Originally posted by Plankowner:
What about a "Choose 1" roll on each table?
I don't think I'd do that either.
But ... Maybe using the Special Duty roll could be used "convince" the GM that a specific skill is needed/wanted by the character.
As a GM, I might be convinced, by a passionate player (who really wanted this) to use success on the Special Duty roll (that'd be one shot each term) for a skill or skills not on the general career tables.
Let's say a dude in a typical everyday job (businessman...Bureaucrat Career) wanted to learn helicopter (Rotary-Wing Vehicle). I'd look at the TL of his homeworld, and the atmosphere code, and any other considerations that come to mind (maybe govt code might impact this), and I might say, "No problem. You've got three chances to roll a
Vehicle skill on the career tabels as is ... two chances on the Service Skills table and one chance on the Advanced Education table. Roll it, and you've got it."
But, let's say that same character wanted to learn Pilot.
If the TL of the homeworld made sense, and
if the other aspects of the character's background and homeworld made sense, I might use the same procedure above (with the Vehicle skill) but also say, "When you roll a Vehicle skill, I'll give you a chance for Pilot. Once Vehicle is obtained, roll EDU (or maybe SOC, depending on the situation) or less on 2D. If successful, you get your Pilot skill. If not successful, then you get a standard vehicle skill."
Now, let's say that same character wanted Battledress. Ain't gonna happen. Well, I won't say it positively, absolutely, won't happen, but the player's got some real splain'in to do if he wants his Bureaucrat character to learn Battledress. He's going to have to be a salesman/demonstrator working for a firm that makes Battledress--or, something that's
believeable if he wants Battledress. The players is going to have to jump through some hoops and do some fancy-smancy dancin' if he wants me to allow his Bureaurcat character to get Battledress.
And, this is where, if I was convinced the character might have a chance at the skill, that I'd bring in the Special Duty roll. When the character rolls successfully on Special Duty, I'd give the Bureaucrat character (after I had been convinced that it was even possible for the character to have the skill) a
chance to learn the skill.
"You're from the TL 13 world of Aramis, and Aramis is the subsector capital. The biggest Naval and Army base in the subsector is located on Aramis. Aramis has a lot of businesses, and military contractors has to be some of them. Since Aramis is the highest TL planet in the subsector, it probably supplies the rest of the subsector with high-tech goods.
"OK, your character is a bureaucrat on Aramis, working for one of these military contractors. You may have some experience with Battledress, demonstrating it to the firm's buyers. Tell you want I'm gonna do...
"If you roll Successfully on Special Duty (6+ for Bureaucrat), you will get a chance to get Battledress. Roll EDU or less on 2D, and if successful, you get
Battledress-0.
"Note that you won't get Battledress-1. You'll start at Level-0, and if you get it again, you can increase it to Level-1 and so on.
"Each time you roll Special Duty, you'll have to make the EDU or less roll.
"If you roll 10+ on your Special Duty roll (4+ the 6+ required roll) on the first time you do this, I'll start you at Battledress-1 instead of Battledress-0.
"I don't see a demonstrator being proficient with Battledress in a combat situation, so I'm going to make it harder to increase your Battledress skill once you get to Battledress-1. At this point, when you make the Special Duty roll, you can increase your Battledrss skill if you roll EDU or less on 3D. Failing this roll means that your forfeit the skill (you don't get another skill on the tables)..."
I'd probably work up something like that, customized to the character, player, and homeworld, when a player wants something special.
But, all the "pieces" have to line up. It has to make sense. I'm not just going to give a character a skill because the player wants it. I'll let him argue his case, and maybe we'll come up with something elaborate like the above if it makes
sense. But, I'm not going to give a character a skill just because a player wants it--especially if it breaks the bounds of believeability.
I think I would like playing in your game...
I'll tell you this, bro. If you lived close, I'd personally invite you to be in my game.
You'd like this group of guys who game with me. I've known most of them for 10-20 years, and we've all been gaming about as along. They're a great set of role players.
These players really impress me many times when we play. They are true
role players. No silly crap here.
I think you'd fit right in.
