Make contact skill great again.

[Purple Snit]

A Contact is defined in the rulebook as a person who "provides you with useful information, or who does small (pick any two of "quick," "nonhazardous," and "inexpensive") favors for you." In the context of the rules as written, I fail to see why a Contact would need an effective skill higher than 21. Beyond that, and you are talking about someone who is far too highly-placed, connected, and/or powerful to simply be a "Contact" - they would be an Ally, or an Ally Group, or something much more useful [read: expensive].

If you want someone to provide the assistance that a Contact gives, then the existing rules work just fine. And if you want something more, you should consider using a different Advantage, not stretching the rules to fit. The "effective skill" of the Contact is a game mechanic intended to give an approximation of their own knowledge/contacts, as someone the PCs can ask if they are stuck, or for the GM to use to drop useful clues if the game is stuck. They aren't intended as a solution to all the PCs problems, as a semi-omniscient oracle that can provide unlimited aid or information. If you want that, then it's GM Ex Machina, and you don't need rules for it.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Alonsua

By TL8 the maximum equipment bonus is +4

Many skills you might want for a Contact are not especially susceptible to assistance from equipment (some example ones I've used have been Occultism, Criminology, and Architecture). Also, a Contact may well not have the use of equipment provided as part of their job. For example, I, as a real world person, might be a plausible contact at a limited skill level for Research/TL8, or Computer Programming/TL8. Research I can do equally well at home or at work. For Programming, I have access to a lot of computer power at work, but my ability to use it for anything that isn't work is almost nil.

and by the invention rules you can receive support for at least an extra bonus of +4

That rule is wholly specific to prototyping an invention, and isn't applicable to skill rolls in general. It also requires assistants with unrealistic skill levels -- anyone that good should be running their own projects -- and seems to be intended only for cinematic inventing.

Originally Posted by Basic Set, p. 474

… +1 per assistant with
skill 20+ in one of the skills required
for the invention, to a maximum of +4

[Alonsua]

Originally Posted by johndallman

...

You can go by the Biotech example, which allows up to +6 bonuses from support without unrealistic requirements.

In this question I am looking to treat the contact skill from an organization perspective.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by johndallman

That rule is wholly specific to prototyping an invention, and isn't applicable to skill rolls in general. It also requires assistants with unrealistic skill levels -- anyone that good should be running their own projects -- and seems to be intended only for cinematic inventing.

It's on p. 474 of the Basic Set in my copy. Thanks for pointing it out!

Since it allows you +1 per assistant ONLY for assistants with skill 20+, I'd also suggest that a character with personal skill 18 could not plausibly be provided with assistants with skill 20+. Nor would a remotely realistic organization be able to find multiple "best in a historical epoch" technicians or experts to work for it, or get them to work as staff/assistants to someone else's projects; anyone that good would be working on their own projects.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Alonsua

You can go by the Biotech example, which allows up to +6 bonuses from support without unrealistic requirements.

In this question I am looking to treat the contact skill from an organization perspective.

You really need to indicate what actual comment you're replying to.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Alonsua

You can go by the Biotech example, which allows up to +6 bonuses from support without unrealistic requirements.

Got a page reference for that, please?

Originally Posted by whswhs

It's on p. 474 of the Basic Set in my copy. Thanks for pointing it out!

Mine too, actually. Corrected above.

[Alonsua]

Originally Posted by whswhs

It's on p. 474 of the Basic Set in my copy. Thanks for pointing it out!

Please refer to Biotech p. 138 instead.

Assistants: +1 per assistant with Physician, Surgery, or (if appropriate to the equipment used) Electronics Operation (Medical) at 12+; +2 for skill 15+. Maximum bonus is +6.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Alonsua

Please refer to Biotech p. 138 instead.

Those modifiers are strictly for Surgery skill, and not applicable to anything else.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Alonsua

Please refer to Biotech p. 138 instead.

What does that have to do with any task other than a biomedical one, or with being supported by any skills other than those few specific skills?

[Alonsua]

Originally Posted by whswhs

What does that have to do with any task other than a biomedical one, or with being supported by any skills other than those few specific skills?

If those modifiers are fine for one skill, for the others too. There are more references to these facts in the Action books.

*Although I prefer to use the speed/range table, but I do not have this last idea cleared, I need to make more inquiries and tests with it, such as setting limits, otherwise, with a sufficient number of "slaves", colossal bonuses can be obtained...