Flight-Capable Battlesuit Skill

[Eddie T]

What skill would be used for a battlesuit that can fly? The straight Battlesuit skill or some specialization of Piloting?

I know I can do whatever I'd like in my campaign, but I'd like to know what the intent was.

[sir_pudding]

I would use Battlesuit. Anything to keep a character from having six uselessly narrow skills instead of one general one is a good thing.

[Phantasm]

I'd use the better of Battlesuit or Aerobatics for fancy combat flying, and Battlesuit for most other cases, including endurance flight. YMMV, of course

[Kelly Pedersen]

While I tend to agree with sir_pudding about not having too many skills, by the RAW, I think you'd use a Piloting skill, specialization based on how exactly the battlesuit was propelled (anti-grav thrusters would be Piloting (Contragrav), for example, while ducted fans would be Piloting (Vertol)). If the interface was so easy and intuitive that the flying was basically "natural", like someone had the Flight advantage, then I wouldn't call for a skill roll to cover normal flight at all, only Aerobatics when it came to actual "fancy" flying.

[Rupert]

I'd go with Pilot (Flight Pack) for most battlesuits, or possibly Pilot (Vertol), depending on how brute force the suit's flight system was.

[TGLS]

I'd create a Battlesuit specialty for Piloting and fold in all the uses of Battlesuit into Piloting (Battlesuit). Somebody who only has Battlesuit could use Battlesuit for non-flight based uses, but would need to use their default for Piloting (Battlesuit) if they starting using the Flight functions.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I'd create a Battlesuit specialty for Piloting and fold in all the uses of Battlesuit into Piloting (Battlesuit). Somebody who only has Battlesuit could use Battlesuit for non-flight based uses, but would need to use their default for Piloting (Battlesuit) if they starting using the Flight functions.

So you'd have Battlesuit DX/A and also Piloting (Battlesuit) DX/A which is strictly superior?

[Eddie T]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

So you'd have Battlesuit DX/A and also Piloting (Battlesuit) DX/A which is strictly superior?

I can see his intent behind it and the 3e precedent with Driving (Mecha) and Piloting (Mecha). I also believe Kelly's and Rupert's interpretations are more in line with how the RAW intended.

One thing I'm learning about GURPS, though, is that what seems to make sense to you isn't necessarily the idea behind something (Hobby/Profession/Expert skills really being placeholders, frex). So I tend to ask a lot of questions like this. And, I completely miss things when I'm looking for them often.

My plan was (and I think it still is) to do the same as sir_pudding and just go with the basic Battlesuit skill for it, unless a player specifically designed a barnstormer type character that had "another area of expertise" he can apply to it. Run of the mill, military trained mecha pilots...I think Battlesuit is good for me.

I appreciate the discussion and thoughts!

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Eddie T

My plan was (and I think it still is) to do the same as sir_pudding and just go with the basic Battlesuit skill for it,

Actually, a suggestion: rather than just straight up Battlesuit, make a new skill, "Flying Battlesuit", and make a Hard skill (one difficulty level up from either Battlesuit or Piloting). I do think it makes sense for piloting a flying battlesuit to be a bit more difficult than a non-flying one, but doing it this way means there isn't as much clutter on the character sheet. That also provides an obvious way to default someone who only has Battlesuit or Piloting (whatever flying battlesuits use) - they're both effectively optional specializations of the Flying Battlesuit skill, so it defaults to them at -2.

[Rolando]

I think both approaches are good, but you should use the one that more go in line with your setting feel.

If it is some kind of pulp or soft science mecha or anime inspired setting a single battlesuit for anything inside it will be the best choice. For a slightly harder anime or military inspired type sci fi setting a piloting (battlesuit) skill begins to make more sense. For a hard sci fi setting a piloting (vertol) with some extra specialization, familiarity or penalty because it is a battlesuit may be better.

At the end it is a GM call and as any other GM call it should be done in favor of the setting consistency, I believe.

For example, in some sci fi game I game mastered some years ago, with a techno-thriller feel and not hard sci fi but with a military post apocalypse background where equipment played an important part, I used some specializations of many skills to differentiate specialist characters from one another, did it with sensor, weapons, vehicle skills and other equipment. But in another setting where the technology was important but the game wasmor anime mecha and more oriented to faster action and players jumping into any mecha/battlesuit and using it as pros I simplified skills a lot.

Both where the right choice as in each case the choice was done taking into account the game feel and style.