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Bridging off of Ociex' post on Respeccing Pods, I wanted to offer an alternative.
What if the threshold for forgetting skills were raised? It could remain at the rate it is now, of one point per day, even - making it take a -lot- longer to forget a skill at a higher range, but over time those points would accumulate and can then be used for other things. The Stat System would remain the same - once points are put into a Stat, those points are locked away. But skill-based UE could be swapped around provided someone is willing to spend the time necessary to forget a skill they no longer have a need for.
This would limit the amount of Respecs, if not eliminate them save for the rare occurrence. Perks remain untouched. Stats remain untouched.
Thoughts?
(Edited by Knyghtskye at 9:06 am on 2/10/2026)
By Knyghtskye at Feb 10, 2026, 9:06 AM
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SPLATJOB
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But… why? You only get one respec, and it's not there to make major character changes by design, not to remove your high UE skill, just, well, tweak things around.
Got a skill you put quite some effort into and now do not use? That's alright. Cannot know everything.
By Froggy at Feb 10, 2026, 9:37 AM
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BATA
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I think it would be nice if forgetting skills could apply to any level of skill, just take a reasonably long amount of time to forget, say if you're spent 3-4 months working on a skill to a high level and through roleplay and character development you no longer use that particular skill or want to change lifestyle you could spend another 3-4 months forgetting that skill entirely and move on with your life, so to speak.
I don't see any harm in that kind of mechanic, it might minimize people re-rolling arbitrarily when they have active RP going on and interrupting storylines because they get unsatisfied with their character.
By NightHollow at Feb 10, 2026, 9:41 AM
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I like this, tentatively, with that longer 'forgetting' wait-time involved. I think there's some valid concerns about the reasons behind not wanting people to be able to forget or respect past their initial character concept – but I also think that forcing someone to very slowly forget a skill, and then forcing them to build the skill they *want* to build all the way from the ground up, could lend itself really interestingly to rp and character development. Withmore changes people!
Sure, you might get some extreme situations (like a sickly starving artist who wants to go do a sudden heel-turn to brawling-badass), but instead of an instant respec into something completely against character, without a sick IC training montage, you're instead going to have to rp out that change in mindset, drive, and physical skill over the span of *months*. Imagine a 2+ year old character wanting to strike out for a different direction in life, and having to seek out a much younger (in game-time) character as a mentor, where it'd usually be the other way around, or having to go through that awkward feeling of being weak and vulnerable again while in the midst of forgetting a skill they'd invested a lot into. I like it.
By cata at Feb 10, 2026, 10:25 AM
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WAGE SLAVE
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IMO you should be able to forget stats/skills at any level, albeit at a very gradual pace. Maybe half or a quarter of how much UE you're allowed to invest in a specific skill per day, is also how much you're allowed to refund from ALL your stats/skills per day.
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 7:40 AM
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GATO
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I see the train of thought behind this idea but I am against it because I am in the camp of discouraging forever characters, which I believe is an unpopular take but it's the one I have, as well as skillsofts being able to primarily bridge this gap except for select few skills.
If you have reached max ue and want to forget skills you came up with to invest them elsewhere over time, I think that is a perfectly logical and grounded course of action if it were real life. Happens all the time. People stop practicing hobbies and maybe even abandon them all together. However from a game standpoint I think if you want to try something new you should either be forced to augment with cyberware or begin a new story.
By Mindhunter at Mar 22, 2026, 10:00 AM
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SOLO
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i mean i was under the impression that stats and skills are more meant to just aid the roleplay, not be the core focus of the game. i don't see the problem whatsoever with "forever characters" and they should be able to re-adjust their stats and skills (over a reasonable period of time, not quickly) in order to accomodate their development
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 10:06 AM
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GATO
586 posts
I don’t believe anything I said implied that stats are the core of the game. What I said is that they help enforce identity, mechanics, lifecycle, and consequences, which are all vital to RP.
They are important though. If they weren’t, there wouldn’t be a need to reallocate them. The fact that people want to reallocate them suggests they have meaningful impact.
My concern with “forever characters” is more about the overall game ecosystem. I’ve seen mixed messaging on this, since some staff seem supportive of them, while the stat sheet itself tracks age and appears to nudge toward eventual retirement.
Personally, I think characters should live out their lifespan if they can. But over time, allowing full reallocation leads to characters gradually becoming jack-of-all-trades simply because they’ve reached max UE and have the safety to pivot. That shifts things away from identity and toward min-max cheese meta.
At that point, rerolling serves an important purpose. It resets reputation, history, conflict, and learning in a way that reinforces the world rather than flattening it.
By Mindhunter at Mar 22, 2026, 10:28 AM
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you seem to be treating this like currently stats and skills are the only reason anyone ever re-rolls, rather than whats usually the case ime (simply wanting to roleplay a different person)
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 10:30 AM
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GATO
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Well, I disagree. You're just taking elements of my disagreement and reframing them into something easier to dismiss.
I don’t think stats are the only reason people reroll, and I agree that a lot of the time it’s because people want to roleplay a different character. HOWEVE, My point is more about how the system shapes long-term outcomes. Even if rerolling is often driven by RP reasons, the permanence of stats and skills helps maintain distinct identities over time.
If those can be gradually reallocated, then over a long enough timeline characters can adapt into whatever they want next, which reduces the need to ever start fresh.
That’s where my concern comes in. It’s less about why people reroll now, and more about what happens to the overall ecosystem if that pressure to reroll is reduced.
By Mindhunter at Mar 22, 2026, 10:38 AM
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SOLO
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There are IC means of lowering your @stats, which I suggest everyone to find out in character.
By Reinhardt at Mar 22, 2026, 10:40 AM
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CHUMMER
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right, but i… just don't see the problem with that? people change, and if your concern is that it would happen too fast, that's something that can be addressed with how much UE you're allowed to refund within whatever timeframe. i don't personally see it having any huge impact on the ecosystem, as from what ive seen currently characters tend to perm out well before coming close to the UE cap anyway
and those IC means of lowering your @stats don't refund the UE for them, which is... the entire point of this thread
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 10:41 AM
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GATO
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Seek out answers ICly, please.
By Reinhardt at Mar 22, 2026, 10:42 AM
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CHUMMER
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this is not something that currently exists. have you read the thread?
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 10:43 AM
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GATO
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I don't know all the ways, but I can definetly think of one way to lower your stats and get the UE back.
I just highly doubt this is a realistic choice for most characters, and can potentially be rule breaking if self-imposed in an attempt to min-max your character. But also, maybe there are different ways.
Lots of things can be done icly though.
By Mikael at Mar 22, 2026, 10:45 AM
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SPLATJOB
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Well now you guys are just talking about something that has zero to do with the OP.
By Mindhunter at Mar 22, 2026, 10:47 AM
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SOLO
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yeah lets just entirely disregard this idea because we already have some vaguely-related mechanic that you are not allowed to use for the purposes outlined within this thread.
(Edited by Baguette at 4:30 pm on 7/15/2026)
By Baguette at Mar 22, 2026, 10:49 AM
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GATO
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Giving this a small bump, as I feel like being able to very gradually forget ANY skill rather than just ones with 30 or less points in them would allow people to make adjustments to their character without needing to blow their respec.
This would mainly, IMO, be useful for characters that have been around for a long time and are gradually shifting in what they do. I don't really understand the arguments that you should just reroll for this, because I don't believe that a person's character should only ever be the one or two things they decided on however many years ago, and maybe their story isn't done yet.
By Baguette at Jul 15, 2026, 4:36 PM
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GATO
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The main issue would that would be that instead of re-rolling you could just essentially turn your character into anything you want with time. Two years ago they coudda been a hotshot techie, now they're a shotgun slinging solo. Even though they've been around for say 6-8 years.
Virtually nobody would kill off their characters if that was the case.
I do agree they should raise the limit of forgetting skills tho 100%. Maybe at around F-E or so, that way alot of players would be more satisfied cleaning up their character sheets but also once theyve fully locked in on what kind of character they want to be (investing past that limit) they cant really go back unless re-rolling.
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 6:17 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I mean, I personally… don't really see the problem with that? Two years seems a bit short for a full archetype shift, yeah, so maybe it could take longer to forget skills than it does to invest in them.
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 6:19 AM
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GATO
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Yes. But nobody would perm themselves.
(Edited by Mikael at 6:20 am on 7/16/2026)
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 6:19 AM
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SPLATJOB
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man without context thats real fucked up. "we cant do this it will bring down suicide rates"
jokes aside though why do we need characters killing themselves, again? i thought the point was to go out in a blaze of glory after a job goes horribly wrong
(Edited by Baguette at 6:26 am on 7/16/2026)
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 6:21 AM
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GATO
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100%, yea. You go out in a blaze of glory once a job goes wrong and youre bored of your char.
The issue is that I think people re-roll their chars when theyre more bored than they are attached. If you could just change your character completely without perming, almost nobody would re-roll unless under specific IC circumstances cause you arent forced to make that decision.
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 6:23 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I'm not too sure about that. Personally, I'd kill off my character when I don't want to play that character anymore. Their archetype has little to no bearing on it. When it comes to things like that, I'm thinking more about who my character is as a person rather than whatever skillset they might have.
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 6:24 AM
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GATO
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You dont want to play your character anymore cause you wanna experience a different archetype tho. You can easily shift your character's personality and such in a different direction, change their job, situation or whatever with time anyways. Your build is one of the only things that are semi-permanent at that time and I think any char thats been around for a long time usually re-rolls cause they want to experience a new story and a new archetype their current build may not support.
Imagine a char being remembered for being the best at ten different things over the course of several years, thats pretty confusing imo.
I am 100% for flexibility on forgetting skills and increasing the limit and I do think it should be implemented, but I think being able to forget any skill no matter what level it is over time will not benefit anybody.
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 6:30 AM
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I mean, this might just be me, but wanting to play another archetype has nothing to do with it. When I decide to play a new character, it's because I want to play a different person. Sometimes they'll even be the same archetype.
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 6:31 AM
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GATO
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The problem with perming out being a bad source of getting people to remake a character is not related to, in my new player experience, anything to do with archetypes.
Rather, it is this disjointed concept where the game is all risk, all the time, but one of the least expensive things for someone to lose when they die… Is their life. You can die, and if you're naked you lose about 5k, if that. Death here is effectively meaningless and it's mind boggling as a new player.
By BlackSoul at Jul 16, 2026, 6:33 AM
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Dying can become significantly, significantly and significantly more expensive than just clone fees if you're an active combat archetype, but those details are IC.
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 6:36 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I wish something like this would be implemented. And here's why.
The cutoff level for forgetting skills is really low. By the time you realize you will never-ever use this skill, it's to late. Not only that, the cutoff for the skill isnt even UE, it's skill points. So it's very quick to hit that limit.
Add into it, once you hit.. T. Yes. T. Your only choice for removing this skill you only got to train for like a week is a complete respec of your character. And this doesn't just blank your skills and stats, but your Advantages and Flaws too.
So I will have to completely change how I play my character to remove something I practiced for less than 2 weeks because the flaws I roleplay my character having will change.
A respec should be used for plots where your charecter is retrained like in demolition man. Not just for removing a skill you realized just doesn't work for your build.
Does it REALLY matter if theres 10 ue in a skill, or 200 ue, if that skill is never used by the character? No. There isn't.
By SmokePotion at Jul 16, 2026, 6:43 AM
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CHUMMER
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Being able to forget skills regardless of investment in them would be cool. Same for stats.
It shouldn't be an easy or fast process, but it would be better than a respec.
By eggsaresides at Jul 16, 2026, 7:53 AM
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SPLATJOB
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oh yeah dont get me wrong it should absolutely take forever. like maybe 1 or 2 points (not UE) that've been invested into a stat/skill per week
(Edited by Baguette at 7:54 am on 7/16/2026)
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 7:54 AM
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GATO
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Maybe it should even take so long and be so expensive that it would just be easier to start a new character. But, still possible.
By BlackSoul at Jul 16, 2026, 7:55 AM
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SPLATJOB
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i'd be down for that yeah
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 7:55 AM
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GATO
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While you at it, raise the cap to 4200 and let me change my skintone. MJ did it…
By eggsaresides at Jul 16, 2026, 7:56 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I've been under the impression that reaching close to maximum UE should be near the end of your character's story, not the beginning of it.
If that is indeed the intention, I would be good with this idea if it could only take place, say, halfway through a character's life cycle.
By Frozenpizza at Jul 16, 2026, 8:04 AM
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NEWBIE
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Keep in mind:
The longer the average PC lives, the further the lvl of UE you need to be useful (in combat) rises. Meaning if more people don't perm, you automatically have a higher UE average.
So… saying this should only be doable to PCs halfway to their UE cap is nonsense.
By Bruhlicious at Jul 16, 2026, 8:24 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I don't think they are gauranteed either. You have to @service-request them, and explain what it is what you want to change about your character. Respecs can also fuck you more than they benefit you.
By eggsaresides at Jul 16, 2026, 8:47 AM
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SPLATJOB
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I think skills should be forgettable up to the curve. If you go past that I think you have a skill that is a real noticeable part of your character. I'm not in favor of being able to completely revamp your character down the line. Even respec guidelines lay out that you can't change what your character is known for fundamentally, and I agree with that.
If you want to dabble in things outside your skill set then that is what softs (though I think those should be eliminated or severely restricted) are specifically for.
By Thrillimanjaro at Jul 16, 2026, 9:20 AM
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I agree with the idea they should be forgettable up to the curve at least, though perhaps slightly higher.
By Mikael at Jul 16, 2026, 9:23 AM
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SPLATJOB
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isnt the curve lower than what you're already allowed to forget? thats ridiculous
and softs already have been restricted to hell and back. if you want one thats actually useful it costs six figures and takes weeks to load
(Edited by Baguette at 9:25 am on 7/16/2026)
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 9:24 AM
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GATO
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No, it's definitely higher.
By BlackSoul at Jul 16, 2026, 9:25 AM
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SPLATJOB
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no, the forget threshold is -muuuuch- lower than what it takes to bring a skill to the curve. +1 to the idea of being able to forget up to the curve, though
By cata at Jul 16, 2026, 9:25 AM
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WAGE SLAVE
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My argument here is, you only start to be "useful" at something once you DO hit the curve. At least from my limited experience. Everything before you hit the curve is trivial and irrelevant, except maybe in comparable combat skills?
So, if the curve is the cutoff, you wouldn't be able to really experience the skill much.
By BlackSoul at Jul 16, 2026, 9:28 AM
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SPLATJOB
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if the curve's higher than i think it is then i guess i wouldnt be entirely opposed to it, although i do still feel we might as well let people forget skills at any level, provided it takes a long-ass time
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 9:31 AM
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GATO
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If you're wanting to change your character's core skillset, I think it might be time to consider if they're still a character you want to play, or if they're suffering from Flanderization. In other games, I find long lived PCs to become less complex and refined over time. Not pointing fingers at anyone, but it's certainly something to consider. And someone in this thread said 'I'll roll the same archtype on a new character' which I feel like I've read is advised against; but that's slightly off topic.
By hex at Jul 16, 2026, 9:54 AM
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not really what ive seen. in my experience the longer-lived characters tend to have much more depth and personality to them while there's oceans upon oceans of characters that have one defining characteristic and perm out in a month or two after the bit gets tiring
kind of getting off topic though yeah
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 9:56 AM
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GATO
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although there's another point to be made about "wondering if this is still a character you want to play".
what if someone does want to continue playing their character, with the same archetype, but needs to make the slightest adjustment in their skills? trading a few points in one skill for a few points in another? it's hardly something worth blowing their respec over
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 10:02 AM
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GATO
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i mean, from what i was aware making those slight tweaks to a max ue character's skillset to iron out their final build -is- the point of a respec. i don't really think respecs are intended to completely swap out skills or archetypes on a character, doing those little tweaks and adjustments to finalize a build like you just mentioned is prolly what they're for (minus the conditional respecs offered after massive/sweeping code changes)
By cata at Jul 16, 2026, 10:10 AM
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WAGE SLAVE
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sure, i guess, but you only get one respec. and even then it isnt guaranteed. and what if you need to make more tweaks down the line and/or dont want to reset your advantages and disadvantages, which have an RNG element to them
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 10:12 AM
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GATO
586 posts
Why stop at skills? Why not just include everything then?
You could create a compelling argument for being able to forget stats, advantages, disadvantages, and specializations for weapons. It all just circles back to creating an environment for forever characters with no real defining features.
By Mindhunter at Jul 16, 2026, 12:19 PM
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SOLO
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okay. i dont know about you but my character's defining features do not begin and end with their coded stats and skills
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 12:20 PM
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GATO
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That is a cop out though. If your skills and stats were insignificant you wouldn't even be suggesting this idea at all.
By Mindhunter at Jul 16, 2026, 12:41 PM
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SOLO
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yeah theyre not insignificant, you need them to do things. i am saying they are not the defining aspects of my character
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 12:41 PM
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GATO
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some solo's M rank in artistry being forgotten is not going to upend their entire character arc. it's okay
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 12:45 PM
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GATO
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But you are just shifting the point I'm making in a way that is kind of trivial. I'm saying that if you can reduce skills past what you already can, where, using the same logic, or even knew logic, should it stop? Why would you not be able to "forget" your stats under the logic that your character has aged and is thus weaker, slower, uglier? Your characters brain has been polluted with SIC for years so your collective intelligence can be lowered? You haven't been able to afford the highest end weapon your specialization is in for the last year so why not be able to reduce that too?
You have the respec guidelines and I think they are pretty valid.
By Mindhunter at Jul 16, 2026, 12:53 PM
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SOLO
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you're posting that like im against being able to "forget" stats
you get one respec, you're not even guaranteed to get it, and it resets EVERYTHING. using that to lower one skill marignally iss the stupidest thing ive ever heard, especially as your character may need further tweaks down the line. at this point im beginning to think you're just ragebaiting
By Baguette at Jul 16, 2026, 12:56 PM
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GATO
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That's not what I'm doing and I think you are just not understanding the point so I'll just let it be.
By Mindhunter at Jul 16, 2026, 12:58 PM
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Curve starts somewhere around 80ish points compared to the 30 limit for forgetting, so yeah, significant difference. Usually far enough to have at least a basic start/understanding to using the skill. Agree that it seems a better place to allow forgetting, since it's far enough to actually use the skill well enough to get an idea on if you want it, while not being so invested that it seems like a dramatic shift.
I don't think stats should be forgettable though, just skills.
Also I thought GMs had said on previous occasions that respecs can be done to just skills without affecting advantages/disadvantages, though I could be misremembering on this.
By Aera at Jul 16, 2026, 3:42 PM
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