I found the information describing an extended test for skill increases, but I had a few additional questions that I can't seem to find the answers for.

1. When a character adds a specialization, what training time is required? Is it the new level (2 higher than the others) x2 threshold as per a normal skill increase?
2. With trainers, am I correct in believing that they must have a skill at least equal to the new level the character is attempting to get to?
3. Do GMs factor active use of a skill into improvement or do anything like 'every session with a critical success in a skill decreases the threshold by 1'?
4. When increasing attributes is there any sort of extended test and if so, what would it be?

Thanks!

With a sweep of his...

Hat

1. I don't remember reading anything on it. I guess it's a GM call; your method sounds good to me, although I might make it a bit less.

2. I don't think so. I'm fairly certain that the coaches of Olympic gymnasts aren't better at gymnastics than their pupils. Ditto any sport, really. Heck, my martial arts trainer makes me better all the time, and I can kick his ass when we spar (well, at two-sword, anyway; he still mops the floor with me in pole weapons).

3. Depends on the GM. I usually have my players make the rolls when they decide to buy the skill, to set the target date at which the increase comes into effect, and then just let them play as normal over that time, provided that they can spend some time practicing/studying/whatever.

4. By the RAW, no. I reckon they're not learned so much as developed. Even so, I make my players give me some flimsy excuse as to why the rating is increasing.

1. For the one person who's added a specialization I charged him the difference in terms of a threshold, so 2 for the spec x2 = 4. What I think I'm inclined to do is simply eliminate the multiplier, so for a specialization that would take a skill from 4 to 6, the threshold would simply be 6.

2. I understand your point about the gymnasts, but by the same token they arguably have at least some skill knowledge or otherwise that qualifies them to teach. Otherwise every face with a good charisma and instruction will be telling the hacker how to write code, the rigger how to fix planes and the street sam how to shoot better. I don't find that plausible. To be considered a professional requires a rating of 3. Right now I'd lean towards the instructor needing a higher skill than the person being trained until the instructor reaches rating 3, at which point they can train them up to their rating +2 above them. So to get help going to a 6 requires an instructor with at least a 4 in the skill. To add a specialty that would take them to 7 would require the instructor to have a base skill of 5, or at least the same specialty to a 5. Thoughts?

3. Hmmm..... interesting idea. I'll have to mull that one over. I'm not concerned with the downtime given that other characters are going to need time to initiate and have surgery done. I might allow for half of the time on runs be applicable to training times.

4. Still thinking about this one. Active skills are new level times 2, so extending that model could mean a threshold of 3 * new level, interval 1 week. The problem is that gets awfully long for mage types after innitiating a couple of times. Still pondering.

With a sweep of his...

Hat

For specialization training time I have never found it in the book so I use a spandard threshhold of 4 and have them make an extended test with a time period of one week. For Attributes I use a straight Attribute roll with a threshold of new attribute x2 and the training time being a month.

that is of course just my opinion on the matter and trainers can make it allot easier on your character.

Tim

Here's a thought. Have you considered talking it over with your players? The whole point of a house rule is to add value to a game, and they're playing, too. It'll get you to a system that everybody likes. It also builds trust among the group, which is even more important, and lets you have a lot more fun.

1) Yup, no written rules for training time of a specialization. I don't charge any time for buying a specialization, just karma and my players can spend that at any point they want.

2) Yes, it states that on page 123. A character needs to have a skill at rating 3 (or higher) to teach the skill at all. In addition, the instructor has to have a skill at or higher than the level the pupil wants to achieve. All by the book. Technically, the instructor doesn't need the Instruction skill to teach, although then they would be defaulting on the teaching test. The Instruction skill just gives extra dice to the test...and the whole point of the instruction is just to give the pupil some extra dice.

3) Nope. I don't want to belabor training anymore than it needs to be. If they have the karma (and time) to train, they can, regardless of whether they are using it or not.

4) Nope, not by RAW. If they have the karma, then can up their attribute. The only rule I have at our table about attribute gains, is that it is done before the session starts.

I'd let instructors take a specialization of a skill group, or some other type of skillset to Instruction. It would actually be a skill group bonus for the purpose of instruction. I don't know off the top of my head what specializations are right now for Instruction.

Instruction 3 (Athletics), Athletics Group 2
Would be able to teach any Athletics skill up to rating 4. (The bonus puts it over the rating 3 minimum) But they would only get the 3 dice from the Instruction.

This would cover your gymnastics coaches who can teach higher than their actual skill.

I just realized this two week ago, but using a Tutorsoft will allow you to train up to Rating 5. It makes instructors really only needed when hitting that 6th or 7th rating in a skill (or as my player found out, if you are a buddhist tradition, then you need a trainer for everything...).

Just looked up Instruction skill specialization examples: By Active or Knowledge skill category (Combat, Language, Magical, Academic Knowledge, Street Knowledge, etc.) Page 120.

So, its pretty broad. It seems reasonable that the specialization could allow the bonus as Nightwalker450 suggests. I probably would allow that if a player was wanting to train. Normally though, the only reason my players care about the trainer's skills is to figure out availability, cost and bonus dice they will get.

Opinion?

reflex recorder - Cooking/Kitchen Knifework

Would this affect this characters knife fighting combat?
If so how?


Yan can't keep up
scary thought - this character with a skinning knife

Cooking is a Knowledge Skill, and as such cannot be affected by a Reflex Recorder.
Kitchen Knife Work is a Specialization of Blades, and would work according to those rules.

Well, I don't know about cooking skills translating into knife combat, but I can tell you from experience that knife combat skills don't translate into the kitchen. It's only anecdotal, but it's all I got.

What's the page reference for training times?