Skill Levels.

[fauxgemini]

I'm having a hard time wraping my mind around the concept of Skill Levels. What do they represent? Isn't having points assigned to a skill already enough to represent expertise in that field? Why take Skill Levels at the 3+ point level?

And if you buy it for a tight group, you have to switch where the bonus is going as a Zero phase right? Electronics to Security Systems, etc?

Funny thing is I can understand penality skill levels just fine.

[Steve Long]

This isn't really a rules question, so I've transferred it. I'm sure Herodom Assembled will have all sorts of useful info and opinions for you. ;)

[BobGreenwade]

Skill Levels represent a broader-based sense of expertise than just a simple bonus to a single Skill Roll. If a character has, for example, +2 Skill Levels with Bugging, Electronics, and Security Systems (for 3 points), this could represent a generalized knowledge of electronics as it particularly pertains to espionage and stealth activities.

In a way, you can think of Skill Levels -- of any size -- as a Complementary Skill that always uses the Standard Effect Rule. (An Overall Skill Level, by that logic, is essentially KS: Everything.)

Just as a Complementary Skill can only complement one Skill at a time, so a Skill Level can only affect one Skill at a time. Yes, it switches as a Zero Phase action -- though it's not often that a character will need more than one Skill Roll in a Phase.

[Catacomb]

I'm sorry if I'm being obtuse here but...the more you have the better you are and the greater chance you have for success.