Can you learn skills self taught that have no default?

[kirbwarrior]

I tried searching around and checking books I had, but I haven't found the answer to this. I just noticed Body Language has no normal default, but I'm pretty sure it's something I learned just by studying people around me and checking it on strangers. But then on the other side, I don't think Karate is something you can learn just by trying.

Are there any special rules to learning skills with no default? Can I learn a skill that has none through self training?

Thank you ahead of time.

[weby]

B293 "Self-Teaching" says that you can learn a skill unless the skill description places conditions. So unless there are such you can learn it.

Karate however says "This skill represents any advanced training ..." so you could read that as such limitation requiring advanced training not self study.

Personally I do not worry about what can be studied as long as you have materials and tools to study.

[kirbwarrior]

That's simple enough, thanks for the response!

[starslayer]

Remember- Karate is NOT the specific martial art karate, it is 'developed combat technique specialized in striking and doing damage'.

It could be developed in secret to help counter weapons (Karate), via extensive monastic training that eventually distills the best way to do things (kung-fu), by scientifically studying the kenisiology of the body and best ways to do damage (krav maga), or some other method.

As long as its a litany of taught (even self taught) advanced combat techniques; you can learn the GURPS 'karate' skill.

[Bruno]

I hesitate to assume someone has the GURPS Body Language skill - it gives a very high ability to detect lies, which testing has proven over and over again that most people aren't fantastic at, and most people over-estimate their own ability at. What body language reading in real life does is help judge some stress and emotional state, but people don't have a strict programming of "you must feel this emotion while lying" or even "you must be stressed while lying".

Part of the problem is that most people are pitted against pretty terrible-quality lies - humans do a lot of lying but we don't try very hard (as a species) to learn to be fantastically good at it beyond the little-white-lie level. Children are horrible at it because they have a cruddy theory of mind, but a lot of adults aren't really that much better at the empathy needed to lie really well.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by starslayer

Remember- Karate is NOT the specific martial art karate, it is 'developed combat technique specialized in striking and doing damage'.

That is true, I used it as an example because it's a simple enough to understand "No Default" skill that points out it's "advanced".

Originally Posted by Bruno

I hesitate to assume someone has the GURPS Body Language skill - it gives a very high ability to detect lies, which testing has proven over and over again that most people aren't fantastic at, and most people over-estimate their own ability at.

You're not wrong. I wouldn't say I'm great at it, rather that the results have been stable. From what I've put together, I'm also pretty sure I have Empathy as written. However, this all sounds like a different topic altogether ;)

[Sam Baughn]

Well, at some point someone had to learn every skill without a teacher, simply because someone has to be the first person to learn it.

Some skills which have no default but seem very likely you could teach yourself: Brawling, Fast-Draw, Forced Entry, Jumping, Lifting.

[mr beer]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Part of the problem is that most people are pitted against pretty terrible-quality lies - humans do a lot of lying but we don't try very hard (as a species) to learn to be fantastically good at it beyond the little-white-lie level. Children are horrible at it because they have a cruddy theory of mind, but a lot of adults aren't really that much better at the empathy needed to lie really well.

I read a book about body language once, my favourite paragraph went something like this:

In order to lie successfully, the person must learn to disguise their natural body language. Professional liars, such as actors and politicians, are very good at this.

[Anthony]

A lot of skills cannot reasonably be learned without reference materials (for example, most mental /TL skills), but given appropriate references there aren't many skills that can't be self taught.