New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

I think it rates as a Hard technique because you won't get a chance to retry a failure.

That depends on play style. If the GM tells you you've failed before you try to use the information, you can try again.

Perhaps an uncinematic variant is that it can serve as a use of Fast-talk that takes 20 minutes.

I think that's using Philosophy as an influence skill against a philosopher, per B.359, second paragraph.

But if judoka can buy a Throw technique, docking seems a sufficiently distinct part of the operation to sustain a technique.

You can't actually buy Judo Throw. Its default is Judo skill, and it cannot exceed Judo skill. Martial Arts p75 lists it as a technique, apparently so as to be able to explain it in more detail

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

I don't understand the underlying concept of techniques of optional specializations. In particular, I don't understand what you mean by: "It's possible to buy up skill for that optional specialisation as a Technique".

There's a bit more to those phrases after "Technique", but I'll try to make them clearer in the next post.

(Also, as an Easy skill, I don't think optional specialization is applicable to Camouflage.)

My mistake, I thought it was Average.

Edit: sorry one more thing -- notation-wise, isn't the optional specialization name supposed to appear in brackets with the Skill name? So, e.g. "Border Disputes (Diplomacy (Georgia)(A)"

See below.

[johndallman]

Revised:

<Subject> (Diplomacy (Group)). Average, cannot exceed Diplomacy (Group)+4. A group, such as a nation, a political party, or a socioeconomic group, is a valid optional specialisation for Diplomacy. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a particular subject of diplomacy, such as Pay and Conditions (Diplomacy (Coal Miners)) or Border Disputes (Diplomacy (Georgia)). If your technique level is 20+, you do get the +2 reaction for Diplomacy at 20+ from the group.

<Specific Crop> (Farming (Crop Type)). Average, cannot exceed Farming (Crop Type) +4. A general type of crop, such as grain, roots/tubers, or tree fruit, is a valid Optional Specialisation for Farming. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a specific crop, such as Pears (Farming (Tree Fruit)) or Barley (Farming (Grain)).

<Subject> (Politics (Group)). Average, cannot exceed Politics (Group) +4. A group, smaller than a nation, such as a political party, or a socioeconomic group, is a valid optional specialisation for Politics. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a particular subject of politics, such as Relations with China (Politics (Communist Party of the Soviet Union)) or Corn Laws (Politics (Whigs)).

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by johndallman

You can't actually buy Judo Throw. Its default is Judo skill, and it cannot exceed Judo skill. Martial Arts p75 lists it as a technique, apparently so as to be able to explain it in more detail

You can with Technique Mastery (Judo Throw).

Even so, I think docking is closer to Arm Lock than to Judo Throw.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Revised:

<Subject> (Diplomacy (Group)). Average, cannot exceed Diplomacy (Group)+4. A group, such as a nation, a political party, or a socioeconomic group, is a valid optional specialisation for Diplomacy. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a particular subject of diplomacy, such as Pay and Conditions (Diplomacy (Coal Miners)) or Border Disputes (Diplomacy (Georgia)). If your technique level is 20+, you do get the +2 reaction for Diplomacy at 20+ from the group.

<Specific Crop> (Farming (Crop Type)). Average, cannot exceed Farming (Crop Type) +4. A general type of crop, such as grain, roots/tubers, or tree fruit, is a valid Optional Specialisation for Farming. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a specific crop, such as Pears (Farming (Tree Fruit)) or Barley (Farming (Grain)).

<Subject> (Politics (Group)). Average, cannot exceed Politics (Group) +4. A group, smaller than a nation, such as a political party, or a socioeconomic group, is a valid optional specialisation for Politics. It's possible to buy a Technique for that optional specialisation for a particular subject of politics, such as Relations with China (Politics (Communist Party of the Soviet Union)) or Corn Laws (Politics (Whigs)).

I get it now. I think the idea is valid, but not sure about the particular cases.

[Donny Brook]

I've been thinking more about the techniques for optional specializations.

It occurred to me that equivalent techniques should apply to the overall skill. So, e.g. Border Disputes (Diplomacy) should exist as well as Border Disputes (Diplomacy, Georgia).

Then I got wondering how we choose which thing is an optional specialization and which is the technique. Could Border Disputes be the optional specialization and Georgia be the technique?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

Then I got wondering how we choose which thing is an optional specialization and which is the technique. Could Border Disputes be the optional specialization and Georgia be the technique?

Techniques have to be fairly specific. Border disputes in general aren't - they have lots of causes. A country is pretty complicated. Either might be an optional specialisation.

But the border disputes of a specific country is quite specific: it's a limited list of disputes, each with readily learnable factors and history. Does that make sense?

[johndallman]

Deprogramming (Brainwashing-2 or Psychology-6). Average, cannot exceed Brainwashing+4 or Psychology (whichever you based it on).

This is the specialised ability of un-Brainwashing people, rolled in a contest with the subject's Will. Taking extra time is common, the base time is a week. Modifiers: +2 for access to people who knew the subject well before they were Brainwashed, and +1 for having successfully Deprogrammed someone who had been Brainwashed in the same way as the subject. Cultural familiarity and language penalties apply. Suggested by Vicky_Molokh.

I reckon this is a Technique rather an optional specialisation because there are (or were) people who specialise heavily in this, and have only a basic knowledge of psychology.

[Anders]

Survival (Specific Area) Average, maximum Survival +4

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Anders

Survival (Specific Area) Average, maximum Survival +4

More formally:

<Specific area> (Survival (Specialisation)). Average, default Survival (Specialisation). cannot exceed default +4.

This is detailed knowledge of the resources of a particular area, boosting the appropriate Survival specialisation. The same technique is possible for Urban Survival, for a town or small city, or a defined part of a large city.