Cant find an answer in the main rule book, one way or the other.

Can a character default on a Knowledge Skill ?

yes.

naturally, it will be uncommon for someone without the skill to have sufficient skill to know anything obscure, but (just as an example) do you consider yourself to have a knowledge skill in, say, designing buildings?

i don't. but i do know that triangles are a strong shape, and that using a framework of iron allows a building to be much taller than mere stone or other building materials will allow.

that's because i can default

Yea, I am one to lean towards common sense on these kinda issues.

I just wanted to be sure I wasnt overlooking a rule reference somewhere.

Thanks

I would add exceptions by GM/player common sense. I can default on Knowlege: World Geography because I have seen a globe, and maps, and have other experience that I could apply, although the houserule about limited hits might be fair. I cannot default on Knowlege: Or'zet Poets, because I have absolutely zero to work with on that topic. Take the examples of listed non-defaultable Active Skills, and apply more or less the same principles.

Extension-to-absurdity boundary case: Mr. Johnson asks the team to locate a courier who went missing (left with the package, never arrived at assigned destination). The team technomancer with INT and LOG of 5 has a 4d6 default pool for Knowlege: Courier's Current Location. No, you may not buy a hit, nor add Edge to that pool!

Id allow defaulting on alot of things. Knowledge skills have always been an interesting thing, in the way of that most of us, and our characters probably too, know a LOT more things than knowledge skill points would give us.

For example, Knowledge Skill points are your Int+Logx3. If someone has the maximum they can have, which is 7(exceptional attribute) and 5(since you cant max two stats), comes out to 12x3=36 points.

This utter genius probably really does know a ton more. Say they have knowledge skills in, Biochemistry(5), BioEngineering(5), Botany(4), Toxins(4), Fine Restaraunts of Denver(3), High Class Clubs(3), Cyberware Design(5), Opera(3), and Expensive Clothes Stores(3). Thats all 36 points. However, Im sure they could know what's on TV, what movies are playing, how to bake cookies, and whatnot.

Im not sure what my 'scores' would be, but ive decent mental capacities. I can tell you what albums are coming out, whats coming on TV, who was in varied bands, which movies are playing, whats going on in several genres of games, bits of things about electronics, how to bake varied pastries, and all kinds of stuff thats probably a hell of a lot more than 'points', if i were to convert myself.

Hmm...guess a shorter way of saying it is that knowledge skills that points are spent on are things that can be ''used'' with some kind of result. For example, if a character took Famous Pastry Chefs as a knowledge skill, a clever GM might just come up with a situation where thats useful(perhaps a Johnson is a big fan too and can be impressed somehow.) But a character shouldn't be penalized for NOT having Famous Pastry Chefs. I mean, im known for rarely taking ''really useful'' knowledge skills, they are usually music/entertainment/locale based, but theyve always came in handy.

I kind of look at it like Contacts. The average runner starts with, what, 2-4 contacts depending? that isnt as many people as they know or are friends with. Those are the people that can be somehow utilized in game. A character might come from a large family, and be close to them all, but has a brother as a contact...because the brother can hook him up with varied 'stuff' , due to working in a gun store, for example. Same with knowledges.

(I apologize for my recent run of extremely long winded posts. I havnt gotten to play in months...but in a couple of months i WILL be getting to play and have been a bit excited and chatty about it. )