Question about Background Skills

[Zen Infidel]

I have a question regarding background skills in the character creation process. If a character hails from a homeworld with two trade codes with the same skill, for example Garden and agriculture, would the character start with rank 1 in animals, or would the extra skill just be wasted?

 

[F33D]

You don't get it doubled

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

That's a good question. My app gives Animals 1 if a homeworld as two trade classes that involve animals. Maybe I should re-think this and spare the skill point for a later education skill? I guess I'll make sure that education skills are also no more than level 0.

 

[GamerDude]

If you read the text for background skills (TCR pg 6)... The "Homeworld Type" skill that is added to the standard list of backgrounds skills you choose from. Doesn't matter what the specific codes you have in the planet profile that might relate to that skill. A homeworld that is a "poor desert" world adds "Animals 0" (from Poor) and "Survival 0" (from Desert) to the Education background skills.

Since the initial paragraph says "... and trade codes" I can see the GM allowing player to just take a zero level in the applicable specialties of the skill in question, as long as they take the skill during the choosing of their background skills, but not as extra to the regular background skill mechanic.

A note about what skill level(s) you can get from the Background skill secion. It literally says "<skill name> 0". If it had listed the skill name with a "1" or no number at all then it could be a 1 etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I just takes getting used to understanding what "skill 0" means when coming from another RPG.

Does it really mean skill 0 is the final result? Or can another skill 0 be dished out, which might be added up as skill 1?

 

[AndrewW]

I just takes getting used to understanding what "skill 0" means when coming from another RPG.

Does it really mean skill 0 is the final result? Or can another skill 0 be dished out, which might be added up as skill 1?

A skill is given at the level listed if any. If there is no level then it can be added as another level to an existing skill (or gained at level 1 if no previous or level 0 in the skill).

 

[Greylond]

The point of Background Skills is that your character, who starts at Age 18, is competent in a few skills. You have to remember that a Skill at Level 0 is Competent, i.e. Proficient, in the Skill. Think of Level 0 skills as a Proficiency and higher Levels you are becoming Professionally Skilled in.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Yep. I used to think it meant zero, or no skill. But then I had to remind myself that having it listed at all on a character sheet meant there was some skill there at least.

I did a quick edit of my app, so now there are no more background skills with level more than 0.

 

[Greylond]

Anyway you can share that App?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

It's still an alpha program for now. I can email it to you if you have Python 2.5.4 installed.

 

[Greylond]

PM on the way...

Thanks,

 

[2330ADUSA1]

Look I use a different system for Background skills...

I take the player characters INT and EDU score and add them together and devide by 2 and round up and that gives the player some base points. Now depending on what their Home world was and their social standing was before they role their terms of service, they get basic skills as level -0 skills in knowledge. Then I have the players choose or role to determine using the points score they had to obtain skills and levels of skill. I make a rule 1 pt for a level -0 and 2nd point to obtain a level -1 skill. Now background skill level can be higher than a level -1 skill.

So example they have a INT-9 and EDU-9, that would mean 9+9=18 /2 = 9 skill slot points. Now say the player has a SOC-7 which makes them average worker family(blue colar types) and say they live in a mining colony in a asteroid belt. That starting player charater might start with the following skills of:

Vacc Suit-0, Zero G-0, Mech-0, Elect-0

Then the player character has 9 skill slot points inwhich to trade in buy either choosing or rolling on sharts that I have to come up with skills. Lets assume the player does the following:

+1 Vacc Suit
+1 Zero G
+1 Mech
+1 Elect
+2 Comm
+1 Gun Cbt
+2 Robotics

Which means when they start with terms in some career, their starting skills would be:

Vacc Suit-1
Zero G-1
Mech-1
Elect-1
Comm-1
Gun Cbt-0
Robotics-1

Now in my game I could care less if players have a bunch of skills, it just makes them play their character's better. I look at how many skills I would have in a Traveller setting and what level my own would be and I would have quite a few more than would normally be rolled up in a standard Traveller roll up anyway.

I also use a House rule d100% system that is modified as well too, that each skill is based off of two Attribute scores and any levels one has 1 level = +5% to the skill percent. Depending on the level of dificulty, their are mods that apply and that sets the success base role one needs to roll to accomplish the task.

 

[F33D]

Which means when they start with terms in some career, their starting skills would be:

Vacc Suit-1
Zero G-1
Mech-1
Elect-1
Comm-1
Gun Cbt-0
Robotics-1

Interesting but, based on what a skill level of "1" means in MGT, an 18 year old isn't going to have that level of skills as above...

 

[GamerDude]

I just takes getting used to understanding what "skill 0" means when coming from another RPG.

Does it really mean skill 0 is the final result? Or can another skill 0 be dished out, which might be added up as skill 1?

A skill is given at the level listed if any. If there is no level then it can be added as another level to an existing skill (or gained at level 1 if no previous or level 0 in the skill).

And, since this is without reference (and hence probably argued) lets see where the book 'clearly' states how this "getting a Level-0 in a skill when you already have a Level-0 in that skill".
"Traveller CRB, Page 38, example character creation"

• First Term: As this is Jamison’s first term in this new career, he is given a basic training in all aspects of ship handling [he gains all the Service Skills at level 0, gaining:
  -- Vacc Suit 0
  -- Broker 0
  -- Steward 0
  -- Comms 0
  -- Persuade 0.
• He would also learn Drive 0 as a service skill but he has already got Drive at level 0 from his background (first paragraph of the section) and so gains no benefit.
• He also learns to pilot the ship (Roll of a 1 on the Merchant Marine Specialist skills table).

 

[GamerDude]

The point of Background Skills is that your character, who starts at Age 18, is competent in a few skills. You have to remember that a Skill at Level 0 is Competent, i.e. Proficient, in the Skill. Think of Level 0 skills as a Proficiency and higher Levels you are becoming Professionally Skilled in.

I like how HeroSystem explains it: "Everyman Skills"

These are the skills every man get exposed to growing up and gains basic familiarity with generally by 18. What's neat is these are very setting/culture dependent. While cars started being seen in number say 1920 (really rough wag) back then starting and driving a "horse-less carriage" was a very specific skill, where as today driving is indoctrinated through visual media, plenty of games, etc. (haven't we all heard at least once about the 10-year old driving some sick/hurt adult to the hospital?)

Anyway, this is what the "Level-0" represents, that kind of familiarity. The word "proficient" means "Competent or skilled in doing or using something." Level-0 isn't competency or skilled, its just basic "fine I can do this better enough over an unskilled person the lack of real training isn't going to hinder me".

 

[Greylond]

Yea, Aces&Eights and the new version of HackMaster both have "Universal Skills" that are pretty much the same thing.

 

[2330ADUSA1]

Well I like to look at skills diferently....in my game and I have been GMing and playing Traveller for 36 yrs now, I have merged in Basic Roleplaying D100 system into my game and have run it for quite some time. In my system I have skills as having up to 10 levels with each level equal to 5%. Thus each skill starts off with a base that is always two character stats added together, plus their skill level bonus in levels. Then depending on the situation they can get other bonus/minuses. Then it is a simple d100% roll for success or failure.

Now a Level 0 skill means that a person has the very basic ability (two stats added together) for they skill % base. Then there is level of difficulty: Simple +20%, Standard (no mod), Difficult -20%.

Here is a example: Player has a Science Skill, where lets say they have a INT-12, EDU-12, Science - 3, that would be (12 + 12 + 15 = 39%). So depending on the difficulty of the situation they might have the following final roll %:

Basic Skill 39% + Simple +20% = 59%
Basic Skill 39% + Standard = 39%
basic Skill 39% + Difficult -20% = 19%

It makes the system pretty simple to understand and GM/Play for everyone. Thus a player needs to roll their final score% or under to succeed. There are also other mods too, but this is the basic system. I also use my own Combat system that is based off a ATTACK role vs a DEFENSE role too. I even use a Experience Point system where players can earn up to 4-5 pts per adventure and they pool these points and use them to up stats and skill levels and other things by cashing them in. Nothing is 1 for 1, it is usually to gain 1 pt in something cost you a number of Exps Pts to buy just that +1 pt. I always reward my players with 1-2 pts for pure roleplaying if they stay within character which has always been extremely important to me.

Which means when they start with terms in some career, their starting skills would be:

Vacc Suit-1
Zero G-1
Mech-1
Elect-1
Comm-1
Gun Cbt-0
Robotics-1

Interesting but, based on what a skill level of "1" means in MGT, an 18 year old isn't going to have that level of skills as above...

 

[F33D]

Well I like to look at skills diferently...

That's cool, but it is apples to rocks as we aren't talking the same RPG rule set.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

It makes the system pretty simple to understand and GM/Play for everyone.

I find that the D100 mechanic waters down probabilities. And luck becomes a factor.