Making more adjustments to the character sheet that I've got posted, and someone raised the question of adding a modifier box to the skills section.

I was unaware that skill levels could be modified temporarily in any way. Medkits were also mentioned, but this must be something I've missed if so.

Anyway, I'd like to have the matter settled - when and how can skills be temporarily modified (not counting dice pool modifiers from damage and fatigue or attributes)?

adept power: Improved Ability
Ware: Reflex Recorder
Qualities: Outdoorsman, Catlike, Natural Athlete, Linguist, Technical School Education, College something, etc

all subject to the natural skill x1.5 limit ofc

Technically speaking, linguist doesn't explicitly state the 1.5 limitation... The other RC qualities do, but not linguist

Also to add to the list: Move by wire adds to dodge

it doesn't say otherwise either. so RAW applies. (SR4A p68 Skill Ratings)

None of those are really temporary.

It doesn't mention it's not subject to the natural augmented limit, so it is?
'Sides, how many language skill modifiers are there?

Hey now, I'm just pointing out that every other skill-augmenting quality from Runner's Companion DOES explicitly state the augmented max limitations. Linguistics is the only one which DOES NOT.

I can't tell you if it's oversight, or intentional, or just poor rulebending.

That said, Language skills are particularly strange even as far as Knoweldge skills go since they aren't usually rolled. I realize RAW (and specifically SR4A) added the 1.5x ability clause, but if it were to be relaxed on anything, Language skills would be it. (Of course, reading linguistics like that makes the Bilingual Quality somewhat useless too, but that's neither here nor there)

EDIT:

Nonsense! If someone has MBW in, they get the bonus. If it's then removed from their system then it's gone. Temporary!

Yeah, IMHO enforcing the 1.5*the current rating rule makes linguist much worse quality then it's if that limit isn't there.
Getting to use a language skill of 1 as it where 3 is much more usefull then getting to use 4 as 6.

All the ones based on adept powers or magic can be temporarily reduced/eliminated by background count, astral hazing, etc.

Yeah. I admit it's weird. Really though, the others stating it is really should be superfluous, unless specifically talking about bonus dice on a roll vs improving a skill.

Language is rolled though. SR4(a) actually has a niice little threshold table and everything. You should technically roll it every time you use a non-native language to see how much of the complexity of the message gets across. Can't give you a page reference as I'm AFB, but I'm pretty sure it's in the Skills chapter under 'Using language skills' or somesuch.

Actually having higher language helps for social skills, as you language skill caps the ammount of dice you can get from social skills.

I think the OP is asking not merely about skill modifiers, but all applicable dice pool modifiers.

The short answer, which I will follow up with some examples (not an exhaustive list), is that generally, three things can affect your dice pools - magic, implants, and tech devices.

Magic - mainly adept powers here. Improved ability increases your actual skill, then there are things like enhanced perception that give you extra dice for assensing and perception, kinesics to improve social skills, and so on.

Implants can give you even more bonuses. Reflex recorders, and move-by-wire's bonus to the dodge skill, are actual skill increases. Synthcardium boosts all athletic skills, while tailored pheromones boost all social skills.

Tech devices can give you bonus dice. Empathy software can give you bonuses to social skills. A medkit or an autopicker can add its rating to your first aid or lockpicking test. Not as much here, but the bonuses can be substantial (six extra dice are nothing to sneeze at).

you forgot the essential modifiers from Qualities

another example for tech, my favorite: Mobility Upgrade in milspec armor adds its rating to Running Tests *g*

edit: Trustworthy is another Quality that modifies skill level