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Old 07-03-2017, 10:04 AM   #42
Bruno
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
Default Re: New Technique family of the week: Focussed

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
I agree that we're somewhere close to the line, but I tend to think Hyperspecialisation is for the truly esoteric.
Hyper-Specialization's hard rules on what counts are:
  • Must take at least three words to describe
  • Unlikely to matter more than once in an adventurers career

I can basically understand all of the examples, although the only one where I really know anything is the Trivalent Flu Vaccines (SARS and H1N1/09 were very... exciting here and it got me reading).

Technically "esoteric" isn't really the requirement. It's more "very very narrow". That said, talking shop about the various details of left-handed manual-can-opener design may sound just as greek to the layperson as talking shop about Top Quark Mass Models.

Something like the lip reading isn't always in the same vein as Top Quark Mass Models; ignoring the 3-word rule for a moment, Lip-Reading (My Ally) or (Some PC) is something that you could probably find quite a few occasions for, rather than only once before you retire the character.

On the other hand, if your specialty is reading George Bush's lips and you're an average Joe who doesn't work with him and basically only sees him on TV or when he shows up to publicity events, I think that meets the "Probably will only show up once, if that" standard.

Hyperspecialization: Lip Reading (My Own Lips) would definitely qualify, and be a really interesting perk.
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