Printable Version of Topic

Click here to view this topic in its original format

Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ The odd everyday skills

Posted by: The Jopp May 30 2006, 07:55 AM

What other kind of skills have you come up with? Post 'em.

Here's mine.

Plumbing (Logic )

Plumbers install, maintain and repair hot and cold water supplies, and sanitation and waste disposal systems in domestic, industrial and commercial premises. They also work with oil, gas and solid fuel appliances, and central heating systems.

Some jobs involve working on the outside of buildings, making and repairing weather-proof joints and flashings on roofs, chimneys and walls, and installing or clearing guttering and drainpipes.

Default: No
Skill Group: None
Specializations:

Ventilation & Heating (Including Oil, Gas and solid Fuel Appliances)
Hot & Cold Water Supplies (Repair and installation of piping and the like.)
Metal Working, Guttering and Drainpipes (Including Metalworks like cutting, fitting, sheeting)

See http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/profiles/profile274/

Posted by: Edward May 30 2006, 08:02 AM

I believe the intent was to include that in industrial mechanic. And you should be able to default, at least for basic tasks like replacing a tap fitting (I did that a couple of months ago, should have called a plumber, it took unskilled me 4 hours)

Edward

Posted by: The Jopp May 30 2006, 08:30 AM

Well, i wonder about that, i couldn't find anything in the description since certain plumbing skills might be used for more things than everyday work, like planning how to get anasthetic gas into the main ventilations shaft of a building.

It doesn't sound like industrial mechanics.

Posted by: NightHaunter May 30 2006, 03:47 PM

One of my groups actually had gardening and cooking skills.
Once.
Learned in game!

Posted by: ThreeGee May 30 2006, 04:13 PM

My current character has Baking. As part of a long running background that runs through my troll anf orc PC's, they all spent some time working in a polish bakery in Berlin.

Posted by: -X- May 30 2006, 04:59 PM

QUOTE (The Jopp)

How many bonus dice does one get for using Arcology Strength Draino?

Posted by: TBRMInsanity May 30 2006, 05:47 PM

I have often wondered if there should be major skills and minor skills.

This would mean you would get a number of minor skills (like plumbing) based on the levels in your attributes (simular to knowledge skills). Minor skills would have little to no impact on the game but could be used to add flavor to the game (ie skill in car modding).

Posted by: Shrike30 May 30 2006, 06:12 PM

Plumbing is something I'd almost certainly let a player take as a Knowledge skill. While it fits the description of an Active skill, it's such a niche thing that it seems a little odd to charge a player the Active rate. Basically, what TBRMInsanity said, except I just write them up as Knowledge skills rather than creating a third category.

I've had cooking, golf, biology/zoology, Medicine (Psychiatric), and a few other oddball skills in my time. Had a player a bit back with the Knowledge skills "Tasty Things" and "20th Century Porn Stars." Tasty Things was funny when he used it to ID stuff... 1 success would let him know "Tasty" or "Not Tasty," 0 successes usually got the answer "It tastes like chicken." Occasionally, whatever he was tasting was toxic or caustic... always amusing. He tried to use 20th Century Porn Stars to guess someone's age once... it got him the answer "She just turned 18" (she was 32).

Posted by: Akimbo Jun 13 2006, 12:47 PM

My character (Akimbo) has both active and knowledge skills of Fashion. It's done absolutely nothing for me in game when I played. I GM now so the skill is even MORE pointless. I don't even know why I put her stats on a character sheet anymore.

Posted by: ornot Jun 13 2006, 01:15 PM

QUOTE

Tasty Things was funny when he used it to ID stuff... 1 success would let him know "Tasty" or "Not Tasty," 0 successes usually got the answer "It tastes like chicken." Occasionally, whatever he was tasting was toxic or caustic... always amusing. He tried to use 20th Century Porn Stars to guess someone's age once... it got him the answer "She just turned 18" (she was 32).

ROFLMAO

Posted by: 6thDragon Jun 13 2006, 02:45 PM

My redneck merc has collectable belt buckles as a knowledge skill. That one has been my favorite so far.

Posted by: iron_ic Jun 13 2006, 07:15 PM

My latest character (a TM/Face) knew everything about vending machines. I wanted to try out the new device rating-rules... haven't done so already, though.

Posted by: Toptomcat Jun 13 2006, 07:23 PM

Ha- I win against all of you- I took ANTIQUE POLISH STAMP-COLLECTING 6!
Seriously, though, how about more mention about possibly tying to fit an odd Knowledge skill or two into an actual run?

Posted by: X-Kalibur Jun 13 2006, 07:37 PM

Buddy of mine had on his mage the knowledge skill: Chess with a specialization in Stalemate. Sadly, he actually used this once in a run where we were stuck in a building. Stalemated Lone Star long enough until our rigger got there with an airlift.

Posted by: eidolon Jun 13 2006, 07:41 PM

Oddly enough, I've had multiple characters learn to cook in game. Maybe it's that I make sure to throw in things like "well, today's soypaste isn't as good as yesterdays...maybe it expired?"

QUOTE (Akimbo)

You're GMing now, so it might not be relevant, but have you tried talking to your GM about it? Sometimes it takes a while for a GM to get comfortable enough running a game to have the extra attention to spend on things that are mostly flavor, and some GMs I've had just don't expect players to "waste" points on stuff like that.

Posted by: knasser Jun 13 2006, 08:31 PM

QUOTE (NightHaunter)

One of my groups actually had gardening and cooking skills.
Once.
Learned in game!

*snort*

Silly players.

Posted by: Moon-Hawk Jun 13 2006, 08:37 PM

I give free points in knowledge skills to aware role-playing and character development. I feel I can hand out more "free karma" without unbalancing anything, and they get a numerical boost on their character sheet as a reward for good RPing. I end up with more developed characters for those who want to participate, better RPing all around, and the power level doesn't creep excessively.

Posted by: Kyoto Kid Jun 13 2006, 09:05 PM

...Hurricane Hannah has Cajun Cooking and Billiards

..."Dynamo" Josie LeSarre has Zyedeco Music, Fishing, & RC Model Airplanes

...Dame Margo Grande has Iconography and Egyptian Hieroglyphics

...Dr Zanzibar has Big Game Hunting

...Violet has Mathematics [Chaos Theory]

Posted by: fool Jun 13 2006, 09:38 PM

my latest character took acient prophesies at 4 (I think). But it really annoys the gm if I ask "So I make four successes on My acient prophecies roll, does any [whatever] fit into any ancient prophecies?"
Fool is going to take prophesy as a metamagic technique presuming that street magic has it again and I can find enough people to play with

Posted by: FanGirl Jun 13 2006, 11:23 PM

My current character has points in knowledge of Classic Cartoons and of Music (with a specialization in Non-Top 40 Music). She gained her knowledge of the latter working in a small, independent music store.

Posted by: Glayvin34 Jun 14 2006, 12:54 AM

Anybody ever feel like taking the active skill
Chemist (Logic)
?
You could make drugs and/or toxins for half price like someone with hardware can manufacture Response upgrades and such.

Posted by: Teulisch Jun 14 2006, 01:22 AM

on chemistry... you need medicine for drugs, and demolitions for explosives. with only chemistry you could work as a pharmacist, but not know what most those wonder-drugs did. just how to mix the orders.

Personaly, i have a tendancy to use the majority of my knowledge skill points to buy rating 1 skills in a bunch of different topics. the problem is there are just so many things you want/need, and so few points to do it with. If you have 18 points you could get 6 skills at 3... or a dozen at 1 and a couple at 3.

i like to get Rock& roll and literature for my ork sams. as a security gaurd, hes got to something while bored on duty... listening to music and reading are good ways to pass the time.

Posted by: Glayvin34 Jun 14 2006, 02:06 AM

QUOTE (Teulisch)

Demolitions is probably right for explosives.
But for drugs and toxins, which are similar enough to require more or less the same apparatus and skill, you would need to know general Laboratory Chemistry for simpler, non-specialized drugs. And you would need to be trained in Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry lab skills. Doctors don't know how to synthesize drugs, Chemists do.
Most Pharmacists have undergrad degrees in Organic Chemistry, Physiology, or a similar somatic discipline. Then they go to pharmacist school and learn about pharmacokinetics and the names of thousands of drugs. So Pharmacists, today at least, are very familar with the effects of every drug behind the counter. They know counter-indications, dosage levels, side effects, all that good stuff.
A Chemistry active skill should encompass both the processing of drugs and toxins, what else would you call it?

Posted by: MK Ultra Jun 14 2006, 03:22 AM

QUOTE (Moon-Hawk)

I did this while GMing for years, too, and found that it improved RPing, PC-depth and player´s motivation.

On a general note, it allways anoyed me a bit as a GM, when a pc would have no hobbylike knowledge skills at all.

My favourit interest skill is NERPS, I will probbably buy it a s askill soft for my next character

Posted by: Kyoto Kid Jun 14 2006, 03:32 AM

...KK has Wild West Flatvids of the 20th Century and Bushido Philosophy.

Posted by: Nikoli Jun 14 2006, 03:47 AM

All my riggers have chess and most have philosophy.

Had a child prodigy decker with chess, the back story is that he would have been the next Bobby Fisher, but Deus had other plans...(fun little NPC)

Useless trivia is a fun knowledge skill, such obscure facts like the average airspeed of a European barn swallow, etc.

Posted by: hyzmarca Jun 14 2006, 05:07 PM

For the truely bizzare Late 20th Science Fiction Universes with a specialization in Shadowrun.

Posted by: Moon-Hawk Jun 14 2006, 05:10 PM

Of course, since all copies of the SR game were lost in the first crash, everyone just thinks you're a loonie for claiming that this was all foretold in a game.

Posted by: ornot Jun 14 2006, 06:44 PM

I had a couple of players with plans to make characters with Knowledge: 20th century comics, specialising in The X-Men. One would have titanium bonelacing, matched forearm spurs, enhanced senses (scent) and that bioware that provides regeneration (symbiotes, perhaps or is it platelet factory?). The other couldn't make up his mind whether to go for a cybered up Colossus, or for a magician so he could emulate/immitate some of the other more fantastic powers.

While amusing, I was quite glad when the plan ran out of steam.

Posted by: hyzmarca Jun 14 2006, 08:14 PM

QUOTE (Moon-Hawk @ Jun 14 2006, 12:10 PM)

Of course, since all copies of the SR game were lost in the first crash, everyone just thinks you're a loonie for claiming that this was all foretold in a game.

But think of all the Fourth Wall breaking goodness that can come from a character who regularly gives advice to and complains about "his player."

"How could you make me do something so stupid?! I would never do something like that if you didn't make me. I ought to crawl out of this RPG and kick your ass. I would if I could. I hope you rot and die."

"Get up and bitchslap the GM. There is no way they could have known that we were coming. He's metagamming. Get off your ass and start beating the GM now and don't stop untill he makes that motherfragging ambush go away."

"Put those dice down right now. I'd be insulted if you even tied to roll to resist that seduction test. Tell your GM that there isn't enough beer in the world."

Posted by: ornot Jun 14 2006, 08:28 PM

ROFL

Breaking the fourth wall in an RPG! I wonder... has it ever been done?

Posted by: Moon-Hawk Jun 14 2006, 08:31 PM

I had someone do something pretty similar. They had a knowledge skill in RPing games, and played it just like their character was super geeky. So when someone screwed up in-game, he would say, in character, "Boy, you really botched that roll" or would scream "Critical Success" whenever something went really well. If someone was bad at something, he would tease them about not having enough of X skill. It wasn't exactly breaking the 4th wall, since it was in character for the geeky character, but it was damn funny.

Posted by: Kyoto Kid Jun 14 2006, 09:08 PM

QUOTE (hyzmarca)

For the truely bizzare Late 20th Science Fiction Universes with a specialization in Shadowrun.

...damn That would have been a good one for KK.

[3:30 am , player very tired. Characters in the sewers under the streets of Seattle. Party is fairly wounded after several encounters with ghouls while looking for the daughter for the Yak who hired us.]

"You want me to do what? No way Jose, Like I'm not Clint Eastwood! Look, my mage buddy's got at least -6 to his DP, and my hacker girl with the Ares Viper is pretty much the walking dead and you want me to do what? Go into a room with a fraggn' bunch of ghouls? You're dream'n buster. Man you already made me use up the bullets in both my Warhawks & it takes a full action to reload. Why I oughta whack you upside the head with my Katana. Hey, put that glass of wine down, now! You are not doing an RPWUI on my watch! Now you tell the GM that you are having me grab the hacker babe & drag her tight little ass outta' here so that we can heal our butts up. There is always next session to finish this."

"And what is this with you having me do a job for a Yak? Just because I'm fluent in Japanse and am into the Bushido & Honour thing you think I have an 'in' with them. Man that just chafes my hide"

"Hey...hey..I'm talkin to you...dont you go picking up those dice now or so help me..."

Posted by: Ophis Jun 14 2006, 09:56 PM

QUOTE (ornot)

ROFL

Breaking the fourth wall in an RPG! I wonder... has it ever been done?

Yes and thats all I'm saying on the matter, it would ruin the fun...