[crossfire] Barbarian class and literacy skill access by default

Rick Tanner leaf at real-time.com
Wed Aug 20 12:45:07 CDT 2025


Currently, the barbarian class does not start with the literacy skill, 
which matches traditional lore for that class. However, (IMO) this 
approach does not work well in Crossfire.

Many in-game resources require the ability to read, meaning new players 
who choose a barbarian cannot access them. For example, barbarians begin 
with the Guide to Close Combat, but without literacy, they cannot read 
it. Likewise, the password hint on the Tutorial Map—which is required to 
leave the map—is also inaccessible. This has been a recurring problem 
when I demonstrate Crossfire at local gaming conventions.

Signs can still be read without literacy, which causes confusion, and 
skill scrolls are readable as well, creating further inconsistency.

To improve the new player experience and ensure barbarians have access 
to learning materials, I propose giving them the literacy skill by default.




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