What skill is used to build various things

[Nadia Grell]

Mechanics say that this skill is or maintain and repair. but say i wish to build a laser pistol or a spare part for a tv. what skill is used?

 

[IanBruntlett]

Consulting the Traveller Core Rulebook's chapter on Skills, I'd suggest the Electronics skill.

Electronics
This skill is used to operate electronic devices such
as computers and ship-board systems. Higher levels
represent the ability to repair and create electronic
devices and systems. There are several specialities.

Engineer
The Engineer skill is used to operate and maintain
spacecraft and advanced vehicles. Engineer can be used
to make repairs on damaged systems on spacecraft and
advanced vehicles. For repairs on s

Mechanic
The Mechanic skill allows a Traveller to maintain and
repair most equipment – some advanced equipment
and spacecraft components require the Engineer skill.
Unlike the narrower and more focussed Engineer or
Science skills, Mechanic does not allow a Traveller to
build new devices or alter existing ones – it is purely
for repairs and maintenance but covers all types of
equipment.

 

[Bense]

Profession
"A Traveller with a Profession skill is trained in producing useful goods or services."

Electronics works for building electronic devices, too.

 

[Condottiere]

Mechanics would be qualified to maintain and build kinetically inclined components.

There would be some overlap with electric appliances.

If it's just a case of assembling components together, and making sure they function, then a laser pistol could fall under that category.

 

[CordwainerFish]

Engineering to design the thing, Mechanic to make it, Athletics (Endurance) to dig up the iron ore...

 

[Condottiere]

A book keeper, to ensure everyone gets paid.

 

[Arkathan]

Mechanics operate in a workshop.
Workshops house fabricators.
Fabricators make parts that you have the designs and materials for.
Mechanics take those parts and assemble them in accordance with available procedure manuals.

Same thing with Robotics skill in a Robotics Lab for making robots as one-offs.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Mechanics say that this skill is or maintain and repair. but say i wish to build a laser pistol or a spare part for a tv. what skill is used?

Depends on the contribution and level of skill (especially electronics emphasises creating devices at higher skill level). Science is knowing about what you are building. Some ideas:

Laser Pistol	TV spare part
INT or EDU	INT or EDU
Science(Physics) - Lasers is a branch of physics Engineer (Power) - Understand how Power (potential or kinetic.) is going to make all this happen. Gun (Energy) - Draw upon the concepts of transformation	Science(Physics) - Understand the principles of broadcast signals Electronics (Comms) - Comms can be audio or visual Profession(Polymers) - design using polymers is near enough, or, use Science(Chemistry) to understand semiconductors

 

[Garran]

The general idea with skills like electronics is that higher ranks represent the ability to build the things as well as to use them. There's no hard threshold for it though.

 

[Saladman]

Rules as written to be, making stuff is Electronics, Engineer, Science or Profession, but usually not Mechanic - but you have to read all those entries plus Mechanic to catch all that.

There's no RAW requirement for multiple precursor skills (one skill to design, another to build), but I'd certainly take supplemental skills as Task Chains to the main roll.

In a 1e campaign I used the lower of a character's Mechanic and total Gun Combat - Slug skills as a Gunsmithing skill (for hard stuff, simple repairs or mounting a scope would be Gun Combat + Edu). If you can't decide where a laser pistol fits in you could do something similar, maybe sum all Electronics specializations then cap by Gun Combat - Energy.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Travellers! Travellers!!

How to Reverse Engineer and make an Electric Toaster from scratch (including mining ore):

How I built a toaster -- from scratch

It takes an entire civilization to build a toaster. Designer Thomas Thwaites found out the hard way, by attempting to build one from scratch: mining ore for steel, deriving plastic from oil ... it's frankly amazing he got as far as he got. A parable of our interconnected society, for designers...

www.ted.com

 

[Condottiere]

If you want to do it from scratch, a zip laser pistol just needs a super charged triple aih battery, a focusing lens, electrical connection, and a plastic pipe.

 

[Tom B]

If you want to do it from scratch, a zip laser pistol just needs a super charged triple aih battery, a focusing lens, electrical connection, and a plastic pipe.

And a zip

 

[Condottiere]

Zip tie.