In the interests of clarity, a list of what is considered to be skill modifications vs. skill bonuses would be nice. Per SR4 pg. 109, the character's base skill cannot exceed 6, and the character's modified skill rating cannot exceed the base skill x 1.5 (rounding fractions down). Bonus dice, however, can cause the dice rolled to exceed the attribute + the modified skill rating. Here's all the modifiers/bonus dice I can think of:

Modifiers to base skill (ie. cannot improve skill beyond base skill x 1.5)
-Improve Ability power of adepts
-reflex recorder bioware

Bonus dice (no limit to additional dice)
-skill specializations
-all foci except power foci
-Kinesics power of adepts
-all positive modifiers in the ranged combat modifiers table on pg. 140 (laser sight, smart link, aim actions, etc.)
-all positive modifiers in the melee modifiers table on pg. 148 (reach, friends in melee, etc.)
-mnemonic enhancer
-medkits and autodocs
-vision enhancement
-audio enhancement
-spatial recognizer
-enhanced articulation (edit)

Does this look right? I'll come back and edit the list if anyone finds any errors or omissions.

A similar list of attribute increasing powers/spells/cyber would be useful as well.

Bonus dice
- enhanced Articulation

Hmmmmm enhance articulation.

If the bonus in question applies only to specific uses of a skill, it is bonus dice and does not apply to the cap. (Specialzations)

If the bonus applies to all uses of a skill, it is a skill enhancement and applies to the cap. (Improved ability, reflex recorder)

If the bonus applies to a wide variety of skills, then it is bonus dice and does not count toward the cap. (Smartlink, Enhanced articulation, Kenisics)


By the way, Am I the only person who keeps reading Kenisics as Kinsey-ics, and thinking it has something to do with good old Mr. Kinsey?

Two further questions:

1) Does a spirits Aid sorcery fall under the limited or unlimited set of bonuses?

2) With regard to attributes, do the dice from a power focus fall within the limitaiton of an augmented attributed being no more than 1.5 times the natural maximum?
2a) If so, is the natural maximum for a mage 6 + Initiation?

Thank you,
Joel M. Halpern