Confused on Character creation - level 0 and level 1 skills

[Chernobyl]

I have some confusion on Skills during character creation.
Background skills and your basic training skills start at level 0. fine, that's cool.
Skills with specialties - Melee, for instance, work a little wierd. It seems you don't pick the specialty until you reach level 1 with the skill. My main confusion is on page 8, Skills and Training.
It seems if, when you're rolling up a skill, if there's no level listed, you get the skill at 1, or, if you already have the skill at 1 or better, it goes up by 1.
If the skill HAS a number, you get it at that level and nothing else. If its already that high, or higher, too bad for you.

So, what happens when you get a skill like "Pilot (any)", "Social Science (any)", "Language (any)"?

Do you get the skill at level 1, as it seems you would (because it has no listed number)?
and if you do, does (any) imply you get all of the specialties, or just one of the specialties?
If not, does getting it at level 1 cover level 0 "breadth" of knowledge?

Chern

 

[barnest2]

The way I do it, if you get a skill with no level listing, you either get it at 0 or add 1 to it if you already have it. (So if you have 'gun combat 2', and roll 'gun combat', then you now have 'gun combat 3' or 'gun combat 2' and a new speciality at 'gun combat 1')
If it has a listed number (like gun combat 1), then if you have that or higher then too bad.

 

[AndrewW]

If you get a skill with specialities (as normal it could be level 1) you pick which speciality and gain it as normal. When you have level 1 or greater in any speciality you are able to use the other specialities at level 0.

 

[The Greek]

Basic skills are at level 0. You might see this as not being fully trained in the skill but have picked up enough knowledge to do it with some competence.

If you get a skill with no listing during your career or from an event you add one to the level of the skill. If you previously had no skill you get it at level 1. So you know have some decent training.

If you get a skill and it has a 1 after it you get that skill at level 1. If you already have that skill then you do not gain a benefit. You have just been sent on a training course to teach you about stuff you arte already familiar with. Joy.

If it is a skill with different specialities then you choose a speciality. If you have Gun Combat (slug pistol) 1 and you get Gun Combat (any) 1 then you are free to choose a different speciality at level 1 (so Gun Combat (slug rifle) 1 would be valid. You get to learn how to use bigger guns... (or something)

 

[locarno24]

Skills with specialties - Melee, for instance, work a little wierd. It seems you don't pick the specialty until you reach level 1 with the skill. My main confusion is on page 8, Skills and Training.

That's correct - you can record it as Melee (Blade)/0 but it's functionally identical to Melee/0.

The thing is that you cannot get Melee/1 - that level of skill can only be obtained by training seperately in a sub-discipline, giving you Melee (Blade)/1.

Melee (Blade)/1 still includes Melee (anything else)/0, though, because basic concepts like time and motion, parrying versus evasion, and general willingness to actually hit someone are universal pretty much regardless of weapon (or lack thereof)

If you get the option of Melee (any) in a skill, it means you need to pick a speciality - Unarmed Combat, Blade, Bludgeon or Natural Weapons.

I suppose if you have all four specialities earned seperately at level 1, you could always write the skill as Melee/1 to save space....

It seems if, when you're rolling up a skill, if there's no level listed, you get the skill at 1, or, if you already have the skill at 1 or better, it goes up by 1.
If the skill HAS a number, you get it at that level and nothing else. If its already that high, or higher, too bad for you.

Correct.