Talents for those crazy engineers

[BlackSword]

In the Star Trek vs Star Wars debate someone mentioned adding a "technobabble" talent for when an engineer pushes "physics" to its limits.

In the Farscape RPG they have a feat (which can easily be transfered to a talent) called "the touch" which allows a charcter to encourage a machine to work with a bit of physical violence (a rather common concept for most modern and sf films). (I can give details if someone wants the details on this one).

What other talents can be used by the under appreciated engineers (or other professions) to encourage technology to work in your favor in a sci fi campaign? Suggestions for new ones, or ones that you use in campaigns.

[Talon]

(From Alien) A large bonus to Persuasion, only when making estimates about repair or modification times. Optionally, requires the character to be near/in the technology in question.

[Lord Liaden]

How about a bonus to Perception only to determine when the machinery "feels wrong" - making unusual sounds, deck plating vibration is off, etc. You could also allow it as a Complementary Skill Roll to science and technology Skills when repairing or examining technology.

[austenandrews]

In my Atomic Space Adventures short-run (50's space opera) I've got several "tricks" (talents) that have proven lots of fun. Bear in mind that the genre is bigger-than-life.

For engineers, I've got three levels of Succor (Aid) to a single ship's system. They all require an engineering skill roll. The lowest level is a 5pt Succor (1 Phase) with a side effect of a modest Activation Roll on the system being enhanced. The middle level is a 15pt Succor (0 END, shuts off by the engineer) with a middling Burnout roll on the system while the enhancement is in effect. The highest level is a 30pt Succor with a high Burnout roll. These are technically defined as massive boosts from the ship's power systems. There are also a couple of more specific "tricks" that increase the ship's acceleration and DCV by manipulating the rocket engines.

For scientists, I've got two "tricks." The first is the ability of a scientist to analyze something (an enemy rocket, an alien monster, etc.) to find a weakness in its defenses. It's bought as a mild Suppress v.s. all defenses. The benefits of the Suppress are only available to those who (a) the scientist has told the weakness, and (b) who take a -4 OCV penalty to hit the weak spot. It's a genre schtick, obviously. Though it's designed for scientists, engineers can also buy it.

The second scientist trick is essentially the same as the highest level engineering enhancement, but the amount of Succor is determined by the Science! skill roll. It applies to any machine. Again, engineers can use it as well as scientists.

-AA

[Tom Carman]

Originally posted by austenandrews
In my Atomic Space Adventures short-run (50's space opera) I've got several "tricks" (talents) that have proven lots of fun. Bear in mind that the genre is bigger-than-life.

...

The second scientist trick is essentially the same as the highest level engineering enhancement, but the amount of Succor is determined by the Science! skill roll. It applies to any machine. Again, engineers can use it as well as scientists.

-AA
Evidently I'm not the one to think that GURPS Atomic Horror is a fun book. Come to think of it, I did adapt that "blob" monster for my Space:1889 game.

[austenandrews]

Originally posted by Tom Carman
Evidently I'm not the one to think that GURPS Atomic Horror is a fun book. Come to think of it, I did adapt that "blob" monster for my Space:1889 game.

I don't know anything about GURPS, but I did steal that "Science!" bit from a game book (I guess it was that one) I saw in a store years ago. It was so funny it became a running gag in my gaming group (shouted as per the Thomas Dolby video). Naturally it had to be included in my Atomic Space Adventures, thus apparently making a complete circle. :)

I did play in a short Space:1889 game long ago. Awesome game setting.

-AA