CT+ Careers

[Berg]

Here goes my take on scientist...

Feel free to edit as necessary

Scientist

Enlistment: 6+, DM +1 if 9+ Int, DM +2 if 10+ Edu
Survival: 5+, DM +2 if 9+ Edu
Special Duty: 5+
Reenlist: 5+

Ranks and benefits per CT/MT

Auto skills:
academic -1

personal
1 physical
2 mental
3 +1 Int
4 +1 Edu
5 liason
6 J O T

Service
1 firearm
2 academic
3 carousing
4 vehicle
5 leader
6 admin

Adv 1
1 computer
2 medic
3 technical
4 academic
5 mechanical
6 instruction

ADV 2
1 engineering
2 electronics
3 space
4 technical
5 academic
6 academic

* since the scientist career has no ranks then 2 skills per term plus special duty

Tom

 

[Malenfant]

Originally posted by Berg:
[QB] Here goes my take on scientist...

Feel free to edit as necessary

Dude, what do you thinks scientists do?! Firearms? Survival rolls?! Heaven forbid, carousing?!

Enlistment: 6+, DM +1 if 9+ Int, DM +2 if 10+ Edu

To be a scientist - as in 'academic researcher type guy' - IRL you need to be well educated. I mean, Ph.D. level, maybe M.Sc. If you're anything less, well it's unlikely you'll get far. I think you're being a tad generous with the enlistment roll here, maybe it should be 8+ default.

Survival: 5+, DM +2 if 9+ Edu

Um. Science isn't a phenomenally risky occupation. I'd say knock this down to 3+.

Reenlist: 5+

Depends on the grant money... . If a scientist is at a research or university institution then this is probably OK.

One possible mishap is that the scientist's latest research isn't funded. Or that his theories fall out of favour. Or that his science department is downsized (possibly him with it).

Service
1 firearm

Seriously dude, I don't know any scientists who learn firearms as part of the job. Unless they're out in some dangerous field trip and need a shotgun to ward off polar bears or something. But beyond that, it's really unlikely.

3 carousing

OK, I was kidding. Scientists can get pissed and have fun like anyone else . No, really.

6 admin

I'd almost be tempted to make this more common. Admin is the bane of a scientist's life, especially at universities or when grant application time comes around.

Teaching should probably be in there somewhere too - most scientists work in universities after all...

 

[Berg]

First off I got the enlist etc.. stuff from MT so blame them
Since you are a "'academic researcher type guy" you are most welcome to help

Firearms?!? Who do you think invents these things, macho army dudes
Not Risky! Depends on what your building/testing (bombs perhaps)
Reenlist maybe needs bonuses like DM +1 if 9+ Soc.
Carousing has to stay, probably more so than Admin (crazy scientists, bending space!)
Instruction is there.

Just foolin', good input

Tom

 

[flykiller]

Oh, so each "table" would really be a matrix?

yes, [4,6,6]. either choose/choose/roll or choose/roll/choose.

So there would be multiple skills per slot or are we picking skills from the same line in a different Career table?

yes, multiple skills or cascade skills per slot. of course I imagine the slot for medical would be similar if not identical for every career, and I suppose other slots too could be identical from career to career.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Mal, I think this is based on the Scientist including Doctor, Archaeologist, Field Anthropologist, Xeno-Biologist, etc. Hence the "Firearms" cascade.

As for the Educ bonus for enlistment, remember that this is basic CT - 10+ is pretty good. (Of course, we did mention that colleges/academies would be in Basic chargen - this is as good a place as any....)

 

[clementk]

Originally posted by Takei:
Whilst pondering things over lunch, I got to wondering just how many careers are actually used by players? Using the initial list from this thread I came up with the following careers used by my players since 1980;

Barbarian-no
Bureaucrat-no
Diplomat-no
Doctor-no
Hunter-no
Scientist-no

I've seen or personally played all of these. (Well Bureaucrat/Diplomat type) And I've played an Entertainer. Moot Jester Asu started out as one using the career over on Freelance Traveller. stats

Personally I think there's a need for a character that has connections (legal or otherwise), and relies on their charm/savvy/charisma and skill but isn't a criminal, which is what the CT Rogue is. That and entertainers in the OTU would be travelling quite a bit if they aren't just local and often be low on funds both good reasons to be adventuring. Asu was my attempt to create an Ur-Traveller character.

Bump number of skills in terms to MT or slightly lower T4 levels and drop Advanced chargen. Unless well balanced it doesn't work well with basic chargen characters and adds more complexity.

 

[Takei]

One comment on Zakrol's Army/Marines - change the automatic skills to:

Army: Combat Rifleman-1
Army Lt: Leader-1 (possibly Tactics-1 as well)

Marine: Vacc Suit-0, Combat Rifleman-1
Marine Lt: Leader-1 (possibly Tactics-1 as well)

My thinking being that you can pass Marine boot camp even if you're crap with a cutlass but not if you can't shoot. Lieutenants need to be able to lead not shoot handguns and smgs. That's not a dig at you Zakrol - this is a CT carry-over problem that we now have the chance to squash.

 

[Takei]

Originally posted by Casey:
I've seen or personally played all of these. (Well Bureaucrat/Diplomat type) And I've played an Entertainer. Moot Jester Asu started out as one using the career over on Freelance Traveller. stats

<snip>

Bump number of skills in terms to MT or slightly lower T4 levels and drop Advanced chargen. Unless well balanced it doesn't work well with basic chargen characters and adds more complexity.

I just knew there'd be someon who'd played them

I'm not against them, I was just pondering about reducing the numbers of careers.

As far as skills goes I really do feel that we need to increase the numbers of skills characters get. I don't think one per year plus another couple possible from specials and promotions is too many.

My very first CT characters were done on a mistaken assumption - I rolled once per term on each skill table, but only using the 8+ Edu table if my character had Edu 8+. It produced remarkably well rounded characters that were on par with the Book 4 skills monsters.

 

[Maladominus]

Originally posted by Fritz88:
Mal, I think this is based on the Scientist including Doctor, Archaeologist, Field Anthropologist, Xeno-Biologist, etc. Hence the "Firearms" cascade.

YEP!! Indiana Jones. Laura Croft. Need I go on and list a zillion more examples? Archaeologist (or "field researcher" etc). Carried a gun. Or carried a whip. Was damn good at using all sorts of weapons too.


Of course.... British archaeologists in the Victorian Era, when they first set off to Egypt and discovered the mummy tombs. Ummm, yes they carried pistols and personal sidearms. For protection? From local thugs? Bandits? Arabs? You betcha.

Scientists/Academics who spend some time in the "field" should have a small chance of being able to roll for weapons skills. Anyone who goes out in the wilds and explores strange ruins, strange new planets and strange new/old civilizations needs to have a chance to defend themselves against hostiles. This is common sense, folks.

just my 2 Darrian cents


EDIT: even if we allowed the Scientist/Academic types to pick up weapon skills, their choice of weapons should be limited to simple personal firearms (such as "Handguns" as described in Mercenary). I'd have fits seeing a "Scientist" who was trained in using a PGMP-13.

 

[Berg]

I just knew there'd be someon who'd played them I'm not against them, I was just pondering about reducing the numbers of careers.

This was mentioned earlier in the thread and seemed to boil down to this...

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:

I would either stick to MT, or reduce it down to

Army
Navy
Marines
Scouts
Law Enforcement
Pirate

Noble
Merchant
Belter
Scientist
Rogue
Barbarian

Reasoning being that the wet navy and flyer are part of the Army - just pick the right skills.
Doctors can qualify from the military or a civilian service (merchant, scientist).
Diplomats and bureaucrats fall into the realm of the career noble.
And a hunter career? More like a specialist merchant enterprise, noble pastime, or something you do during game time

Until further discussion of course

Tom

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Maladominus:
"Boring career types" is a personal opinion.

Hence the use of graemlins... I'll edit in an IMHO.

What is boring to you is not considered boring to another GM, player or roleplayer. Thus, any decision to "do away" with or to marginalize the boring careers (e.g. the non-combat non-action type careers) is clearly an arbitrary decision here.

I agree with you, my prefered option is to stick with 18 careers.

 

[flykiller]

I rolled once per term on each skill table, but only using the 8+ Edu table if my character had Edu 8+.

I like that.

 

[mike wightman]

Here's a thought, for careers with a commission roll.

Should characters roll for promotion as enlisted men anyway in order to try for the extra skill it brings; or should enlisted personel get 2 skills per term.

Do only officers learn things?

 

[Berg]

I think some of the amalgamations could be appropriate (eg. army/sailor/flyer, doctor/scientist, noble/bureaucrat, etc)

Tom

 

[zakrol]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
Here's a thought, for careers with a commission roll.

Should characters roll for promotion as enlisted men anyway in order to try for the extra skill it brings; or should enlisted personel get 2 skills per term.

Do only officers learn things?

Hey - I like that! And it makes careers like Navy (where getting a commission is so tough) a lot more palatable. It means that the ranks from LBBs 4+5 can be used. Not sure what the implication for non military careers is - maybe they get the 2 skills per term option rather than NCO ranks.

 

[zakrol]

Originally posted by Takei:
One comment on Zakrol's Army/Marines - change the automatic skills to:

Army: Combat Rifleman-1
Army Lt: Leader-1 (possibly Tactics-1 as well)

Marine: Vacc Suit-0, Combat Rifleman-1
Marine Lt: Leader-1 (possibly Tactics-1 as well)

My thinking being that you can pass Marine boot camp even if you're crap with a cutlass but not if you can't shoot. Lieutenants need to be able to lead not shoot handguns and smgs. That's not a dig at you Zakrol - this is a CT carry-over problem that we now have the chance to squash.

No dig taken

The whole point of my posting them was to set the thought processes going.

I (and Berg's Rogue and Scientist) are attempts to translate the CT/MT versions to our skill lists as closely as possible.

Whether this is what we want for CT+ is a different question and you and Malenfant make good points in your comments.

Officers getting Leader skills makes perfect sense and I'm all for it. I'd be wary of giving tactics as well - 3 extra skills in a career could be a little much (especially as some only get 1).

Whether Marines should switch to gun skills by default depends on your views in the swords in space question. Traditionally, Traveller Marines use cutlasses - is it time to ditch the automatic nature of this? I think I'd agree with you, myself.

 

[far-trader]

Why not just make the non-ranked careers have a roll of like difficulty for a hobby skill. No need to just give them a free skill a term, make them roll too.

 

[Berg]

life pursuits...hmmm

Tom

 

[Takei]

Originally posted by Zakrol:
Officers getting Leader skills makes perfect sense and I'm all for it. I'd be wary of giving tactics as well - 3 extra skills in a career could be a little much (especially as some only get 1).

Agreed on cutting the Tactics skill.
One skill per term sucks, which is why I prefer the one skill per year approach.

Whether Marines should switch to gun skills by default depends on your views in the swords in space question. Traditionally, Traveller Marines use cutlasses - is it time to ditch the automatic nature of this? I think I'd agree with you, myself.

I've always understood that the cutlass was a ceremonial weapon. Sure it's good physical training, but their main weapon is a firearm of some sort.
Swords in space (especially in boarding actions) is not my thing.

 

[zakrol]

Originally posted by Takei:
Agreed on cutting the Tactics skill.
One skill per term sucks, which is why I prefer the one skill per year approach.

I'm not sure whether we're talking about different things here - so apologies if I've misunderstood.

These extra skills are over and above the usual skills per term that characters will get. The Leader-1 on reaching lieutenant is in addition to the skill they get from making the promotion.

My comment was that giving Tactics-1 as well means that an Army/Marine character will be getting 3 bonus skills in their career - Combat Rifleman-1 on joining and Leader-1 and Tactics-1 on making lieutenant.

Whereas other careers only get the 1 (Scouts only get pilot-1, rogues only get streetwise-1).

With the MT style special duty rules and 2 skills/term for non promotion careers, most characters will get 3-4 skills per term aside from these freebies...