Vortex
Mongoose
I have a real hard time thinking of a way to use Profession in a way that would work.
I read the thread where Profession (Pilot) was compared with the Pilot skill. Someone speculated that Profession (Pilot) represented the ability to get and keep a job as a pilot. That makes some sense and there are a lot of things that an ace pilot might not be able to do (follow schedules, fill in paper work, obeying your superior, working in a team, etc.)
On the other hand, if I look at the stats of the B5 characters, Franklin should be the only one getting a pay check if things work like that.
That would seem to indicate that you can get a job for having skills like Medical, Pilot, Soldier, Telepathy or Diplomacy. On the other hand, that seems unfair because these skills also allow you to do something very useful. Who would take 3 ranks in Profession (Flight attendant) if 3 ranks in Pilot pay as much and also allow you to pilot a fighter?
I guess ranks in a non-profession skill that could be a job, could grant the same advantages as half as many ranks in a profession (ie: 4 ranks in Medical pay like 2 ranks in a profession). It would represent that learning to be a doctor needs more effort (more skill points) than learning to be a dock worker. The Profession(doctor) skill could still be used to represent the "paperwork" side of the job. They would be cumulative: 3 ranks in Profession(doctor) and 4 in Medical would pay like 5 ranks in profession (3 + (4 / 2) = 5). Do you think that would work?
There's also a similar problem between some Technical and Knowledge skills.
For example, I have a player who would like to play a CSI. To be a character who knows about forensics, can process a crime scene and be paid for it, she would need to develop Knowledge(Forensics), Technical(Forensics) and Profession(CSI). That would take virtually all the skill points of even a scientist and give only one concrete ability. I think that's way too much.
I guess giving synergy bonus from each skill to the other two would negate some of the problem once skills reach 5. They would effectively all climb to 9 but still…
How did you get around these kinds of problems in your campaigns?
I read the thread where Profession (Pilot) was compared with the Pilot skill. Someone speculated that Profession (Pilot) represented the ability to get and keep a job as a pilot. That makes some sense and there are a lot of things that an ace pilot might not be able to do (follow schedules, fill in paper work, obeying your superior, working in a team, etc.)
On the other hand, if I look at the stats of the B5 characters, Franklin should be the only one getting a pay check if things work like that.
That would seem to indicate that you can get a job for having skills like Medical, Pilot, Soldier, Telepathy or Diplomacy. On the other hand, that seems unfair because these skills also allow you to do something very useful. Who would take 3 ranks in Profession (Flight attendant) if 3 ranks in Pilot pay as much and also allow you to pilot a fighter?
I guess ranks in a non-profession skill that could be a job, could grant the same advantages as half as many ranks in a profession (ie: 4 ranks in Medical pay like 2 ranks in a profession). It would represent that learning to be a doctor needs more effort (more skill points) than learning to be a dock worker. The Profession(doctor) skill could still be used to represent the "paperwork" side of the job. They would be cumulative: 3 ranks in Profession(doctor) and 4 in Medical would pay like 5 ranks in profession (3 + (4 / 2) = 5). Do you think that would work?
There's also a similar problem between some Technical and Knowledge skills.
For example, I have a player who would like to play a CSI. To be a character who knows about forensics, can process a crime scene and be paid for it, she would need to develop Knowledge(Forensics), Technical(Forensics) and Profession(CSI). That would take virtually all the skill points of even a scientist and give only one concrete ability. I think that's way too much.
I guess giving synergy bonus from each skill to the other two would negate some of the problem once skills reach 5. They would effectively all climb to 9 but still…
How did you get around these kinds of problems in your campaigns?
