[Basic] Skill of the week: Chemistry

[johndallman]

Chemistry is an IQ/Hard scientific skill, defaulting to IQ-6 or Alchemy-3. A chemist can identify elements and compounds, but not necessarily drugs (Pharmacy), magical substances (Alchemy or Thaumatology), metal alloys (Metalurgy), and so on. With equipment, he can analyse and prepare lots of substances. Chemistry has lots of potential for optional specialisations and is used as an example for this in Basic and PU6. Discriminatory Taste is more useful with Chemistry skill and Colour Blindness gives -1 to Chemistry.

GURPS seems to lack Engineer (Chemical), which would be the skill for designing equipment for large-scale chemical processing (it tends to be quite specialised) or making a really good mess blowing up a chemical factory or an oil refinery. Engineer (Materials) can have Chemistry as a perquisite, and can default to Chemistry, but doesn't seem to be quite the same thing. Explosives (Fireworks), Metallurgy, Pharmacy (Synthetic) and Poisons also have defaults to Chemistry.

Chemistry is quite dependent on equipment: suitcase labs are in Basic, with more detail in High-Tech. and some forensic chemistry in Mysteries. Ultra-Tech has sensor equipment that allows you to use Chemistry remotely and Powers provides the same via abilities. Spaceships has labs and Spaceships 5 has sensors. Space has alternate chemistries for life, and Bio-Tech has more detail.

Chinese Elemental Powers allows use of Chemistry in place of IQ or Alchemy for some abilities. Powers does the same for the Create and Detect powers. Zombies has lots of ingenious uses for Chemistry, and High-Tech has some very practical ones in distilling and explosives. Low-Tech, LTC1 and LTC3 have a surprising amount that was possible before Chemistry became a science as such. PU7 has several wildcard skills that include Chemistry, and so has PU6 for Talents.

Chemistry appears on templates in Action, Banestorm, Bio-Tech, Fantasy, Horror, Lands Out of Time, Monster Hunters, Psis, Reign of Steel: Will to Live, SEALs in Vietnam, Tales of the Solar Patrol, Space, Supers, Thaumatology: Urban Magics, Underground Adventures, and Zombies.

What have you done with Chemistry in a campaign? Was it the kind of thing that created this Phil Masters quote from The Skool Roolz?

"GMs should beware of allowing players with extensive real-world knowledge of chemistry to make use of this in the game. The playtester who inspired this comment knows who he is."