Skill Levels/Combat Skill Levels from Computers

[Vanguard]

I've built a battle computer based on the BattleTac system from Shadowrun. Currently, it adds +1 Combat Skill Level with range and while down the road it might add more types of skill levels, I was curious as to whether I'd need to buy them with "Usable by Others" in order for the computer's users to be able to take advantage of the additional levels.

[Steve Long]

Re: Skill Levels/Combat Skill Levels from Computers

 

For purposes of this answer, I’m going to assume that your character has bought a Computer using the rules on 6E2 183-85, rather than personally buying a CSL with the special effect “I have a combat analysis computer.” I’m pretty sure that’s what you mean, but I want to make it clear to anyone reading this where my answer comes from.

 

Combat Skill Levels for equipment raise some interesting issues. As discussed in TUV, if a Vehicle buys CSLs, those CSLs are used by whoever’s operating the Vehicle (be it a PC, and NPC, or a Computer). As discussed in UBA, that also applies to Bases. In both cases this is because Vehicles and Bases, even though they have separate character sheets, are essentially objects. They can’t really do anything on their own; they have to have some sort of operator.

 

However, a Computer is a beast of a different color. It’s self-willed (to a greater or lesser extent), and thus able to attack in combat (though of course it requires the proper programming to actually do so). Therefore, any CSLs (or other Skill Levels) a Computer buys are usable only by it. If a Computer wants to be able to provide those CSLs to someone else, they would have to be bought with some form of UOO.