Character Creation and Skill Specialties

[Stjarnvik]

I've looked at the rules multiple times but something is still confusing to me.

If for example, during character creation, a character has nothing for the Engineer skill. During one of his career terms he gets a result of "Engineer (any)" on the skill table.
When no level is specified it means that you get +1 to that skill if you have it or you get it at a level of 1 if you don't.

But for skills with specialties you have to select a specialty when you get the skill at level 1. So does that mean that

a) He gets for example Engineer (J-Drive) at 1 and that's it.
b) He gets Engineer at 0 and Engineer (J-Drive) at 1.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Arkathan]

B.
Cascade skills provide one level in the specialty and zero in the others.

Science and profession are exceptions. You don't get Construction Zero when you take Belter 1.

 

[Stjarnvik]

Thank you very much!

 

[Arkathan]

You're welcome.

 

[iainjcoleman]

Profession is an exception to the rule that a skill level in a speciality grants skill zero in all other specialities, but Science is not.

 

[NOLATrav]

Profession is an exception to the rule that a skill level in a speciality grants skill zero in all other specialities, but Science is not.

I’ve been playing that there are groupings of Science, similar to 1e, where a level 1 in Sci (whatever) grants level 0 within that group. So, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, etc. Good fit for my group, lets them feel heroic and strong but allows for challenges where sometimes they actually have to work for the info. Really helps facilitate speed-of-plot versus in-the-moment, and it gives the Science based PCs a hacker-like feel, sort of like Electronics.

 

[RogerMc]

I do a half skill rule for all cascade skills (with half of skill-1 being skill-0) - so your Engineering (Jump)-4 guy has other engineering skills at -2 rather than -0.

And science needs broken down into Life, Social, Physical etc cascades.

 

[Faelderg]

Chapter 7 of the Traveller Companion deals with changing Art, Profession and Science into clusters or better clusters for giving the 0 level and having a cascade of skills under it.