Skill Based VPP

[JmOz]

Okay I know this is serious GM Permision Teritory but how many of you would allow a character to take the following VPP

3 point Pool
0 phase to change
No skill roll required
Only for Int Based skills or Languages, only skills of apropriate F/X (-1/2)
2 Control cost

5 total?

It is for a robot with a HUGE database, note the lack of Dex/PRE skills, this is strictly for knowledge type things (He can have a KS In Acrobatics, but can't perform Acrobatics

[JohnOSpencer]

I had two characters in my campaign that did that and it was found to be abusive. I MIGHT allow one if the INT roll wasn't too high and he had no overall levels. I wouldn't allow the languages part because it overlaps with universal translator which is much more expensive.

Just my 2 cents.

John Spencer

[Dr. Anomaly]

Hmmm...not really trying to toot my own horn here, but about 7 months ago while trying to design a Time Lord (Dr. Who-style) hero, I ran into the same difficulty: How to simulate an effectively endless number of skills. Eventually I took a page out of the Universal Translator book and came up with:

20 Universal Scientist (INT roll) - The character has at least a basic understanding of most sciences, even the most obscure. A successful USc roll will reveal what particular science is used in/by a given device or the basic principles and ideas of a given field of science. A roll made by a higher margin will allow the character to make Simple (by +1), Easy (by +3), or Difficult (by +5) evaluations/deductions about the probable outcome of a given application of the science, or a way to modify/defeat that particular application. Failed rolls may result in anything from just an unsuccessful attempt (-1) to destroyed devices/components (-3) to a major disaster in the making (-5).

20 Universal Traveler (INT roll) - The character has at least basic knowledge about practically any place and time they may visit. A successful UTv roll would tell them what planet (and possibly what country/city) they are on; a roll made by at least a margin of +1 will tell them what basic time frame they are in, as well. Rolls made by higher margins reveal more details about their surroundings and other significant points of interest of the local, relative to where they are. A failed roll may mean anything from a slight misjudging of local (-1) to a completely inverted conclusion about where and when they are (-5).

20 Universal Scholar (INT roll) - The character has at least basic knowledge about such a wide variety of subjects they often seem to literally "know everything." A successful USr check will reveal the sort of basic facts about a field/race/person that an interested and informed layman in the subject might know from extensive "armchair research"; rolls made by higher margins will result in more extensive and more detailed information. A failed roll may mean anything from a few 'commonly known' but incorrect pieces of information being taken as true (-1) to utter [and possibly disasterous] inversion of the facts (-5). [Example: "Daleks? Oh, yes...gentle scholars that happily answer any question put to them."]

**NOTE: I was tempted to include a "Universal Historian" talent, to include the character being able to know at least the general outline of history/historical events on any given world, so they can know when history is being tampered with, but decided against it; a combo roll in Universal Traveler / Universal Scholar should include this sort of thing already, I think.

20 Universal Tradesman (INT roll) - The character has been nearly everywhere and done nearly everything; as a result, they have at least a general idea of how to carry out just about any task or the basics of any job or profession. Rolls made by a higher margin indicate a job carried off with near-professional results; a failed roll could indicate anything from an ugly but workable solution (-1) to a near-disaster (-5) ["But I thought the poached eggs were SUPPOSED to be served by cleaning them with one's tongue before presenting them to the customer!"]

20 Universal Contact (PRE roll) - The character knows somebody in just about any time or place, since they've been nearly everywhere and everywhen. A successful UCt roll results in the character knowing a person in the time & place; actually FINDING that person may be another story [treat a successful roll as having a 1-pt. Contact -- the character must still make the Contact roll to actually find/meet with the person]. Rolls made by higher margins may indicate a Contact who is more useful/influential, easier to find, or more favorably disposed toward the character. A failed roll can mean anything from simply not knowing anyone here (-1) to an old acquaintance who is now hostile (-3) to a complete turn-around of the attitudes of the locals ["Dravidia VII? Oh, yes, they all love me here for throwing down their tyrant-king...What do you mean, 'Under arrest for high treason'?!?"]

20 Universal Favor (PRE roll) - In nearly every time and every place, there is SOMEBODY who owes the character a favor in return for past aid. A successful UF roll means there is someone there who owes the character a minor favor (1 pt worth); a roll made by a wider margin means the favor is more valuable or the person owing the favor is willing to go to greater lengths and/or dangers to fulfill the obligation. A failed roll can mean anything from there being no favor-owing person in this place and time (-1) to finding a person who owes the character, but they have grown bitter and resentful and refuse to "remember" the obligation (-3) to the tables being turned and the character being hit up for a favor HE owes to somebody (-5). ["Oh, yes...you DID save me from being incinerated in Belfalitin's attempted coup a few years ago...<sigh>...Now, what did you say your current problem is?"]

[Castaigne]

I'd allow the VPP if it was a fun character thing, like an early Data from ST:TNG with the character spouting out lots of irrelevant encyclopedia-like information along with the occasional useful tidbit, or if all the information in the database was 20 years out of date, but not if it was going to be really useful. I have too many PCs who paid points for Background Skills.


Very nice, Dr. Anomaly. I'm definitely going to make use of that.

[allen]

Originally posted by JmOz
Okay I know this is serious GM Permision Teritory but how many of you would allow a character to take the following VPP

3 point Pool
0 phase to change
No skill roll required
Only for Int Based skills or Languages, only skills of apropriate F/X (-1/2)
2 Control cost

5 total?

It is for a robot with a HUGE database, note the lack of Dex/PRE skills, this is strictly for knowledge type things (He can have a KS In Acrobatics, but can't perform Acrobatics

I have a villain (Prof. Plagiarist) with a similar power: Mimic Pool, only for Science Skills... but I would not allow it for PCs. Don't think it would really be disruptive, but might potentially frustrate other PCs who actually paid for their skills.

The languages bit I definitely wouldn't allow... it's Universal Translator.

[Bartman]

I've always just liked KS: Stuff. Buy it at a high enough level and the character is likely to know anything he needs to.
Something like: 30 KS: Stuff, Int based, +27 to roll.