.  Not exactly iconic but the first "in-game" character we are introduced to in writing was Sven the Fisherman...

FISHERMAN (Original 1e)

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

+1

+1

+10

Skills: Fish, Sailing, Swim, 50% chance of River Lore, 25% chance of Boat Building, 5% chance of Cartography

Cartography seems a little unlikely, especially without Read/Write.  The chance of Boat Building seems a bit high too.  On the other hand, a Fisherman might well know how to row a boat and haggle about a price...

FISHERMAN (Modified)

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

+1

+1

+10

Skills: Fish, Row, Sailing, Swim, 50% chance of Consume Alcohol, 50% chance of Haggle, 50% chance of River Lore, 25% chance of Orientation, 25% chance of Street Fighting, 10% chance of Speak Additional Language, 10% chance of Very Strong

That seems a more reasonable set of skills, I think.