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taalismn wrote:

abe wrote:chemistry(practical jokes)
this skill will allow the user to produce stink bombs & other silly tricks for defeating foes or just to have fun.
base skill 25+6% per level.

Some people would consider synthesizing LSD or nitroglycerine to be nifty practical jokes.
And one person's silliness can be considered another person's Demolitions or Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological warfare skill.
Or, if you want to be more innocuous and less inclined to blow people up, using a mixture of water and corn starch to create a fluid you can walk on.
The fact of the matter is, you can't perform chemical practical jokes from scratch without chemistry, PERIOD. The practical joke capability comes afterwards when you start to apply your learning.
If you're just performing practical jokes with chemistry without being able to do anything else with it, you haven't learned chemistry, you're re-doing stuff you read in a book or a recipe somebody else wrote for you. I can make edible muffins from a mix, by reading the instructions, but that doesn't mean I now have Cooking(Muffinry), nor does it qualify me with a Cooking skill(in other words, if I then try to deepfry a turkey, you would be correct to start hiding behind fireproof shelter). My new muffin-making ability is more an application of Literacy( correctly reading the instructions) and Math: Basic(measuring the ingredients) than a Cooking skill.

Everything you'd need to know to do fun things with chemistry, including practical jokes, is already covered by the existing Chemistry skill.
Ask Bill Nye or Mister Science....chemists who know how to make teaching chemistry fun, not fun people who happen to know a little chemistry.
Just don't ask Bill Nye to dance.

I would consider Pranks a skill though. Would cover common science that allows one to make the fun parts of science without the serious part. A few This would be the showman Magicians version science and chemsitry. also add in the planning phase and How to properly make the prank work.

Rimmerdal wrote:[I would consider Pranks a skill though. Would cover common science that allows one to make the fun parts of science without the serious part. A few This would be the showman Magicians version science and chemsitry. also add in the planning phase and How to properly make the prank work.

I'd consider it an extension of the skill Sleight of Hand for mechanical stuff, with modification from appropriate electrical, mechanical, carpentry, optical and sewing skills. And the types most likely to take chemistry for pranks(for instance, in Rifts, the Street Rat, Twizard & the Ludicrous Mage) can take Chemistry without restriction, at its starting base proficiency of 30%+5% per level of experience. That's 5% better than Abe's proposed skill.
Sure, the vagabond/nomad scout can't take it(they're limited to Math), at the start, but then they can't pick up ANY Chemistry skill at 1st level, so it's moot. If they're planning a career in prankstership, they can pick up the basic education as part of theif life advancement.
The timing and planning would come from Sleight of Hand; you've got the premade components you came up with Chemistry, but you could still fall flat if your timing and execution is off.
There's nothing that sez you HAVE to be serious with chemistry once you've taken it, but if you're going to be composing stinkbombs and the like from scratch, the serious component that's gotta be drummed into your head is going to be chemical SAFETY.

Mercbook1

I posted this awhile back in the thread for Football
Football (American)
This sport is one the most popular games in the United States. It has increased it popularity over the years. Its a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goal posts. Requirements: General Athletics and can't be selected as a secondary skills

Bonuses: +1 to roll with impact, +1 to maintain balance, +1 to P.S., +1d4 to Speed, +2d4 to S.D.C. and one of the following
Quarter backs: +2 to perception rolls, +1 to strike with thrown weapon, +1 to dodge, +1 to initiative at levels 3 and 10
Offensive backs (Running backs and Receivers): +2 to maintain balance, +2 to P.P., +1d6 to Spd., +1d6 to S.D.C.
Linemen (Offensive and Defensive): +2 to grapple, +1 to P.S., +2d4 to S.D.C. and +1 to maintain balance at levels 2, 9 and 14
Defensive backs (Linebackers, Cornerbacks and Safeties): +1 to initiative or perception rolls, +1 to P.E. or P.S., +1d4 damage to block block/tackle and +1 to strike with body block/tackle at levels 1, 6 and 12
Kickers: +2 to damage with kicks, +1d4 to Speed and +1 to strike with kicks at levels 1, 5, 10 and 15


I think I did soccer as well. As for Basketball skill, there is one floating around that I use for my characters but it was on a skill list from someone else, crazydog or something like that.

GreatArelius1 wrote:Mercbook1

I posted this awhile back in the thread for Football
Football (American)
This sport is one the most popular games in the United States. It has increased it popularity over the years. Its a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goal posts. Requirements: General Athletics and can't be selected as a secondary skills

Bonuses: +1 to roll with impact, +1 to maintain balance, +1 to P.S., +1d4 to Speed, +2d4 to S.D.C. and one of the following
Quarter backs: +2 to perception rolls, +1 to strike with thrown weapon, +1 to dodge, +1 to initiative at levels 3 and 10
Offensive backs (Running backs and Receivers): +2 to maintain balance, +2 to P.P., +1d6 to Spd., +1d6 to S.D.C.
Linemen (Offensive and Defensive): +2 to grapple, +1 to P.S., +2d4 to S.D.C. and +1 to maintain balance at levels 2, 9 and 14
Defensive backs (Linebackers, Cornerbacks and Safeties): +1 to initiative or perception rolls, +1 to P.E. or P.S., +1d4 damage to block block/tackle and +1 to strike with body block/tackle at levels 1, 6 and 12
Kickers: +2 to damage with kicks, +1d4 to Speed and +1 to strike with kicks at levels 1, 5, 10 and 15
.

I take it the (presumably professional) player chooses the skill once and selects a position, then has to use another elective skill if he or she wants to play different positions?

That is up to the GM Personally, I think it needs a percentage added to it and then could be selected again but it would only add to the percentage like other professional skills.

Just my opinion on starting % would 40%+3% per level.

gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

wouldnt this be covered by combining a couple of already existing skills?
like say Gemology and Chemistry?

Damian Magecraft wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

wouldnt this be covered by combining a couple of already existing skills?
like say Gemology and Chemistry?

Yes it would, yes it would indeed.

13eowulf wrote:

Damian Magecraft wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

wouldnt this be covered by combining a couple of already existing skills?
like say Gemology and Chemistry?

Yes it would, yes it would indeed.

RSE would be vital as well.

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

NMI wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

Given my understanding of diamonds, the answer would be NO. I was taught that diamonds are made of compressed carbon rather than the growth/combination of a crystalline latticework (the way rock candy is made)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdXbf8huuQ

The Oh So Amazing Nate wrote:

NMI wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

Given my understanding of diamonds, the answer would be NO. I was taught that diamonds are made of compressed carbon rather than the growth/combination of a crystalline latticework (the way rock candy is made)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdXbf8huuQ

they can in a laboratory, see how it's made industirial diamonds on youtube for details.

NMI wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

And Abe, is it a Science skill or a Technical skill?

I wouldn't call this a skill, but an application: it would be a combination of several, including the broader science of studying crystals:
Chemistry
Chemistry(Specialization: crystallography---The science of the arrangement of atoms in solids)
Computer Programming(to get the cookery right)
Read Sensory Instruments(to read the instruments on the works)

And a big old hunk of high pressure equipment and the necessary ingredients, multiplied by an industrial factor if you wanted to make anything more than a few grains of industrial-grade crystalline carbon.

Ironically, another application of the broader skill of crystallography would be the ability to determine whether a gemstone was synthetic(there are several ways, including spectroscopic means).

If you have to build the hardware yourself, It would take Mechanical and Electrical Engineering as well.

The sort of (small) crystals (such as rochelle salt)used in crude radios(crystal sets) CAN be grown, and in fact was part of the skill set of early home radio buffs.


And NO, it's already been declared that synthetic crystals are NOT applicable to Palladium magic such as Stone Magic and Technowizardry. Only the natural stuff will hold PPE as far as most mundane mages know.


Summary: IMHO Gem Growth needs buffing up,because as is, it needs a heap of necessary prerequisites. The success rate sounds about right for producing the harder crystals, but producing gemstone-quality('gem' actually refers to the cutting and polishing of the material. Amber is can be considered a gemstone, despite its organic origins, when it is cut and polished for aesthetic appeal). Cutting and faceting the material to resemble a (valuable) gemstone would come under the skill of Gem Cutting(I believe there is an existing skill for that)/Gemology or possibly Forgery if you were trying to set it in a setting passed off as somebody else's design.

taalismn wrote:

NMI wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

And Abe, is it a Science skill or a Technical skill?

I wouldn't call this a skill, but an application: it would be a combination of several, including the broader science of studying crystals:
Chemistry
Chemistry(Specialization: crystallography---The science of the arrangement of atoms in solids)
Computer Programming(to get the cookery right)
Read Sensory Instruments(to read the instruments on the works)

And a big old hunk of high pressure equipment and the necessary ingredients, multiplied by an industrial factor if you wanted to make anything more than a few grains of industrial-grade crystalline carbon.

Ironically, another application of the broader skill of crystallography would be the ability to determine whether a gemstone was synthetic(there are several ways, including spectroscopic means).

If you have to build the hardware yourself, It would take Mechanical and Electrical Engineering as well.

The sort of (small) crystals (such as rochelle salt)used in crude radios(crystal sets) CAN be grown, and in fact was part of the skill set of early home radio buffs.


And NO, it's already been declared that synthetic crystals are NOT applicable to Palladium magic such as Stone Magic and Technowizardry. Only the natural stuff will hold PPE as far as most mundane mages know.


Summary: IMHO Gem Growth needs buffing up,because as is, it needs a heap of necessary prerequisites. The success rate sounds about right for producing the harder crystals, but producing gemstone-quality('gem' actually refers to the cutting and polishing of the material. Amber is can be considered a gemstone, despite its organic origins, when it is cut and polished for aesthetic appeal). Cutting and faceting the material to resemble a (valuable) gemstone would come under the skill of Gem Cutting(I believe there is an existing skill for that)/Gemology or possibly Forgery if you were trying to set it in a setting passed off as somebody else's design.

it's both a science & technical skill, also I'm not sure what perquisites would be needed anyway.

I would think it to be a skill program, not a single skill. To grow a diamond, you would need a Science program ending in a PhD, I would think. If you want to make it a skill, it would be one at the end of a long educational process and only available to that educational level.

abe wrote:

taalismn wrote:

NMI wrote:

abe wrote:gem growth
this skill allows you to use the proper devices to grow diamonds & possibly other gems in a laboratory!
base chance of success-25+7% chance of success
tell me what you think.

can true diamonds actually be "grown"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

And Abe, is it a Science skill or a Technical skill?

I wouldn't call this a skill, but an application: it would be a combination of several, including the broader science of studying crystals:
Chemistry
Chemistry(Specialization: crystallography---The science of the arrangement of atoms in solids)
Computer Programming(to get the cookery right)
Read Sensory Instruments(to read the instruments on the works)

And a big old hunk of high pressure equipment and the necessary ingredients, multiplied by an industrial factor if you wanted to make anything more than a few grains of industrial-grade crystalline carbon.

Ironically, another application of the broader skill of crystallography would be the ability to determine whether a gemstone was synthetic(there are several ways, including spectroscopic means).

If you have to build the hardware yourself, It would take Mechanical and Electrical Engineering as well.

The sort of (small) crystals (such as rochelle salt)used in crude radios(crystal sets) CAN be grown, and in fact was part of the skill set of early home radio buffs.


And NO, it's already been declared that synthetic crystals are NOT applicable to Palladium magic such as Stone Magic and Technowizardry. Only the natural stuff will hold PPE as far as most mundane mages know.


Summary: IMHO Gem Growth needs buffing up,because as is, it needs a heap of necessary prerequisites. The success rate sounds about right for producing the harder crystals, but producing gemstone-quality('gem' actually refers to the cutting and polishing of the material. Amber is can be considered a gemstone, despite its organic origins, when it is cut and polished for aesthetic appeal). Cutting and faceting the material to resemble a (valuable) gemstone would come under the skill of Gem Cutting(I believe there is an existing skill for that)/Gemology or possibly Forgery if you were trying to set it in a setting passed off as somebody else's design.

it's both a science & technical skill, also I'm not sure what perquisites would be needed anyway.

Gemology, chemistry, chemistry analytical and read sensory equipment. To start.

Damian Magecraft wrote:[q
Gemology, chemistry, chemistry analytical and read sensory equipment. To start.

I'd considered the Gemology skill, but only if you're planning to make presentable precious stones(as you might find in a jewelry store)....the Palladium definition of gemology seems more attuned to appraisal than mechanically shaping the stones.
You could leave it off if you were planning on making something like diamond abrasives/industrial diamonds, but I'd insist on the advanced chemistry skills(analytical in lieu of a new crystallogaphy skill)


Hmmmm...checking the Rifter #0 Megaverse of Skills list, I see that there ISN'T a gem-CUTTING skill; I was pretty sure the PFRPG had one, and I'm pretty certain the Stone Mage from Rifts Atlantis has a gemstone shaping ability. So there's an opening there for a new skill. Of course, Gemology would be a prerequisite for such a skill(anybody could pound away at a rock, but the chances of doing so and producing a valuable cut precious stone would be akin to a feral chimp typing Shakespeare.

On a related tangent, I was thinking of 'Stone Tool Making' as a possible skill, but the Technical skill Whittling & Sculpting, though it pertains to wood, bone, and horn, could easily be adapted to this, allowing for a -10% penalty to knap flint and make stone tools because of the harder(and more unforgiving) materials involved. Taking it as a separate skill would eliminate the penalty, reflecting a greater focus and dedication:

Stone Tool Working(Technical/Wilderness)----The ability to manually chip and work stone to produce scrappers, hand axes, spear and knife blades, arrowheads, and other stone implements(soapstone bowls, stone lamps, etc.). The skill also covers the ability to identify suitable materials for making stone tools.
Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. +3% if the Sculpting skill is taken.

taalismn wrote:

Damian Magecraft wrote:[q
Gemology, chemistry, chemistry analytical and read sensory equipment. To start.

I'd considered the Gemology skill, but only if you're planning to make presentable precious stones(as you might find in a jewelry store)....the Palladium definition of gemology seems more attuned to appraisal than mechanically shaping the stones.
You could leave it off if you were planning on making something like diamond abrasives/industrial diamonds, but I'd insist on the advanced chemistry skills(analytical in lieu of a new crystallogaphy skill)


Hmmmm...checking the Rifter #0 Megaverse of Skills list, I see that there ISN'T a gem-CUTTING skill; I was pretty sure the PFRPG had one, and I'm pretty certain the Stone Mage from Rifts Atlantis has a gemstone shaping ability. So there's an opening there for a new skill. Of course, Gemology would be a prerequisite for such a skill(anybody could pound away at a rock, but the chances of doing so and producing a valuable cut precious stone would be akin to a feral chimp typing Shakespeare.

On a related tangent, I was thinking of 'Stone Tool Making' as a possible skill, but the Technical skill Whittling & Sculpting, though it pertains to wood, bone, and horn, could easily be adapted to this, allowing for a -10% penalty to knap flint and make stone tools because of the harder(and more unforgiving) materials involved. Taking it as a separate skill would eliminate the penalty, reflecting a greater focus and dedication:

Stone Tool Working(Technical/Wilderness)----The ability to manually chip and work stone to produce scrappers, hand axes, spear and knife blades, arrowheads, and other stone implements(soapstone bowls, stone lamps, etc.). The skill also covers the ability to identify suitable materials for making stone tools.
Base Skill: 30%+5% per level of experience. +3% if the Sculpting skill is taken.

look at the Yin Sloth PF book IIRC there may be a skill covering this already.

Damian Magecraft wrote:[look at the Yin Sloth PF book IIRC there may be a skill covering this already.

Don't have access to that, but I'll check to see if something similar exists in either of the Dinosaur Swamp books(Rifter 0 is rather dated by now).
Thanks.

taalismn wrote:

Damian Magecraft wrote:[look at the Yin Sloth PF book IIRC there may be a skill covering this already.

Don't have access to that, but I'll check to see if something similar exists in either of the Dinosaur Swamp books(Rifter 0 is rather dated by now).
Thanks.

Rifter 24 has an update for Yin Sloth in the Q&A section, specifically regarding skills. for Gem Cutting it refers back explicitly to Gemology (page 22, bottom left).

13eowulf wrote:

taalismn wrote:

Damian Magecraft wrote:[look at the Yin Sloth PF book IIRC there may be a skill covering this already.

Don't have access to that, but I'll check to see if something similar exists in either of the Dinosaur Swamp books(Rifter 0 is rather dated by now).
Thanks.

Rifter 24 has an update for Yin Sloth in the Q&A section, specifically regarding skills. for Gem Cutting it refers back explicitly to Gemology (page 22, bottom left).

Thanks. even though it kills 'Lapidary'(the art of cutting and polishing precious stones) as my next skill creation.

from the orient-ink stick making
this is the fine skill of making ink sticks witch is basically the oriental equilivent of the ink well!
base cost 45+5% per level.
what do you think?

abe wrote:from the orient-ink stick making
this is the fine skill of making ink sticks witch is basically the oriental equilivent of the ink well!
base cost 45+5% per level.
what do you think?

Lacks description. It would help if you explained what actually goes into the manufacture of an ink stick to show that it deserves a separate skill, especially for those of us unfamiliar with the tool.
Making an ink well for example isn't a separate skill, because it can be divided into carving/whittling, sculpting, or glass blowing, depending on whether you're making it from wood, stone, or glass, chemistry to make the ink from lamp black and other ingredients, and whittling to make the quill(metal working if it has a metal nib).
Making a pencil would require whittling/carpentry, and chemistry...possibly mechnical engineering if you were building a machine to mass-produce them.
And again, you left off what skill category it would go into, such as Technical or Domestic.

taalismn wrote:

abe wrote:from the orient-ink stick making
this is the fine skill of making ink sticks witch is basically the oriental equilivent of the ink well!
base cost 45+5% per level.
what do you think?

Lacks description. It would help if you explained what actually goes into the manufacture of an ink stick to show that it deserves a separate skill, especially for those of us unfamiliar with the tool.
Making an ink well for example isn't a separate skill, because it can be divided into carving/whittling, sculpting, or glass blowing, depending on whether you're making it from wood, stone, or glass, chemistry to make the ink from lamp black and other ingredients, and whittling to make the quill(metal working if it has a metal nib).
Making a pencil would require whittling/carpentry, and chemistry...possibly mechnical engineering if you were building a machine to mass-produce them.
And again, you left off what skill category it would go into, such as Technical or Domestic.

An Inkstick or Ink Cake is a specialized artistic/writing implement used in East Asian art, specifically calligraphy and Brush painting. The creation of such would fall under Chinese Classical Studies, Chinese Alchemy, or any of the Calligraphy skills. (For Reference see the N&SS supplement Mystic China). It might even fall under the Art skill.
What it shouldnt be is a skill of its own.

Stone Gargoyle wrote:

13eowulf wrote:

Gryphon Chick wrote:

Mercbook1 wrote:Just wondering when we can get past the stereo type that all jocks are stupid. Think about all the kids that go to college to play sports and the few that actually make it to pro sports. You brought up Indian Jones think a Indian Jones type guy that was a x-college QB could fill that roll. Time to stop thinking jocks are the meat heads of the 60's and 70's things have changed.

The stereotype comes from college players who drift by on scholarships and do not apply themselves to their education. The statistics of college players actually graduating are very low.

I think that the words "Jock" and "Athlete" are being used interchangeably here, they are not interchangeable terms. All Jocks are Athletes, not all Athletes are Jocks.
The term 'Jock' is defined as "An enthusiastic athlete or sports fan, with few other interests."
There are many Athletes who do well academically, I would say very few of them are actually "Jocks".

This is true. Statistically, student athletes actually do better than the rest of the student body, from what I have read.

Interesting counter-argument on cnn.

-STS

Has anyone made a list of the new (fan) skills presented here in this topic?

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Has anyone made a list of the new (fan) skills presented here in this topic?

no, but some of them are posted to the Black Vault Wiki site.

Stone Gargoyle wrote:

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Has anyone made a list of the new (fan) skills presented here in this topic?

no, but some of them are posted to the Black Vault Wiki site.

If that is the case I might have a go at it if work is real slow today.

Xeno-fruit knowledge
this is the study of interdemesinal plants that are edible!
base chance of success is 34 + 5 % per level
what do you fine people think?

abe wrote:Xeno-fruit knowledge
this is the study of interdemesinal plants that are edible!
base chance of success is 34 + 5 % per level
what do you fine people think?

I think Xeno-Botany already exists. I think ID Plants and Fruits already exists.

13eowulf wrote:

abe wrote:Xeno-fruit knowledge
this is the study of interdemesinal plants that are edible!
base chance of success is 34 + 5 % per level
what do you fine people think?

I think Xeno-Botony already exists. I think ID Plants and Fruits already exists.

Maybe, but do either of these skills cover edible plants?

abe wrote:

13eowulf wrote:

abe wrote:Xeno-fruit knowledge
this is the study of interdemesinal plants that are edible!
base chance of success is 34 + 5 % per level
what do you fine people think?

I think Xeno-Botany already exists. I think ID Plants and Fruits already exists.

Maybe, but do either of these skills cover edible plants?

Are... are you kidding?

Xeno-Botany [Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide]
This is the alien plant counterpart to the Xeno-Biology skill. A successful roll with determine an alien plant's type, whether it is probably poisonous [and to which species] as well as its special characterisitcs. Note that this skill becomes interchangeable with Xeno-Biology when plant aliens are encountered. Base Skill: 25%+5% per level.

Face Palming
Occasionally one encounters a situation of such unbelievable embarrassment that the only way to save face is to literally cover ones face to avoid shame. This act has its roots in the stage of early childhood developmental psychology where Object Permanence is learned. (This is how the game of Peek-A-Boo works with babies. If they can't see you, you must be gone. With this skill, by [successfully] hiding your face you {through some unknown means} manage to remove yourself from the situation and avoid embarrassment.)
A successful skill role allows one to subtly cover ones face and avoid taking part in the embarrassment of any given situation. A failed role means that all subtlety of the act is lost and the attempt at avoiding shame is so over the top that attention is drawn to the character.

48% +3% starting at level 2
Player: I roll to Face Palm. rolls and fails.
GM: You fail. In your effort to avoid shame you end up forcefully and audibly slapping yourself in the face. Everyone turns to look at you. Your eyes are widened and your jaw is hanging open. You look like an over exaggerated cartoon caricature of someone making a face of disbelief. You've also smacked yourself hard enough that your nose is bleeding.

The Oh So Amazing Nate wrote:Face Palming
Occasionally one encounters a situation of such unbelievable embarrassment that the only way to save face is to literally cover ones face to avoid shame. This act has its roots in the stage of early childhood developmental psychology where Object Permanence is learned. (This is how the game of Peek-A-Boo works with babies. If they can't see you, you must be gone. With this skill, by [successfully] hiding your face you {through some unknown means} manage to remove yourself from the situation and avoid embarrassment.)
A successful skill role allows one to subtly cover ones face and avoid taking part in the embarrassment of any given situation. A failed role means that all subtlety of the act is lost and the attempt at avoiding shame is so over the top that attention is drawn to the character.

48% +3% starting at level 2
Player: I roll to Face Palm. rolls and fails.
GM: You fail. In your effort to avoid shame you end up forcefully and audibly slapping yourself in the face. Everyone turns to look at you. Your eyes are widened and your jaw is hanging open. You look like an over exaggerated cartoon caricature of someone making a face of disbelief. You've also smacked yourself hard enough that your nose is bleeding.

As opposed to Face-Faulting, an involuntary condition(more prevalent in Asia) where a person must, in the presence of the unbelievable(awesome or mindnumbingly inane), must save versus (temporary) insanity or risk incurring damage to oneself when one's lower jaw drops to the floor, being cause for acute pain from the jaw's dislocation and impact with the floor itself(damage being equivalent to HALF the normal damage from an uppercut punch). A successful save means that you have NOT dislocated your jaw, but may merely be doing a good imitation of a puckering goldfish.

Face-faulting is one of several reasons I do not watch Asian style animation.

I got the idea for my post after reading the last post by 13eowolf.
My skill Basically gives you the ability to cover your face with your hand.. It covers the use of one hand or two hands.

The Oh So Amazing Nate wrote:Face-faulting is one of several reasons I do not watch Asian style animation.

I got the idea for my post after reading the last post by 13eowolf.
My skill Basically gives you the ability to cover your face with your hand.. It covers the use of one hand or two hands.

Don't get me started on the intricacies of Boogling.

Although if Palladium allowed for the posting of literary conversions(which they don't), I'd go with Facial Gesticulation as a skill, as promoted in the Keith Laumer Retief stories, where the corrupt and bogged-down bureaucracy of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne (CDT) places greater weight on the ability to memorize and perform standardized facial expressions( 119-a (We're All Pulling For You, Lad), 3-v (Modest Awareness of Virtue) etc.), then on actual meaningful action.

A more pratical(and getting back on topic) skill might be a somatic body language using subtle posture and facial expressions to communicate coded messages(Dune and other sources make use of such code systems), although great care would need to be taken so that dust under the eyelid doesn't translate to a nervous and watchful colleague as "Kill the Prime Minister now!".

The Oh So Amazing Nate wrote:I got the idea for my post after reading the last post by 13eowolf.
My skill Basically gives you the ability to cover your face with your hand.. It covers the use of one hand or two hands.

Love the skill

animal psycology
this is the skill to treat the mental psycocises of animals
base chance of success-35+4% per level
what do you think?

abe wrote:animal psycology
this is the skill to treat the mental psycocises of animals
base chance of success-35+4% per level
what do you think?

'Animal Whisperers' aside, this comes under 'Veterinary Medicine', since we can't rightly interview animals to the same degree as humans/language-using sentient beings.
And if you use psionics or superpowers to communicate with them, that's separate from psychoanalytic methods.

Pilot: Drones(Specifc Types)(Piloting)
This skill refers to the ability to proficiently operate a remote-operated vehicle; not the home remote-control type, but the larger and more sophisticated military and scientific units(although admittedly newer models of commercially-available drones are approaching the more specialized types in sophistication).
Any person skilled in a specific piloting skill can pilot a drone version of it, so a person with Pilot: Submersibles would be capable of piloting an underwater drone like JASON Jr. and a pilot with Pilot: Airplane would be able to handle a Predator or Reaper RPV. However, most Piloting skills are statted with MANNED vehicles in mind, with the operator able to use their own senses to detect changes in attitude, acceleration, and general positioning of the vehicle. Operating a drone version is akin to flying on instruments, without the accompanying ‘body sense’, and thus the vehicle is not as responsive as it would be if it was fully manned. In general, a pilot operating a drone version of their accustomed vehicle, without the specialized drone skill, will be -15% to their skill rolls.
Starting from scratch and learning a specific drone type(airplane, jet aircraft, submersible, tank, etc.) avoids most of this problem, as the operator doesn’t have to ‘unlearn’ the habits of listening to their body-sense and inner ear. Note, however, that a drone operator will be have only the most rudimentary knowledge of how to pilot a MANNED version of the same vehicle, and while they may be able to recognize some basic instruments and controls, they will be -25% to operate it, unless they take training and experience in the manned version(your occasional five-year-old who learns how to drive a car or truck from playing video games is surviving out of sheer luck, rather than expertise).
Base Skill: 50% for ground vehicles, 40% for water vehicles, 30% for air/space vehicles, + 5% per level of experience, +10% if the respective Piloting skill appropriate to the drone-type is also taken.
Factors in Drone Piloting:
-Time Lag---Depending on how far away the pilot is operating the drone from, signal turnaround can be an issue. Most RPVs have a ‘loiter’ capability that allows them to fly on autopilot, or station-keep if and when signal is lost, until they receive fresh commands, but signal lags of 10-20 seconds(or more) can be the inability to respond quickly enough to attacks or catastrophes to dodge in time. General rule of thumb: -3% to Piloting skill for every 5 seconds of time lag.
-Line of Sight----If the operator has a clear, unobstructed line of sight on their RPV, they can combine their sight with their instrument readings to better maneuver the vehicle; +5% to Piloting
-Signal Interference---Depending on what media(wire, radio, communications laser, etc.), environmental or deliberate interference may into the efficiency of the piloting link. Skills such as Radio: Scramblers and Electronic Warfare may be necessary to clear up the interference and restore unimpeded communications links.

Advanced piloting assistance systems specific to certain drone systems also alleviate the problems of piloting them; VR immersion systems(like the CAN Republic’s VRRDS), gyrostabilization, autopilots, and onboard AIs help tighten control. However, at a certain point of automation, the piloting skill proficiency becomes not the skill of the drone pilot but the programming of the onboard robot systems. Specific bonuses for these systems vary by the specific system employed.

Classic examples of Drone Piloting types include Pilot Aircraft, Pilot Helicopter, Pilot Submersibles, Pilot Automobile, and Pilot Tank/Construction Vehicle, but other examples can include Power Armor(huma-sized robotic ‘avatar’ or ‘proxie’ systems), Robots(similar to the VRRDS), Hovercraft, and Pilot Spacecraft(Small/EVA Pods).

Hmmm, am I actually going to be able to put Pilot: Drones in the Black Vault without having to take it back out later? Hopefully this one is unique enough that it isn't a repeat of something already in the books.

Stone Gargoyle wrote:Hmmm, am I actually going to be able to put Pilot: Drones in the Black Vault without having to take it back out later? Hopefully this one is unique enough that it isn't a repeat of something already in the books.

The only book that I can think of that might have something "similar" is Chaos Earth.

Rifts: Mercenaries and Naruni Wave 2 might have something similar as well for the "Naruni Combat Pods" -- or whatever they are called.
Page: 30
Combat Pod: This is a new Pilot Skill. Training includes maneuvering, and controlling remote-controlled drones, evasion and combat-pod combat strategies. Base Skill: 40%+5% per level of experience. The skill gives the user a +2 strike, parry and dodge while inside the machine.

Traix 2 and possibly Naruni Wave 2 might have a similar skill. I do not own either of these to confirm.

*Note, I would assume that being "inside" the machine refers to "controlling" it, internally or remotely.

Is pilot drones meant to be an add on/supplementary skill or a stand alone skill? IOW do i have to have pilot planes and pilot drone to pilot an air craft type drone??

I ask because I didn't see a skill percentage listed. Only skill modifiers.

Pilot: Drones would obviously also be listed as a Pilot Advanced skill, since most who learn it will be military. That is how I categorized it in the vault though it is not specifically listed as such.

for necromancers: pilot bones
like pilot drones but you ride in flying convanses made of actural bones!
base 35+3 % per level +15% for necromancers of course.
what do you think?

abe wrote:for necromancers: pilot bones
like pilot drones but you ride in flying convanses made of actural bones!
base 35+3 % per level +15% for necromancers of course.
what do you think?

Flying undead beasts fall under Horsemanship: Exotic

13eowulf wrote:

abe wrote:for necromancers: pilot bones
like pilot drones but you ride in flying convanses made of actural bones!
base 35+3 % per level +15% for necromancers of course.
what do you think?

Flying undead beasts fall under Horsemanship: Exotic

I figured that, but I was trying to be funny.

abe wrote:

13eowulf wrote:

abe wrote:for necromancers: pilot bones
like pilot drones but you ride in flying convanses made of actural bones!
base 35+3 % per level +15% for necromancers of course.
what do you think?

Flying undead beasts fall under Horsemanship: Exotic

I figured that, but I was trying to be funny.

Wasting board space is not funny. I have yet to see you actually write a viable skill that stands up on its own.

The Oh So Amazing Nate wrote:Is pilot drones meant to be an add on/supplementary skill or a stand alone skill? IOW do i have to have pilot planes and pilot drone to pilot an air craft type drone??

I ask because I didn't see a skill percentage listed. Only skill modifiers.

There is a base skill listed.

taalismn wrote:Base Skill: 50% for ground vehicles, 40% for water vehicles, 30% for air/space vehicles, + 5% per level of experience, +10% if the respective Piloting skill appropriate to the drone-type is also taken.

The +10% is the only modifier, and you only get that if you have other piloting skills, but taking the skill does not require those other skills.