Question: Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills?
(i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
so can anyone help me.
This is obviously not true. JoT is used as an aid to figure out how a thing
works or can be repaired, but it doesn't give you the skill itself. The classic
use of Jot is to repair a broken piece of equipment. For example, a person with
Electronics-3 could probably build a radio from spare parts, but a JoT could
never do this. Both skills would apply toward figuring out how a given
radio worked or repairing the radio. In a dire life or death aliens at the
door emergency, a referee might permit a JoT skill to be used for survival.
In this case a JoT-3 would probably be able to figure out how to pilot a
spacecraft, but would not have any skill in it i.e. he could probably fire
the engines and go in the right direction, but probably couldn't dock, skim
a gas giant for fuel, or land on a planet's surface. Anything which
requires practice to get the skill does not fall under JoT i.e. weapons
skills, driving or piloting skills, etc. As a referee, I would be reluctant
to even let him attempt to pilot a spacecraft except in a case where the
party was fried if they stayed were they were. For example, if the party
lost its pilot and was headed on manuever drive out into deep space, I might
let the JoT be used to turn the ship around or jump to a system where a
pilot could be called in to take over. JoT should primairly be used to fix
broken objects where the failure is obvious i.e. a short in a piece of
electric equipment. Or in an emergency (i.e. life or death) it may be used
as a survival skill i.e. if you figure out how this works you live if not
you die then a JoT might be applicable (skill level should be about were
Capt. Kirk was with a stick shift).
Non Cuniculus Est,
Tom H.