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Old 07-14-2017, 10:40 AM   #91
Kelly Pedersen
 
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

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Making up <subject> (Occultism). Average, default prerequisite, no upper limit. This lets you buy up skill in inventing a convincing narrative about an occult subject.
Hmm. I think this is better modelled as a technique for Writing skill, or Public Speaking (Storytelling), capped by the relevant other skill+2. So you could have Making Up Narrative (Writing)-13, but if your Occultism was only 9, you can't exceed 11 with your Making Up Narrative.
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Old 07-22-2017, 05:19 AM   #92
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How's this?

Making It Up (Writing or Public Speaking). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed skill for the subject area +2. This lets you buy up skill in inventing a convincing and superficially truthful narrative. It is limited by your skill in the subject area. For example, when making up a narrative about an occult subject, if you have Making It Up (Writing) at 13 and Occultism at 10, you effective skill is limited to Occultism+2, or 12.

This is mostly useful for creating fiction, or for convincing people who don't know much about a subject and can't test your assertions. Some people who use it don't understand the difference between making stuff up and actual research, so it is more popular in fields that aren't subject to testing. When applied to modern sciences, it usually produces pseudo-science.
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Old 07-23-2017, 07:42 PM   #93
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

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How's this?

Making It Up (Writing or Public Speaking). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed skill for the subject area +2. This lets you buy up skill in inventing a convincing and superficially truthful narrative. It is limited by your skill in the subject area. For example, when making up a narrative about an occult subject, if you have Making It Up (Writing) at 13 and Occultism at 10, you effective skill is limited to Occultism+2, or 12.

This is mostly useful for creating fiction, or for convincing people who don't know much about a subject and can't test your assertions. Some people who use it don't understand the difference between making stuff up and actual research, so it is more popular in fields that aren't subject to testing. When applied to modern sciences, it usually produces pseudo-science.
It would be really nasty to spring this on the PCs in a Horror game if they don't do due diligence when determining which expert to hire. Could also be quite interesting.

For a different kind of Horror, someone with this skill could also have a reality-altering power of some sort, or be connected to a being with that ability.
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Old 07-28-2017, 03:58 PM   #94
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Looking Good (Administration). Average, default Administration, cannot exceed Admistration+4.

This is buying up skill in having your reports in the correct formats, in considerable volume and with comprehensive coverage, and generally producing an impression of being an productive, committed and professional worker in a bureaucratic organisation. Thanks to Icelander for passing on an idea used in his Jade Serenity game.
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Old 08-20-2017, 04:20 PM   #95
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Vehicle Identification (Soldier). Average, default Soldier; cannot exceed Soldier+4.

All armed services that use vehicles teach their members to identify their own vehicles and those of allies and enemies. These rolls are often Per-based. It's a Technique because it's part of basic military training, but some people are much better at it than others. There's a familiarity penalty of -3 for vehicles of types that aren't used by a service: for an army, that's usually fixed-wing aircraft, ships and boats.

Opinions?
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Old 08-27-2017, 06:15 AM   #96
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[Corruption]feels a bit too broad as a technique (I could see it as an optional specialization of Streetwise, though).
How's this for a re-write of your ideas?

Corruption is a valid optional specialisation for Streetwise. Most of what it covers can be improved as three separate techniques, which can also be learned for Savoir-Faire:

Bribery (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This allows you to estimate how much a bribe needs to be for the person in question, for the desired effect. It also covers offering them in a subtle and inoffensive way. At the GM's option, Empathy and Sensitive may provide their usual bonuses.

Covering (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This is the art of keeping criminal activity secret. Methods include "legitimate" front businesses (scrapyards and pawnshops are perennial favourites for Streetwise, trade associations further up the social scale), making sure that everyone involved will lose personally if they betray the secret, and compromising the willingness of the authorities to take action.

Recruitment (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This allows you to judge whether a person is likely to be receptive to an offer to join a criminal or improper enterprise. It also covers making the offer in a way they'll understand, but isn't blatantly obvious to everyone.

Last edited by johndallman; 08-27-2017 at 06:21 AM. Reason: add Savoir-Faire
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Old 08-27-2017, 08:25 AM   #97
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

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How's this for a re-write of your ideas?
Bribery and Recruitment seem fine as you've written them here, though I think I'd limit the Savoir-Faire to Savoir-Faire (Mafia) - I don't think Savoir-Faire (Dojo) would cover these, for example! I don't think I'd let Covering default to Savoir-Faire at all - I don't think it relates to "politeness" or understanding the rules of a particular sub-group at all, it's pure Streetwise.
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Old 08-27-2017, 08:57 AM   #98
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

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Bribery and Recruitment seem fine as you've written them here, though I think I'd limit the Savoir-Faire to Savoir-Faire (Mafia) - I don't think Savoir-Faire (Dojo) would cover these, for example!
But (Police) would, for police corruption, I think. And (Dojo) for bribing people to throw contests or award grades. Really, any of them, for corruption within their ambit.
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I don't think I'd let Covering default to Savoir-Faire at all - I don't think it relates to "politeness" or understanding the rules of a particular sub-group at all, it's pure Streetwise.
I'm seeing it as exploiting the rules of the subculture to make something look reasonable. This requires re-writing to explain properly.
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Old 08-27-2017, 09:09 AM   #99
Kelly Pedersen
 
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

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But (Police) would, for police corruption, I think. And (Dojo) for bribing people to throw contests or award grades. Really, any of them, for corruption within their ambit.
Ah, yeah, fair enough. I'd specify that that's what they apply to in the technique description, though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman
I'm seeing it as exploiting the rules of the subculture to make something look reasonable.
I guess I just don't see how knowing the social rules of the Mafia, for instance, makes you better at hiding criminal activity from people outside the Mafia. I suppose if you're only worried about concealing what you're doing from the Mafia (or other social group), then Savoir-Faire would apply.
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Old 08-27-2017, 09:17 AM   #100
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

How's this?

Corruption is a valid optional specialisation for Streetwise. Most of what it covers can be improved as three separate techniques, which can also be learned for Savoir-Faire. Savoir-Faire techniques are only usable within the area of the Savoir-Faire specialisation.

Bribery (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This allows you to estimate how much a bribe needs to be for the person in question, for the desired effect. It also covers offering them in a subtle and inoffensive way. At the GM's option, Empathy and Sensitive may provide their usual bonuses. For example, this technique for Savoir-Faire (Dojo) is what you would use if you wanted to bribe a participant in a martial-arts competition to throw a bout.

Covering (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This is the art of keeping criminal activity secret. Methods include "legitimate" front businesses (scrapyards and pawnshops are perennial favourites for Streetwise, or trade associations further up the social scale), making sure that everyone involved will lose personally if they betray the secret, and compromising the willingness of the authorities to take action. This technique for Savoir-Faire (High Society) is what you'd use to ensure that knighthoods and baronies being bestowed in exchange for cash looked legitimate.

Recruitment (Streetwise or Savoir-Faire (any)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This allows you to judge whether a person is likely to be receptive to an offer to join a criminal or improper enterprise. It also covers making the offer in a way they'll understand, but isn't blatantly obvious to everyone. This technique for Savoir-Faire (Military) is what a general would use to approach another general with a proposal that they each promote the other's relative serving under them.
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