Best Scientist Ever

[Asperion]

In any system,  there will be many things that make up the social network that exists under the surface.  Most of these either were discovered or created by scientists in some form.  Human health wouldn't be at the point that it is if not for people pushing for herbal,  chemical,  and other fields.  Many other examples in every place of society that one desires to address.  Even today,  people need science and it was greater in a fantasy setting.  Regardless of the period,  how would one obtain the title of Ultimate Scientist? What skills would be required? Anything else that you would like to mention is greatly appreciated. 

[Doc Democracy]

I think the key skill would be PS: Publicist.  🙂

 

To be honest, it is difficult to know how to answer the question because there is so many different ways to apply judgement.

 

I don't know how I would judge it today: getting a Nobel prize? Getting the most grant money? Publishing the most papers? Having the most students? Knowing most facts? Got the best lab technique? Made the most insightful connection ever (and how do you judge that?)?

 

Most often, this kind of thing is being elevated by your peers to the position.  So, President of the Royal Society may be a sign that your peers consider you to be the epitome of science work, incorporating many of the things above.

 

That kind of thing works in any society with the wherewithal to accommodate a bunch of folk who are allowed to do nothing but think, and that they can communicate about who they think is best.

 

Doc

[Lord Liaden]

I believe that within a fictional/gaming setting, the contender for that title would need to be a true polymath, displaying excellence and innovation in a range of disciplines. They may or may not have rivals in any particular field, but the breadth of their genius is unsurpassed. The historical example that most people look to is Leonardo da Vinci, but modern fiction has invented a number of them, from Clark Savage Jr. to Reed Richards.

[unclevlad]

da Vinci might've been the greatest genius/most significant polymath of all time;  it's not nearly as clear that he was the greatest *scientist*.

 

For examples:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/the-10-greatest-scientists-of-all-time

 

Note that in several cases, one can argue "greatest" to mean "enormous, lasting impact."  Certainly reasonable.  So we get...how do we want to define greatest?

 

In game terms?  IIRC, APG has expanded universals beyond Translator.  One is Univ Scholar, another is Univ Scientist.  You get a roll for ANY KS/SS...and you get to buy it up for next to nothing.  It's 20 points, like Universal Translator, so it's extremely expensive for a PC.  I personally think, tho, that someone with this, especially with a very high roll (18- or better), *shouldn't be* a PC.  He's too bloody valuable and busy...and likely, too much of a deus ex machina...to be a PC.  So, that's one way.  

 

Another option would be a slightly lesser Universal that might be 10 points.  Call it Genius Scientist.  It covers a broad spectrum.  Genius Biologist would cover biology, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology...wait a sec.  Hey Google!!

https://www.uncp.edu/departments/biology/student-resources/careers-biology/biology-sub-disciplines

 

Chemistry would cover biochem, materials science, mineralogy, etc. etc. etc.  Physics:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branches_of_physics

 

As those pages show, these are still massive.

 

Another route is to consider the Skill Roll Table.  20- is Incredibly Skilled, perhaps the greatest master of the skill.  A character with this level in multiple, potentially related areas, might be considered the Ultimate in his field.  Also note that this is era-independent.  18- is defined as "pushes the envelope" which is good language.  The envelope depends on the context.  Einstein rewrote physics in his day;  a 20- in physics today might have to be Zephram Cochrane, or something equally unreal...anti-grav would be cool.  OTOH, Newton's work in optics and gravity were revolutionary for their day.

 

I dislike incredibly high INT in most cases, even for supers, in part because that directly leads to insane PER rolls too.  And it applies to so much.  I *tend* to max out at 28 or 33 INT for those reasons.  28, for me, is in the realm of true polymath, as well.  (Simple conversion?  IQ == INT * 10.)  So staying completely in RAW:

 

--INT 28 or 33 as you prefer

--Scientist

--Eidetic Memory

--6-10 science skills, partly depending on how broad you treat skills...how much of that discipline list does Biology cover?  Preferably at least 1 or 2 at 20- or higher and a couple more at 18-.