Network "skill" from Agent

[blackangus]

Can anyone describe more clearly what this is for? Is the blurb on page 3 of Agent the only place it's referenced? I rolled up a pretty cool agent character with network of 2 but I'm not real sure what it does.

 

[nats]

Can anyone describe more clearly what this is for? Is the blurb on page 3 of Agent the only place it's referenced? I rolled up a pretty cool agent character with network of 2 but I'm not real sure what it does.

The way I seen it obtaining a Network is like obtaining a 'passive skill'.

When you receive a Network you have to assign one type to it from the types listed - Street, Corporate, Political, Criminal, Military and Academic.

Networks are mainly a role playing tool that the referee may use for providing contacts, information, help etc to the character even when he may not be actively looking for it- the higher the numerical value, like a skill, the higher the DM you may be employed by the referee. But, whereas Streetwise, Carousing and other such 'active skills' may also help in certain circumstances in a more proactive way (ie you have to choose to employ the skill), a Network is more useful for providing help etc in a passive way - the same way you might get benefits dealing with Scout based situations/patrons if you were in the Scout Service yourself or when dealing with Military situations/patrons etc if you were in the military yourself. And whereas the passive help of a certain career affiliation may be quite limited in its scope and probably not too influential in terms of DMs, having a high rating for a Criminal Network, for example, might provide a character with very good leads for seedy jobs, contacts for information, maybe people coming to the characters help when he really needs it, when things look otherwise bleak.

 

[blackangus]

That makes sense...thanks!

The way I seen it obtaining a Network is like obtaining a 'passive skill'.

When you receive a Network you have to assign one type to it from the types listed - Street, Corporate, Political, Criminal, Military and Academic.

...

 

[CosmicGamer]

To me Network, like Instruction from the Mercenary book, is just poorly thought out fluff to fill pages.

The use within the book is a bit sporadic. I can make no sense of why some specialties have Network in their skill table and others don't.

Like nats said, Street, Corporate, Political, Criminal, Military and Academic networks. So why can't folks actually from those careers establish networks too? Do we need to go retcon all the careers to add networks now?

Didn't we already have allies and contacts in the CRB? The Agent book does make use of them. Why do we now need networks too?

We were discussing the aforementioned Instruction in a thread a while back and someone from Mongoose indicated that they would not be adding it in a rewrite of the book. I think Network should receive a similar fate. Personally I'd re-roll if these items come up during chargen.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Roll-players don't care for any "fluff" generated for their characters.

 

[nats]

To me Network, like Instruction from the Mercenary book, is just poorly thought out fluff to fill pages

If that was the case the author would have filled out a lot more pages with it rather than the single short paragraph that explains what it is. Its like anything in games as a player or referee you either choose to make use of it or you dont. Personal choice and all that. I think it adds a new role playing layer to playing agents.

Yes networks should have been made available in other careers but this is already covered in a more specific way through 'contacts'. Networks though are specific informers that have been used by the player in his career and are specific to that type of career. You dont build up an army of informers working in the army etc do you? But you do in the police force. Definitely scoundrels should have networks, though, especially street, political and criminal.

In the end the result might be similar, but eg having been a criminal might enable you to get a slight DM when asking around for a thief's hang out, Streetwise might provide a better DM in enabling you to find out where a thief is likely to be, a criminal contact might know someone who can help you find out but it could be a dead end, but a street or criminal network might, after a few days of getting the word out, be able to provide the thiefs name, address, hang outs and next job!

 

[alex_greene]

"Network," in this case, might actually be listed under Benefits - alongside the likes of Ship or TAS Membership. So not a skill at all.