As I put together custom (CE) rules for my Main Sequence setting, I'm dinking about with skill lists. Here's what I've done. Comments and criticisms about the particulars of the list are welcome, but "why are you even doing this?" comments aren't helpful.
Oh, and it's based on the three different skills lists put out by Universal Machines Publications.
SKILLS
These generally let you do something.
Art
* Performer
* Holography
* Instrument
* Visual Media
* Write
Athletics
* Agility
* Battle Dress
* Endurance
* Flying
* Strength
* Vacc Suit
* Zero-G
Bow Combat
* Bow
* Crossbow
* Thrown
Bureaucracy
* Administration
* Advocacy
* Bribery
* Broker
Computer Ops
* Communications ("Comms")
* Programming
* Search
* Sensors
Drive
* Hover
* Mole
* Tracked
* Walker
* Wheeled
* Ocean Ships
* Personal Watercraft
* Sailboats
* Submarines
Engineer
* Gravitics
* Jump Drive
* Life Support
* Mechanic
* Maneuver Drive
* Naval Architect
* Power Plant
* Robotics
Explosives
Farming
* Animals
* Crops
* Hydroponics
Forgery
Gambler
Gunner
* Bay Weapons
* Ortillery
* Spinal Mounts
* Turrets
* Forward Observer
Gun Combat
* Archaic Weapons
* Automatic Weapons
* High Energy Weapons
* Lasers
* Shotgun
* Slug Pistols
* Slug Rifles
* Submachine Guns ("SMG")
* Heavy Weapons
Instruction
Investigate
Language
* Anglic
Leadership
Medical
* Cybernetics
* Diagnosis
* Pharmacology
* Psychiatry
* Surgery
* Xenobiology
Melee
* Blade
* Bludgeon
* Thrust/Pole
* Natural
* Unarmed
Navigation
Persuasion
* Carouse
* Deception
* Interrogation
* Manipulation
* Recruiting
Pilot
* Airship
* Gravitics
* Drones
* Rotor
* Spacecraft
* Wing
Profession
* Assembly
* Belter
* Biological
* Civil Engineering
* Fabrication
* Gravitic Construction
* Hydroponics
* Pharmaceuticals
* Polymers
* Space Construction
* Sub-surface Construction
* Surface Construction
* Underwater Construction
Protocol
* Diplomacy
* High Life
* Low Life
* Military
* Steward
Stealth
Tactics
* Military
* Naval
* Reconnaissance ("Recon")
* Screens
* Security
* Situational Awareness
Survival
KNOWLEDGES
These generally let you know stuff, but do not let you do stuff.
Academics
* History
* Mathematics
* Philosophy
* Theology
Life Science
* Biology
* Botany
* Organic Chemistry
* Ecology
* Genetics
* Veterinary
* Psionicology
Physical Science
* Astrophysics
* Physical Chemistry
* Geology
* Physics
* Planetology
Social Science
* Anthropology
* Archeology
* Economics
* Linguistics
* Paleontology
* Psychohistory
* Sophontology
Summary of changes:
Deleted:
Cargo Handling, Combat Engineering, Field Artillery Gunnery (Guns, HEW, Missiles), Melee / Brawling, Fly / Ornithopter, Science / Astronomy.
Combined Astrogation with Navigation.
Combined Fly with Pilot.
Combined Watercraft with Drive.
Combined most Gun Combat skills together.
Combined most Melee Combat skills together.
Combined Artillery into Gunnery.
Grouped numerous things under Tactics, Persuade, Bureaucracy, Computer Ops, Farming.
Split Sciences into Life Science, Physical Science, Social Science -- all under Knowledges.
Expanded Medic to Medical so doctors can be cooler.
Moved Zero-G under Athletics and collapsed it.
Moved Comms/Remote Ops to Pilot/Drones.
Killed JoT; will replace with Jacks system for specific areas, or not needed now that skills are in such large groups.
Oh, and it's based on the three different skills lists put out by Universal Machines Publications.
SKILLS
These generally let you do something.
Art
* Performer
* Holography
* Instrument
* Visual Media
* Write
Athletics
* Agility
* Battle Dress
* Endurance
* Flying
* Strength
* Vacc Suit
* Zero-G
Bow Combat
* Bow
* Crossbow
* Thrown
Bureaucracy
* Administration
* Advocacy
* Bribery
* Broker
Computer Ops
* Communications ("Comms")
* Programming
* Search
* Sensors
Drive
* Hover
* Mole
* Tracked
* Walker
* Wheeled
* Ocean Ships
* Personal Watercraft
* Sailboats
* Submarines
Engineer
* Gravitics
* Jump Drive
* Life Support
* Mechanic
* Maneuver Drive
* Naval Architect
* Power Plant
* Robotics
Explosives
Farming
* Animals
* Crops
* Hydroponics
Forgery
Gambler
Gunner
* Bay Weapons
* Ortillery
* Spinal Mounts
* Turrets
* Forward Observer
Gun Combat
* Archaic Weapons
* Automatic Weapons
* High Energy Weapons
* Lasers
* Shotgun
* Slug Pistols
* Slug Rifles
* Submachine Guns ("SMG")
* Heavy Weapons
Instruction
Investigate
Language
* Anglic
Leadership
Medical
* Cybernetics
* Diagnosis
* Pharmacology
* Psychiatry
* Surgery
* Xenobiology
Melee
* Blade
* Bludgeon
* Thrust/Pole
* Natural
* Unarmed
Navigation
Persuasion
* Carouse
* Deception
* Interrogation
* Manipulation
* Recruiting
Pilot
* Airship
* Gravitics
* Drones
* Rotor
* Spacecraft
* Wing
Profession
* Assembly
* Belter
* Biological
* Civil Engineering
* Fabrication
* Gravitic Construction
* Hydroponics
* Pharmaceuticals
* Polymers
* Space Construction
* Sub-surface Construction
* Surface Construction
* Underwater Construction
Protocol
* Diplomacy
* High Life
* Low Life
* Military
* Steward
Stealth
Tactics
* Military
* Naval
* Reconnaissance ("Recon")
* Screens
* Security
* Situational Awareness
Survival
KNOWLEDGES
These generally let you know stuff, but do not let you do stuff.
Academics
* History
* Mathematics
* Philosophy
* Theology
Life Science
* Biology
* Botany
* Organic Chemistry
* Ecology
* Genetics
* Veterinary
* Psionicology
Physical Science
* Astrophysics
* Physical Chemistry
* Geology
* Physics
* Planetology
Social Science
* Anthropology
* Archeology
* Economics
* Linguistics
* Paleontology
* Psychohistory
* Sophontology
Summary of changes:
Deleted:
Cargo Handling, Combat Engineering, Field Artillery Gunnery (Guns, HEW, Missiles), Melee / Brawling, Fly / Ornithopter, Science / Astronomy.
Combined Astrogation with Navigation.
Combined Fly with Pilot.
Combined Watercraft with Drive.
Combined most Gun Combat skills together.
Combined most Melee Combat skills together.
Combined Artillery into Gunnery.
Grouped numerous things under Tactics, Persuade, Bureaucracy, Computer Ops, Farming.
Split Sciences into Life Science, Physical Science, Social Science -- all under Knowledges.
Expanded Medic to Medical so doctors can be cooler.
Moved Zero-G under Athletics and collapsed it.
Moved Comms/Remote Ops to Pilot/Drones.
Killed JoT; will replace with Jacks system for specific areas, or not needed now that skills are in such large groups.