Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

[TheDux]

I was thinking about this recently.

 

If a character is a religious leader of an alien culture, comes to earth and joins a group of heroes, would the player need to buy all the KSs related to that culture?

 

Example:

 

KS: Shaayd History

KS: Shaayd

PS: Sh'ila (Priest)

 

Now, it would seem that in most games this would have minimal effect in a game based on earth with only this one character

from that race. How would you, as a DM have the player buy these skills? Keeping in mind that if this was set on the Alien's home world, these would all have +3 or more to the roll.

[Greywind]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

Need to?

 

Have to?

 

or Should?

[Spence]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

It really depends on how in depth you wish to use the skill system and the level of complexity of the campaign. There is also the consideration that is you make the players use points on them, they can reasonably expect they the skills in question will actually be needed.

 

For example, in my Pulp type games the Scientist type only buys broad skill categories. Archeology, Chemistry, Physics and so on. That PC is a Pulp scientist and so his knowledge of Archeology is world wide and he has no need to to buy any specialties such as Egyptology or Mesoamerican. And a skill in Electricity/Electrical will allow him the do anything from jury rig a wireless to decipher an alien super computer because it is Pulp.

 

But in a modern setting, requiring the PC scientist to specialize may be warranted.

 

But remember if you make them spend 20+ points on a diverse set of specialized skills, you need to make sure there is a reason and that they will be used.

[TheDux]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

I would personally not want to spend points on these (seeing as they will not benefit me in game). But at the same time, with specialized knowledge and skills such as these...

[Peregrine]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

How will the skills be used in the game, if at all? If they will not be used, there is no reason to require points to be spent on them. The character sheet should reflect what will be used in the game.

[Eosin]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

In a case like that I'd devise a list of KS, PS, & SS and give them for free as background skills. They are not relevant to the game and exist only to flesh out the characters background. They would be his Everyman skills.

 

Now, said person would need to buy TF cars, KS: TV, and CuK: Earthlings which no other player would have to buy. So it isn't free - it is just spent in less obvious spots.

[TheDux]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

In a case like that I'd devise a list of KS, PS, & SS and give them for free as background skills. They are not relevant to the game and exist only to flesh out the characters background. They would be his Everyman skills.

 

Now, said person would need to buy TF cars, KS: TV, and CuK: Earthlings which no other player would have to buy. So it isn't free - it is just spent in less obvious spots.

 

That is more or less my thinking. Only reason I would see buying these would be IF we end up on the planet and the majority of the game takes place there. Or if the alien's religion picks up a following...

 

But as is, the Religion is a Disadvantage (code of conduct)...and mostly used for quotes and philosophy. "By Shadena!" Shadena being the deity...anyway...

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

In my little world (and hopefully the 6e world as it was suggested), points should only be paid for things that will have impact in the game. If the GM makes me pay 25 points for a skill suite, the GM should ensure that the skill suite is as valuable in game as anything else 25 points could have been spent on. To me, that's part of the GM's job.

[Peregrine]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

In my little world (and hopefully the 6e world as it was suggested)' date=' points should only be paid for things that will have impact in the game. If the GM makes me pay 25 points for a skill suite, the GM should ensure that the skill suite is as valuable in game as anything else 25 points could have been spent on. To me, that's part of the GM's job.[/quote']

 

You said it better...

[Spence]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

In my little world (and hopefully the 6e world as it was suggested)' date=' points should only be paid for things that will have impact in the game. If the GM makes me pay 25 points for a skill suite, the GM should ensure that the skill suite is as valuable in game as anything else 25 points could have been spent on. To me, that's part of the GM's job.[/quote']

 

You said it better...

 

Exactly, and yes..yes he did..

[Fearghus]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

Here is how I see it, and run it in my games.

 

If it doesn't have game effect... It's flavor. He can give himself 18- on a skry history roll if it doesn't effect the game for all I care. I have had this sort of thing happen in my game where a character for flavor was an expert in some sort of literature or a wine connoisseur or what ever KS you care to give him... But because it was only flavor I didn't make him spend points for it.

 

On the reverse side of the coin. If it does have game effect... YEP... pay for those skills. They might be considered everyman skills for that character but then he would have to buy skills for earth cultures.

[Vondy]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

If its flavor and not liable to impact play (more than once in a blue moon) I have players write them on the sheet with a cost of "0" next to them. If it does come up (since I use a hero point system) they can burn a hero-point to activate it. If, however, its something that will impact play, either at adventure time or between adventures (i.e., and inventor creating hot new gear) I charge for it. Another method I have used is to have the player create the character without such skills (using allotted points) and then create a suite of flavor skills that underwrite by handing them the additional points. Of late, however, I've tended to use the background skill multiplier option from TUS as the basis of a ten point talent that gives an omniskill with a characteristic skill. If you slap on an appropriately broad FX you can cut out the need for extensive skill lists. Some examples: polgyglot (any languages the character would reasonably know based on his background), world traveler (includes culture and area knowledges for places globetrotting characters have already been), etcetera.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

I have always considered stuff like that just "background" skills, and different cultures/species will have different backgrounds and so different skills. I don't generally bother to list them because it would just clutter the character sheet. But if you are going to have KS: Shaayd History, you should realize you probably won't have KS: American History. (Come to think of it, most Americans don't either; better make that KS: Pop Culture.)

 

That said, aliens in my campaigns will sometimes take the Disad "Cultural fish out of water". If they take that Disad, then they don't automatically know how to drive a car or operate an ATM or not to slip the French Prime Minister some tongue when he greets you; the GM decides what they know and what they don't. If they don't take that Disad, the player can decide what they know and what they don't. In my experience, players (especially character-driven ones) are usually happier with the latter.

[rjcurrie]

Re: Knowledge/Profession/Science Skill question

 

Personally, I always see these as things that give a character color -- and I usually include about 10 or so points of such Skills for any character and if I were running a campaign, I would probably suggest that all players in it do the same.