I searched, and even used ctrl + f on my SR4 pdf, and can't find anything on background skills.

For anyone who doesn't remember, background knowledge skills were complimentary knowledge skills that came with Active skills. eg. You might have a Biotech skill at 6, with a Biotech background skill at 3, and you'd get it for free.

Has this been done away with in Sr4?

I think it was replaced by the free knowledge skillpoints (3 *(logic+Int)).

Pretty much. Knowledge Skills are cheap, and you get a fair number of free points at chargen exclusively for them.

you got INT x 3 points for knowledge-skills in SR3-Char-Gen and you had to buy background knowledge skills from those points, so not really that much of a difference . .

SR4 got away from using "complimentary" skills, much to the detriment of the game, in my opinion. As a GM, I still utilize Knowledge skills as "complimentary" to Active skills, particularly in extended tests or "non-action" tests.

Example: A Lonestar Detective has "Forensics" as a Knowledge skill. Back at the lab, where they are working on solving a murder with some trace evidence, I have them roll their Logic+Forensics skill and for every two successes they get, they add one die to their active skill Perception roll (or their Computer) roll depending on what they are specifically doing.

I jsut feel the current edition of the game really trivializes the use of knowledge skills as is and that the complimentary system of 3rd Ed was superior. Under SR4, knowledge skills, while not useless, are marginalized and have very little structured ways of being used by the character. By allowing htem to enhance active skills, I find characters think more about using them and get more creative and tend to select more interesting skills. It also encourages character to actually spend BP ON knowledge skills, rather than to sticking mainly to what they get for "free" on creation. Whens the last time you saw that happen in a regular game?

A final comment: I do not remember getting related knowledge skills for "free" as per the OP's example. Was this under SR1/2? Under 3rd, you got a number of Knowledge Skill points to build with, the amount depending on your Intelligence Attribute.

Vlad

You all know I'm a rabid SR4 is the uber fan...

But I have to say that I really miss the complimentary skill system. I missed it so much that unconsciously started using them in my game.

Right now I have players roll a relevant know skill, for every two success I let them add 1 die to their actice school DP. If the knowledge skill is phrased correctly I might give them bonus dice for learning something specific rather than going general.

What, you mean it's not in there? It is in my book. Or it will be when I can find the Red Crayon of Officialness...



Ooo, you're a mean one! We're using 1 success=+1D...

Complimentary skills are very easy to put back in, most definately, and I really like the system myself. One of the biggies I recall was Psychology(Knowledge) coupled with Negotation, Intimidation or Interrigation; they worked all quite lovely together. But anything could help; someone with a Firearms Engineering Knowledge Skill should be well able to add a couple of dice to their Armorer test to build or repair a firearm.

And yeah, one red crayon(or in my case, Bic Pencil) of Officalness and they're back in.

If I remember correctly that if you had an active skill, you could get a "-background" suffiix as a knowledge skill, at either rating /2 or -2, I can't remember which.

-3

IIRC, SR1/2 didn't have 'free' points that I can recall. I'm pretty sure that I had to buy Speed Wraith's "Swearing" special skill as a normal skill. Only came in handy once, and that was because I was getting really annoyed with the go-gangers scratching my paint. I believe the roll was a 25? Hmm...maybe my lurker friend will have made an account and chime in with the right number