In Message 2020, [email removed] (Chuck McKnight - Law) writes:
>I'm writing a MegaTraveller character generator and need some input from
>other referees regarding the 'serves as' skill subclassification. I have
>been treating multiple occurrences of the same skill as increasing the level
>of proficiency (i.e., if the character gets a 'serves as' skill that is a -1
>twice, I treat it as bringing the skill up to a 0).
First, the rules declare two types of "Serves As" Relative which is (by
example): Pilot-4 Serves as Ships Boat-3 and Absolute which is
Navigation-5, serves as Sensor Ops-1. See Players Handbook Page 30.
Now, I think you are reading all skills as absolute. Where the skill reads:
Serves as skill name MINUS 1 means, it serves as the skill listed at a level of
1 less than the skill that gave them the default. Maybe the following
conversation may help:
GM: "Starhunter, make a Steward roll."
Starhunter: "I don't have a Steward skill, but my Carousing is a 4."
GM: "Ok, you can use your Carousing, but since you don't know all
the ins and outs of being a Steward, make your Carousing Check
at a -1 to your Carousing skill."
If you are generating characters with this program, I wouldn't automatically
give every Pilot-4 a Ships Boat-3. If you read further on Page 30, there is a
limit to the maximum skill levels that a character may possess. If the
character is allowed to have 15 skill levels, then that Ships Boat-3 that you
just gave them may push them over the limit early. Also avoid putting skills
with a -1 skill level in there. If you put 10 skills as such "Chemistry -1"
then your math toward calculating the maximum skills will be thrown off.
Remember there are no "negative" skills in traveller. If your skills is below
a skill level of Zero, then you are unskilled.
>As I want to distribute these programs to the TML, I'd like to know how
>any other refs handle this point.
I wouldn't mind a copy. How about the rest of the list?
Rob Miracle