Crew Salaries

[rinku]

In regards to the Profession skill, all we really have in the core book is an example task that applies to an itinerant Traveller who is between jobs, picking up work where they can without gaming it out. I'd be cautious about projecting that.

For an NPC who is living on the planet and actually employed full time doing the same job, you can expect they're going to be like most people in most places in most times and pretty much cover their costs with some savings. Social Standing is probably a better guide to their gross wage or salary than their professional skill. I'd assume a skill level 1 worker would earn on average their upkeep, an experienced level 2 one would be able to set some cash aside and have some nice things, a skill level 3 one would be living comfortably at their actual social standing bracket and might be able to live at the next level for a time.

In other words, a Professional (Factory Worker)-1 just isn't pulling in the same credits as a Professional (Manager)-1.

 

[swordtart]

While we are on the subject of Profession. Are we ruling that a negative effect is actually some sort of fine or docked wages?

Many people have Profession 0 (which equates to a shelf stacker or maybe a server in a fast food joint). How hard is that job exactly? It can be hard to keep motivated and plenty of people slack off, but that is not a function of the difficulty of the job.

I really liked the GURPS profession rules (can't recall the Traveller ones off hand, but they generally seemed reasonable for the other settings).

The inability to find work that pays well enough to live off is the sign of a failed state. Galactic civilisations need plenty of drones just keeping the machinery running and you don't want them concentrating on side hustles. With an empire based on trade, you need someone to buy all those goods and that means disposable income.

 

[Condottiere]

Shelf stacker could be a specialization of logistician.

 

[MasterGwydion]

The inability to find work that pays well enough to live off is the sign of a failed state. Galactic civilisations need plenty of drones just keeping the machinery running and you don't want them concentrating on side hustles. With an empire based on trade, you need someone to buy all those goods and that means disposable income.

People in government and in business are too stupid and/or greedy to realize/care about that, if Our modern world is any indication.

 

[swordtart]

Shelf stacker could be a specialization of logistician.

The first stage of apprenticeship to a logistician career rather than a specialisation. Other than a 1/2 hour manual handling course there is no skill requirement (or there certainly wasn't when I was a shelf stacker in a supermarket when I was 16).

Specialisation is when you choose to delve into the details of a particular skillset, not when you only have a partial grasp of the whole skill set.

I am inclined to agree that Profession should be dropped from the skill tables as it doesn't mean anything and an alternative mechanism for earning money in down time identified.

 

[MasterGwydion]

The first stage of apprenticeship to a logistician career rather than a specialisation. Other than a 1/2 hour manual handling course there is no skill requirement (or there certainly wasn't when I was a shelf stacker in a supermarket when I was 16).

Specialisation is when you choose to delve into the details of a particular skillset, not when you only have a partial grasp of the whole skill set.

I am inclined to agree that Profession should be dropped from the skill tables as it doesn't mean anything and an alternative mechanism for earning money in down time identified.

Scrounge would be better. Scrounge - "Through some legal means, you have managed to scrape together Effect x 250Cr over a week or a month."

Profession, as it is used in Traveller, feels more like you go to Home Depot and wait for someone to come by looking for day laborers, not having an actual 9-5 profession.

 

[hopsnbaer]

How do folks pay the crew for cascade skills. Do you pay an Engineer-J Drive 1, the same as an Engineer that has J-Drive 1, and M-Drive 1, Power 1?

 

[Condottiere]

Ambulance Chaser - profession, calling, or career?

 

[boggo2300]

Ambulance Chaser - profession, calling, or career?

different skill...

 

[Condottiere]

The thing about careers, is that you usually need a collection of skills to succeed at that.

Profession, in that sense, is a career, but with certification.

 

[MasterGwydion]

How do folks pay the crew for cascade skills. Do you pay an Engineer-J Drive 1, the same as an Engineer that has J-Drive 1, and M-Drive 1, Power 1?

4,000Cr/mo as they are a Rank/1 crew member. To become a Rank/2 Engineer, you must have a total DM of +2 in all of the appropriate Engineering skills. They then get paid 6,000Cr/mo. Your actual skill rank doesn't matter. All that matters is that you have the correct DM. Pilot DM of +2, you are a Rank/2 Pilot.

 

[hopsnbaer]

4,000Cr/mo as they are a Rank/1 crew member. To become a Rank/2 Engineer, you must have a total DM of +2 in all of the appropriate Engineering skills. They then get paid 6,000Cr/mo. Your actual skill rank doesn't matter. All that matters is that you have the correct DM. Pilot DM of +2, you are a Rank/2 Pilot.

Pretty much what I was thinking although I don't think I would make them have all sub skills at 2 for the bump.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Pretty much what I was thinking although I don't think I would make them have all sub skills at 2 for the bump.

Why not? I would say that to be certified as a Rank/2 in your field that you would have to meet the qualifications. If you don't, you are not paid as a Rank/2 worker. You could have Medic/5, and Steward/1, but if your job on the ship is only as the Steward, you are not making Rank/5 pay.

 

[boggo2300]

The thing about careers, is that you usually need a collection of skills to succeed at that.

Profession, in that sense, is a career, but with certification.

Character generation seems to disagree with you

 

[Condottiere]

Generally speaking, you aren't a certified doctor, just because you happen to pick up medical/two.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Generally speaking, you aren't a certified doctor, just because you happen to pick up medical/two.

I didn't say doctor. Medic/2 could be a senior EMT or senior nurse, or some other things as well.

I would imagine that to work in a position within the Imperium, regardless of skill, you must be certified. Aslan would do this by clan. No idea how the Hivers or the K'kree would do it. Humans are very bureaucratic. Vilani, Solomani, and Zhodani, they love their paperwork.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Look at the Profession skill. You can make 250Cr per level of Effect, per month.

So, let's do the math. Profession/1 with no skill bonuses. Roll 2D6, average of 7.

7+1=8

8= Effect 0.

0*250Cr = zero income for the month.

Why assume average difficulty? Isn't most of your work actually easy for you if not down right simple? If simple your math above with an average roll is a roll of 7 skill 0 no bonus, ability average no bonus so 7-2= effect 5, 5*250 = 1250 that month. A roll of 2 might be the equivalent of laid off for that month.

How often do you actually fail at your "normal" work?

 

[Arkathan]

Pretty much what I was thinking although I don't think I would make them have all sub skills at 2 for the bump.

At my table, it depends on the size of the engineering staff and who is assigned to which equipment. If you are working on all of the drives by yourself or as a team, average your skills to get your pay. If you have pwr-2 and M-Drive-1 but you work exclusively on the M-Drive, you are level 1 for that ship's crew.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Why assume average difficulty? Isn't most of your work actually easy for you if not down right simple? If simple your math above with an average roll is a roll of 7 skill 0 no bonus, ability average no bonus so 7-2= effect 5, 5*250 = 1250 that month. A roll of 2 might be the equivalent of laid off for that month.

CRB page 61

"Note that if no difficulty is listed for a check, you can always assume it is Average (8+)."

Because I can read the book. (Edit: Now that I think about just because I can read the book, doesn't mean that the people who wrote it actually read their own rules. lol)

CRB page 70

"Profession A Traveller with a Profession skill is trained in producing useful goods or services. There are many different Profession specialities but each one works the same way – the Traveller can make a Profession check to earn money on a planet that supports that trade. The amount of money raised is Cr250 x the Effect of the check per month. Unlike other skills with specialties, levels in the Profession skill do not grant the ability to use other specialties at level 0. Each specialty must be learned individually. Someone with a Profession skill of 0 has a general grasp of working for a living but little experience beyond the most menial jobs. There are a huge range of potential specialities for this skill, one for every possible profession in the universe. Some examples suitable to a science fiction setting are given here. Also note that on some worlds other skills, such as Animals or Electronics (computers), may be used to earn a living in the same manner as Profession skills."

Do you see a Difficulty listed? If not, see the above rule from page 61.

How often do you actually fail at your "normal" work?

I didn't say that it made sense. lol. I just said it's the rule.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

CRB page 61
you can always assume it is Average (8+)."

You can but it doesn't mean you should

I didn't say that it made sense. lol. I just said it's the rule.

The rule you cite is you CAN. You are supposed to assign an APPROPRIATE level of difficulty as GM. Do you think that average is APPROPRIATE for your success doing your normal months work? Or is it simple or maybe easy? How about for a burger flipper? What is the average burger flippers chance to fail to accomplish his work?