Survival (Urban).

[jason taylor]

Is there one distinct from Streetwise? If so what would it include?

[Refplace]

Yes,though its not been listed often.
Streetwise is the social skill of dealing with "rough company".
A Survival (Urban) skill would help you figure out and find good places to eat and sleep and how to minimize conflicts with the law.
Things like what type of stores/restaurants tend to throw out food that is still safe to eat and the best times to be there. How to recognize more or less heavily patrolled areas, where to panhandle, etc.

[Not]

It's Urban Survival in Basic.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Is there one distinct from Streetwise? If so what would it include?

Streetwise is social, Survival covers physical stuff.

If everybody else in the city was Raptured up last midnight, your Streetwise skill is now effectively useless, but you are going to really *need* Urban Survival. It's a pretty handy skill in ruined cities too.

[Vaevictis Asmadi]

I wonder why it isn't a TL skill, though. The ancient Babylon (or its ruins) is probably a somewhat different environment from 34th century Tokyo.

[jason taylor]

So if I am running from the Nazis, Streetwise will help me negotiate with the boss of the Blue Parrot, and Survival (Urban) would help me stow away aboard a ship bound for Casablanca?

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

So if I am running from the Nazis, Streetwise will help me negotiate with the boss of the Blue Parrot, and Survival (Urban) would help me stow away aboard a ship bound for Casablanca?

Yes, on the first. However, Survival (Urban) would tell you which alleys will block the wind and provide decent shelter from rain or snow (or blistering heat); which restaurants to check behind for food (or which churches/mosques/temples might distribute meals); which shops throw out sturdy boxes (or shipping wrap) suitable for creating shelter; and which buildings have outside spigots that provide fresh water.

Survival (Urban) is the skill used by homeless people who live on the streets, or scavengers who live in ruined cities. It's where to find food, water, shelter and clothing.

If you want to sneak aboard a ship, you'd need Stealth. If you wanted to find a place to stow away where you'd be least likely to be found by the crew, I'd want a roll against Professional Skill (Sailor) with success granting a bonus to Stealth.

If you want to find a guy who knows a guy who might know a crew willing to risk smuggling a wanted fugitive to Casablanca, that's Streetwise. :)

[Þorkell]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

So if I am running from the Nazis, Streetwise will help me negotiate with the boss of the Blue Parrot, and Survival (Urban) would help me stow away aboard a ship bound for Casablanca?

However do note that the skill is Urban Survival and is on page 228 of the Basic Set. It notes, among other things "This talent covers the physical part of staying alive in a city environment, whether it’s overpopulated or empty. (The social problems of city survival are covered by Streetwise skill.)"

[namada]

To complicate things, there's also the Scrounging skill. . .

[Joe]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

If you want to sneak aboard a ship, you'd need Stealth. If you wanted to find a place to stow away where you'd be least likely to be found by the crew, I'd want a roll against Professional Skill (Sailor) with success granting a bonus to Stealth.

If you want to find a guy who knows a guy who might know a crew willing to risk smuggling a wanted fugitive to Casablanca, that's Streetwise. :)

Side note: for those situations, I'd also throw Smuggling into the mix.